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FAQS
Mandatory Background Investigation
| Q: |
What is the purpose of a background investigation? |
| A: |
A background investigation is conducted to ensure that the candidate
is reliable, trustworthy, of good conduct and character and loyal to the
United States, i.e., suitable for employment. |
| Q: |
What are the basic requirements for employment? |
| A: |
U.S. Citizenship: United States citizenship; proof of
citizenship required, if selected. Residency: Meet one
or more of the following primary residence criteria for the last three
years prior to submitting an application for employment: a) resided in the
United States or its protectorates or territories (excluding short trips
abroad, such as vacations); b) worked for the U.S. government as an
employee overseas in a federal or military capacity; or c) been a
dependent of a U.S. federal or military employee serving overseas.
Background Security Investigation: Successfully
complete a background investigation before being appointed.
Drug Testing: If in a drug testing position (e.g.,
Border Patrol Agent, Customs and Border Protection Officer, Intel
Specialist), submit to a drug test and receive a negative test result
before being appointed. |
| Q: |
What kind of inquiries will CBP make into my background? |
| A: |
The background investigation will include credit and criminal history
checks, records checks to verify citizenship of family members,
verification of birth, education, employment history, and military
history. Interviews will be conducted of sources who know the candidate
and of any current or former spouse (divorced within the past ten years).
Residences will be confirmed, neighbors interviewed, and public records
queried for information about bankruptcies, divorces, and criminal or
civil litigation. Additional interviews will be conducted, as needed, to
resolve any inconsistencies or developed issues. |
| Q: |
What is adjudication and what is involved in the adjudication
process? |
| A: |
Adjudication is the evaluation of data contained in a background
investigation, and/or any other available relevant reports, to determine
whether an individual is suitable for federal employment or eligible for
access to classified information. |
| Q: |
What types of issues would render me unsuitable for employment? |
| A: |
Issues such as poor credit history, criminal background, or
association with undesirable individuals or foreign nationals could render
an individual unsuitable for employment. |
| Q: |
How long does a background investigation take and why do some
investigations take longer than others? |
| A: |
If you do not provide accurate information or answer all of the
questions on the background investigation forms, the investigative process
may be delayed. Some individuals have more complex backgrounds than others
and, consequently, more time is required to conduct a complete
investigation. Other factors that may delay the process are overseas
coverage, multiple geographic areas, and numerous employments. |
| Q: |
What is the difference between Suitability and Security? |
| A: |
Suitability is a determination based on an individual's character or
conduct that may have an impact on the integrity or efficiency of an
agency's mission. Security is a determination of eligibility for
assignment to, or retention in, sensitive national security positions. |
| Q: |
What is a security clearance? |
| A: |
A security clearance is an administrative determination based upon the
results of an investigation that an individual is trustworthy and may be
granted access to classified national security information. |
| Q: |
Why are you going to investigate me? I'm only applying for an
entry-level job and I don't need a security clearance. |
| A: |
Suitability is always a consideration for federal employment. All
individuals employed by the federal government shall be reliable,
trustworthy, of good conduct and character, and of complete and unswerving
loyalty to the United States. This means that the appointment of each
employee in any department or agency of the government is subject to
investigation. The scope of the investigation will vary, depending on the
nature of the position and the degree of harm that an individual in that
position could cause. |
Applying for Job Opportunities
| Q: |
How do I know if I can apply to a vacancy announcement? |
| A: |
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) advertises job vacancies
under three “Areas of Consideration:”
- open to the public (All Sources),
- restricted to current or former Federal employees and,
- current CBP employees only. The area of consideration is noted on
the first page of a job announcement under “Who May Apply.” The vacancy
announcement’s “Area of Consideration” can be restricted to any one of
these areas or a combination of the three.
Any All Sources announcement is open to the public.
Any qualified applicant that meets the job qualifications and requirements
may apply. A preference, eligible veteran applying under an All Sources
announcement would be entitled to Veterans’ Preference. This includes
extra points assigned to the rating based on the type of veterans’
preference.
