Welcome the Border Force Application Process Overview
The sections below will give you a full overview of the application process for each of the roles we have on offer.
If you have applied for Border Force roles or other Home Office positions in the past you will notice some changes to the usual recruitment process to make it easier and quicker for candidates to apply for our roles.
Please see the below roles that we currently have available within Border Force:
Border Force Officer
No matter which of the Border Force Officer roles you apply for the application process will be the same:
Read each of the sections below to understand a little more about each element of the process.
Please note, we ensure that the right kind of adjustment is applied where it is necessary to provide a fairer reflection of your qualities. If you do require a reasonable adjustment, you must discuss this with us before you start the assessments. You can do that by following the instructions in your invitation email or by contacting us at the earliest opportunity.
Application form
The first step will require you to complete a form which captures some basic personal information, which allows us to check you are eligible to apply for this position. The form is split into two sections. The first section can be completed in 5 minutes and the second usually takes around 15 minutes. You will not be able to progress to the next stage until both parts are completed.
Once you have submitted the application you will receive a confirmation email and an invite to undertake a Border Force Suitability Assessment.
Border Force Suitability Assessment
The assessment will assess a range of skills relevant to the role of a Border Force Officer. You will be tested on a range of areas to allow us to obtain a full picture about your capabilities.
- Personality questions to better understand what motivates and is important to you.
- Analytical questions to assess how you reach decisions from evidence such as datasets.
- Applied decision making within a theoretical situation to understand your interpersonal and critical thinking style.
Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take.
If you successfully pass the suitability assessment, you will be invited to complete the full application form. Please complete the online test as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended). If you fail to complete the online test or full application before the deadline, your application will be withdrawn.
If you wish to apply for multiple vacancies, which are being advertised at the same time, you will only be required to complete the Border Force Suitability Assessment once and your score will automatically carry across. Please be aware that each vacancy has an individual pass mark and, whilst assessment scores may meet the minimum benchmark criteria for some roles, they may not meet the minimum benchmark criteria for others.
Your score will be banked for 6 months and can be used for any Border Force vacancy within this duration of time.Written Test
The written test is an exercise designed to see how you communicate with others in writing. You do not need any knowledge or experience specific to the Border Force Officer Role to be able to complete the exercise, nor do you need any specific knowledge or experience relating to the scenario presented.
The test on average will take you 50 minutes (made up of 20-25 minutes reading time and 20-25 minutes to provide your test answer) and you should be able to complete it in one sitting and this must be your own work.
All applications are screened for plagiarism and copying of examples/answers from internet sources. If any is detected the application will be withdrawn from the process.
Once you submit your answer at the end of the test you will not be able to change or update your response.
Online Assessment Centre
The Online Assessment Centre (OAC) for Border Force Officer will consist of a Live Interview.
Interview
The interview will be strength-based. Strength based questions seek to find out what people enjoy and when they are at their best. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. It is important that you answer the questions as openly and honestly as you can, thinking about the kind of work you enjoy doing and the relevant Border Force role you are applying for.
Please take your time to read and understand the Civil Service Strengths. This will provide you with an overview of the strengths and give you a greater understanding about what we are looking for in the job.
Interviews will be conducted using a video platform. To check your technology please use the Online Assessment Centre Guidance Document that will be emailed to you if you reach the OAC stage.
Reserve Lists
If you are successful but there are not enough vacancies at your preferred location to offer a role, you will remain on a reserve list for up to 12 months.
Where multiple locations are available within a single advert, reserve lists will be held for each location and candidates will be appointed in merit order by location.
Please only list a location where you are prepared to work and can travel to. If you are offered a role at this location and decline, you will be removed from the reserve list.
Whilst on a reserve list we may offer you an alternative similar role in the Home Office or a role at location you have not selected. Should you reject an alternative role, you will remain on the reserve list for the role/location you applied for. If you accept an alternative role, you will be withdrawn from the reserve list.
Please note there are no guarantees that further vacancies will arise in the location you originally applied for before your time on the reserve list expires.
Provisional Offer
Provisional offers of employment will be made via email. Sometimes emails can go into junk mail so please check regularly and keep an eye on your Application Centre for updates.
Offers need to be accepted within 5 calendar days and details of what happens next will be on the correspondence. If you do not accept the provisional offer within 5 calendar days, your offer may be withdrawn.
Please refer to FAQ or chatbot if you have any queries relating to your offer. Contact information is also available on the advert.
Vetting Guidance
When an offer of employment is made to you there are some additional requirements that must be completed before you can start. These are known as pre-employment or vetting checks and you must satisfy the requirement to prove your identity, where you live and your right to work in the UK. If you successfully pass this first stage, further checks are undertaken against criminal records, your health and employment history.
We will ask you to provide an ID document, proof of address and right to work in the UK. A list of acceptable ID documents will be disclosed in the advert. You can also use our ID document checker.
Please ensure that you provide the documentation requested within 48 hours of receiving the request since we are unable to proceed without them and your offer might be withdrawn. If you anticipate any problems in supplying this documentation please do not hesitate to the Recruitment Team on 0345 528 0427 or email HO-Recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com
Interview Schemes
We invite candidates who identify as having a Disability under the Equality Act 2010 (or the Northern Ireland Act 1998 for vacancies based in Northern Ireland) to apply. We will endeavour to provide the necessarily adjustments to enable you to perform at your best during the selection process. We offer a similar scheme for Veterans, in line with the initiative, ‘A Great Place to Work for Veterans’, and for civil servants at risk of redundancy. If you wish to apply for consideration under these schemes, please complete the appropriate section on the online application form so that we can make any necessary arrangements.
