Unbelievable!
But I will try to simplify.
TIMELINE
August 8, 2012: Myrna applied for a British Passport - using the Post Office Checking Service - and was given a projected waiting period of around 6 weeks ... with the possibility of being called for interview on account of her being a first-time applicant.
August 29: Received an official-looking Advance Mail envelope posted First Class (with PO Box 35, Liverpool L69 3SN printed on its reverse) which contained a standard letter from the Home Office Identity & Passport Service instructing her to book an appointment for interview at one of their regional IPS offices by contacting 0300 222 1000.
Fair enough! This she did ... only to be confronted with a barrage of questions that seemed to me (who was seated alongside her at the time ... and becoming increasingly discomfited at the way the conversation appeared to be going) to focus on some trivial discrepancy between the names submitted on the completed Application Form and those printed on her Naturalisation Certificate, which merely indicated *LITTLE* Myrna.
Whereupon, I then signalled for the phone to be passed across to me and proceeded to explain that, whenever a filipina marries, it is customary for her to adopt her former surname as a middle name ... hoping against hopethis would clarify matters. Right?
Wrong! Apparently the person at the other end of the line wasby this.
Worse ... she told me an interview could not be conducted as things stood.
Aargh!... what to do next?
Far from satisfied, I decided to call them back and ... surprise, surprise ... found myself relating my story to someone else who promised to investigate and ring me back asap.
August 30: They didn't! So, that afternoon I called a third time. And on this occasion the [again different] member of staff to whom I spoke (an Irish woman) assured me there would would be no problem - duly arranging an interview at their Edinburgh office, for Monday 3rd September. (Fine; this was my late first wife's birth date, as it happens ... which, in itself, looked like a good omen!)
September 1: Myrna answered a knock on the door ... to be greeted by the postie who asked her to sign for another official envelope addressed to 'Mrs Little' [no initials] - this time from PO Box 1401,Belfast BT1 2PP - containing not only instructions for Monday's appointment ... but ALSO returning her [still valid] Philippine Passport for some inexplicable reason.
September 3: Left home before 8am to travel by train to Edinburgh - even though the timing of Myrna's appointment wasn't until 11.45 - because she's the sort of person who likes to arrive early to avoid undue stress.
Upon arrival, the receptionist informed us that the Manger had been trying since 9 o'clock that morning to contact Myrna by phone to say her interview would need to be postponed pending production of the Certificate of Naturalisation which, of course, as I mentioned above, had been returned to us - and signed for - the previous Saturday!
... clearly we'd been unsuspecting victims of a *peculiar phenomenon commonly attributed to Government Departments in general (and not entirely unfounded!) that of "the one hand not knowing what the other is doing" or, put rather more bluntly, their patent inability to distinguish between their arses and their elbows.
Barely able to conceal my displeasure,I pointed out - in no uncertain terms - that we'd spent the best part of £40 in rail fares for the sake of my wife attending an interview that had been cancelled at the last moment, at which stage, the receptionist agreed to arrange for me to speak to the manager personally.
Resultantly, the manager (strangely, also Irish) appeared moments later armed with a small camera - with which he proceeded to take a photo of Myrna - while I produced her naturalisation documents. Apologies were proffered for any inconvenience caused (...obviously there had been some breakdown in communication ...
...) and the interview finally took place. Moreover, Myrna was even told that in the event of the passport not being in her hands within say, one week, she should immediately get back in touch.
So ... all's well that ends well ... hopefully!
up and can't, spring to mind.....
Originally Posted by lastlid
all, for your kind words of encouragement which, as always, are very much appreciated.
... don't bother ... you couldn't ... not in a month of 
bloody Sundays !!!!! 
