Paul,I reported here daily on the problems my wife had with the PPO. It wasn't so much that it took a long time, although it did, I was the complete lack of transparency & bullshi**ing that went on with nobody able or willing to tell her what stage the PP renewal was at. My wife's mum died, suddenly, in England & she obviously had to get back quickly but her PP, sent off a while ago, was "being processed". The lack of information was frustrating to say the least & if it hadn't been for the British & French Border Control Agencies helping, yes actually helping, her to travel on her French driving licence the old girl would have had her funeral without her only daughter.
From what the article implied, the staff transfer was from 'long term' fraud enquiries, ie stuff that was going to take a lot of time anyway (ie no immediate threat) and could therefore hold on for a while....
How long did it take to get yours? I just got three passports back in under 21 days, with applications posted out on 20th May. So hopefully for everyone, they've sorted it out with this staff transfer...
Dunno about "time of heavy demand" but it would be nice if the PPO just kept their word & delivered to their overseas clients in the time they say they will. It would also be nice if they actually took some time to speak to their customers instead of fobbing them off with lies! If I sound angry it's because I am. The grief they caused my wife due to their inefficiency was beyond the pale.
Seems like a good old British compromise to me. Transfer passport fraud squad. Britain lets less out but more in. Status quo maintained, job done :-)
Is this not just a reasonable redeployment of qualified staff to a service in need at a time of heavy demand? What would you suggest ?- that the passport processing service mans up to cope with the summer peak and then has staff underutilised /idle / paid by the taxpayer for the rest of the year??? (Have you gone French??)