All non-civil servants need to undergo a security check as part of pre-employment checks. This will include National Security Vetting to a level required for the role and stated within the advert. Existing Civil Servants from other Departments will also need to meet the relevant National Security Vetting level.
Residency
For meaningful checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years if the role requires CTC clearance, 5 years for SC clearance and 10 years for DV. A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.
Please visit the GOV.UK for more information about the different types of security checks.
Additional Security Checks
As well as successfully obtaining UK Security Vetting clearance and passing the right to work and pre-employment screening, anyone who applies to work for Border Force will also be subject to additional Border Force specific security checks, as part of the pre-employment process, to determine their suitability to work for the organisation. This is because Border Force staff are placed in a position of trust due to their access to classified information, location and assets, which means they must uphold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.
What do additional security checks involve?
The following are some, but not all, of the areas we may consider during the course of conducting additional security checks:
- Association with potentially compromising individuals or organised crime groups
- Criminal cautions, convictions or other information indicating involvement in criminality
- Information or intelligence that casts doubt on reliability or integrity
- Information relating to illegal substance use
Openness and honesty on the application form itself will also be considered.
Will Border Force refuse my clearance if I have a criminal record?
We consider each case individually. It is important to be completely honest about any offences committed in the past. Having a criminal record does not automatically mean that we will not approve an application.
Who makes the decision on whether I pass or fail the additional security checks?
The decision is made by a specialist team who centrally manage all risks related to Border Force staff integrity.
What if I’ve previously passed additional security checks?
The clearance is valid for a period of three years. If you have previously passed additional security checks, you will be assigned a unique reference number which you will be required to provide during any subsequent recruitment process. You will still be required to confirm whether there have been any changes in your circumstances since your last application and Border Force reserve the right to conduct a full ASC check on any candidate at any stage.
What happens if I fail the additional security checks?
If you do not successfully complete these checks, we will not be able to progress your application to join Border Force. You will be informed of the decision but, in order to protect the sensitive information and databases that are searched, we cannot provide any more detailed information as to why your application was not successful.
Can I appeal Border Force’s decision?
There is no right of appeal against the decision not to progress any applications to work with Border Force.
Why do we use your information?
The information you provide to Border Force for the additional security checks will be used for the purpose of progressing your application, or to fulfil legal or regulatory requirements as necessary. We will use the information you provide to assess your suitability for the role you have applied for.
Please see the Home Office Recruitment Privacy Information Notice (PIN) at Recruitment: privacy information notice (GOV.UK) and Border Force PIN at Border Force personnel security: privacy information notice for more information on how your details may be shared for the purpose of additional security checks.