Border Force Assistant Officer
Read each of the sections below to understand a little more about each element of the process.
Please note, we ensure that the right kind of adjustment is applied where it is necessary to provide a fairer reflection of your qualities. If you do require a reasonable adjustment, you must discuss this with us before you start the assessments. You can do that by following the instructions in your invitation email or by contacting us at the earliest opportunity.
Application form
The first step will require you to complete a form which captures some basic personal information, which allows us to check you are eligible to apply for this position. The form is split into two sections. The first section can be completed in 5 minutes and the second usually takes around 15 minutes. You will not be able to progress to the next stage until both parts are completed.
Once you have submitted the application you will receive a confirmation email and an invite to undertake the Border Force Suitability Assessment.
Border Force Suitability Assessment
The assessment will assess a range of skills relevant to the role of a Border Force Assistant Officer. You will be tested on a range of areas to allow us to obtain a full picture about your capabilities.
- Personality questions to better understand what motivates and is important to you.
- Analytical questions to assess how you reach decisions from evidence such as datasets.
- Applied decision making within a theoretical situation to understand your interpersonal and critical thinking style.
Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take.
If you successfully pass the suitability assessment, you will be invited to complete the full application form. Please complete the online test as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended). If you fail to complete the online test or full application before the deadline, your application will be withdrawn.
If you wish to apply for multiple vacancies, which are being advertised at the same time, you will only be required to complete the Border Force Suitability Assessment once and your score will automatically carry across. Please be aware that each vacancy has an individual pass mark and, whilst assessment scores may meet the minimum benchmark criteria for some roles, they may not meet the minimum benchmark criteria for others.
Your score will be banked for 6 months and can be used for any Border Force vacancy within this duration of time.Written Test
The written test is an exercise designed to see how you communicate with others in writing. You do not need any knowledge or experience specific to the Border Force Assistant Officer role to be able to complete the exercise, nor do you need any specific knowledge or experience relating to the scenario presented.
The test on average will take you 50 minutes (made up of 20-25 minutes reading time and 20-25 minutes to provide your test answer) and you should be able to complete it in one sitting and this must be your own work.
All applications are screened for plagiarism and copying of examples/answers from internet sources. If any is detected the application will be withdrawn from the process.
Once you submit your answer at the end of the test you will not be able to change or update your response.
Online Assessment Centre
The Online Assessment Centre (OAC) for Border Force Assistant Officers will consist of a Live Interview.
Interview
The interview will be strength-based. Strength based questions seek to find out what people enjoy and when they are at their best. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. It is important that you answer the questions as openly and honestly as you can, thinking about the kind of work you enjoy doing and the relevant Border Force role you are applying for.
Please take your time to read and understand the Civil Service Strengths. This will provide you with an overview of the strengths and give you a greater understanding about what we are looking for in the job.
Interviews will be conducted using a video platform. To check your technology please use the Online Assessment Centre Guidance Document that will be emailed to you if you reach the OAC stage.
Reserve Lists
If you are successful but there are not enough vacancies at your preferred location to offer a role, you will remain on a reserve list for up to 12 months.
Where multiple locations are available within a single advert, reserve lists will be held for each location and candidates will be appointed in merit order by location.
Please only list a location where you are prepared to work and can travel to. If you are offered a role at this location and decline, you will be removed from the reserve list.
Whilst on a reserve list we may offer you an alternative similar role in the Home Office or a role at location you have not selected. Should you reject an alternative role, you will remain on the reserve list for the role/location you applied for. If you accept an alternative role, you will be withdrawn from the reserve list.
Please note there are no guarantees that further vacancies will arise in the location you originally applied for before your time on the reserve list expires.
Provisional Offer
Provisional offers of employment will be made via email. Sometimes emails can go into junk mail so please check regularly and keep an eye on your Application Centre for updates.
Offers need to be accepted within 5 calendar days and details of what happens next will be on the correspondence. If you do not accept the provisional offer within 5 calendar days, your offer may be withdrawn.
Please refer to FAQ or chatbot if you have any queries relating to your offer. Contact information is also available on the advert.
Vetting Guidance
When an offer of employment is made to you there are some additional requirements that must be completed before you can start. These are known as pre-employment or vetting checks and you must satisfy the requirement to prove your identity, where you live and your right to work in the UK. If you successfully pass this first stage, further checks are undertaken against criminal records, your health and employment history.
We will ask you to provide an ID document, proof of address and right to work in the UK. A list of acceptable ID documents will be disclosed in the advert. You can also use our ID document checker.
Please ensure that you provide the documentation requested within 48 hours of receiving the request since we are unable to proceed without them and your offer might be withdrawn. If you anticipate any problems in supplying this documentation please do not hesitate to the Recruitment Team on 0345 528 0427 or email HO-Recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com
Interview Schemes
We invite candidates who identify as having a Disability under the Equality Act 2010 (or the Northern Ireland Act 1998 for vacancies based in Northern Ireland) to apply. We will endeavour to provide the necessarily necessary adjustments to enable you to perform at your best during the selection process. We offer a similar scheme for Veterans, in line with the initiative, ‘A Great Place to Work for Veterans’, and for civil servants at risk of redundancy. If you wish to apply for consideration under these schemes, please complete the appropriate section on the online application form so that we can make any necessary arrangements.