Under a Merit Promotion announcement, all permanent
Federal employees in a competitive position or excepted service position
covered by an interchange agreement or someone eligible for reinstatement
may apply. In addition, preference, eligible veterans, or any veteran
separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after 3 years
or more of continuous service, may apply.
Note: Veterans receive the same consideration as civil
service employees that currently hold a competitive position or status
employees. The Veterans’ Reemployment Opportunities Act (VEOA) permits
veterans to apply to Merit Promotion announcements.
Merit Promotion (Internal) announcements can also be
restricted to current agency employees. When an agency advertises this way
you can only apply if you are one of their current employees and meet the
eligibility requirements. |
| Q: |
What is the Veterans' Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA)? |
| A: |
When an agency advertises a vacancy and accepts applications from
outside its own workforce, the Veterans' Employment Opportunities Act of
1998 (VEOA) allows veterans or veterans’ preference eligibles to compete
for these vacancies under the agency’s merit promotion procedures.
Veterans who are selected are given career or career conditional
appointments. Veterans are those who have been separated under honorable
conditions from the armed forces with 3 or more years of continuous active
service. Veterans' preference, however, does not apply to selections made
under merit promotion procedures. Additional veterans’ information can be
found on the OPM Website. (
Veterans Employment Information ) |
| Q: |
How do I know if I am a VEOA applicant? |
| A: |
The Veterans’ Reemployment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) opens up
Merit Promotion announcements to veterans allowing them additional
employment opportunities. A veteran qualifies under VEOA if they have
three or more years of honorable service in the U.S. military or they are
preference, eligible. Applicants with veteran’s preference eligibility do
not need to meet the three-year requirement. Additional veterans’
information can be found on the OPM Website. (
Veterans Employment Information ) |
| Q: |
What should I indicate if I am a current Federal employee and a
VEOA eligible applicant? |
| A: |
The Veterans’ Reemployment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) opens up
Merit Promotion announcements to veterans allowing them additional
employment opportunities. If you are already a current government employee
with competitive status, the VEOA would not apply, and you should indicate
your status as a current CBP or other federal employee. VEOA provides
veterans outside of the federal civil service the opportunity to compete
for jobs that are open to current federal employees. Veterans’ preference
or 3 or more years of honorable service allows you to apply, but you
receive no preference under Merit Promotion procedures. |
| Q: |
Is there a limit on the number of duty locations I can select? |
| A: |
The vacancy announcement will indicate if there is a limit on
the number of duty locations that you can select. When the duty locations
are restricted, consider carefully where you would like to receive
consideration and only mark the appropriate number as indicated in the
announcement and online questionnaire. If you mark more locations than
permitted, the system will default to the number allowed and eliminate one
or more of your choices. This could cause you to lose a location that you
really wanted. |
| Q: |
How many times can I apply to the announcement? |
| A: |
You may apply to an announcement as many times as you want, however,
you will be rated on the responses you provided on the last questionnaire
submitted. If the last questionnaire is incomplete, your eligibility and
or your rating will be affected. Do not start a questionnaire and submit
it when it is partially completed, as this record will override a previous
submission. If you are confident you provided all the required information
and answered all questions to the best of your ability, then you do not
need to submit a second or third questionnaire. If you submitted your
documentation along with a previous questionnaire, you do not need to
resubmit the same documentation. Your resume and any other supporting
documents will stay with your record for that vacancy announcement. Your
last questionnaire submission will override the previous one but your
documents will remain with the record. |
| Q: |
Once I apply, how long will my application be good for? |
| A: |
When you apply to a vacancy announcement your application record is
assigned a period of eligibility. Typically the period of eligibility is
90 days, although this can vary. Open continuous announcements can have a
period of eligibility that lasts six months or even one year. If the
period of eligibility is anything other than 90 days, the agency will
indicate the period of eligibility in the vacancy announcement. The agency
must issue a list of eligible applicants to the hiring official within the
period of eligibility, or the applicant pool is no longer current and they
must re-advertise the position. |
| Q: |
I have applied for a position. What should I do if my
qualifications or eligibility changes, or I just want to make changes to
my application? |
| A: |
If the announcement is still open to receipt of applications, you can
make changes. You must complete the questionnaire in its entirety and
re-submit. If you only want to submit additional or updated documentation
then you can use the fax option. See the “How to Apply” section of the
announcement. If the announcement is closed, you cannot make changes to
your application or submit additional documentation. |
| Q: |
What documents should I submit? |
| A: |
It is best to read the How to Apply section of the announcement before
sending your documentation. In most cases you are required to submit a
resume; however, additional documents may be required, so it is important
to read the announcement to ensure you are submitting the appropriate
information. |
| Q: |
Should I fax or upload documents? |
| A: |
You should upload your documentation, if possible. The upload screen
appears at the end of the online questionnaire. When you upload a file, it
is scanned for viruses and then is attached directly to your record for
this vacancy. If you receive an “Upload Successful” acknowledgement, your
file was received and will attach to your record. If it is not possible
for you to upload a document, then the facsimile (FAX) service is offered.
Do not upload and then FAX the same documents. You may FAX documents that
you do not have in electronic form, such as transcripts, Veterans
Preference documentation, etc. Use the cover page when faxing
documentation, or there is no way to associate your FAX submission to your
record for this vacancy. The FAX “Cover Page” is located in two places.
There is a link under the “How to Apply” portion of the announcement.
Click this link and the page will appear, print it, and fill in the
required vacancy ID, SSN, name, and address, and FAX it to (478)
757-3144. Make sure to print neatly, and use the same name and SSN that
you used when you completed the online questionnaire. You
can also get a copy of the cover page on the upload screen at the end of
the online questionnaire. If you scroll down this page, you will see a
link for the cover page. If you print the cover page from this link, the
required information (Vacancy ID, SSN, Name, and address) is preformatted
on the page for you. Send this to the FAX number listed. FAXed documents
take anywhere from 2-48 hours to attach to your applicant record. |
| Q: |
Why do you need my email address? |
| A: |
We need your email address to communicate the status of your
application. |
| Q: |
How do I know if you received my questionnaire and documentation
that I submitted? |
| A: |
If the vacancy announcement is still open, follow these instructions.
These same steps are outlined in the How to Apply section of the
announcement.
- Go to the Office of Personnel Management and log in using the box on
the right hand side of the page.
- Click the radio button next to the Vacancy Identification Number.
- Make sure that all of your documents appear on the table with a
status of Processed.
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| Q: |
How do I find a vacancy announcement on the USAJobs Website? |
| A: |
Each vacancy announcement posted on USAJobs has required information.
The required information provides consistent content from one announcement
to the next and allows applicants to search for positions based on this
common criterion. Every announcement lists the agency advertising the
position, a vacancy announcement number, open/close dates, position title,
series, grade level, salary, promotion potential, and duty location of the
vacancy being advertised. The announcements are further divided between
All Sources and Merit Promotion announcements. The quickest way to find
jobs advertised for CBP is to go to the USAJobs Website and select “Search
Jobs.” (
USAJobs )
If you have the announcement number, use the “Basic Search”
page and insert the announcement number into the Keyword search option,
then scroll to the bottom of the page, indicate your eligibility (status),
and press “Search for Jobs.”
An alternative search is to use the “Agency Search.” You will
see this option on the “Search for Jobs” page. Select the agency (CBP is
listed under Department of Homeland Security) from the drop down menu,
scroll further and insert the series you are interested in, then select
your eligibility and press the “Search for Jobs” button at the bottom of
the page. The page will refresh and display all CBP jobs for that series.
Remember selecting “Yes” for the eligibility will display
Merit Promotion announcements or announcements open to applicants with
competitive status or VEOA eligibility. Selecting “No” will display “All
Sources” type announcements or vacancy announcements open to all qualified
applicants. The majority of CBP vacancy announcements are advertised as
Merit Promotion. |
| Q: |
How do I know how many positions are being filled at a
location? |
| A: |
The number of positions (openings) varies with each vacancy
announcement. When the vacancy announcement is displayed on USAJobs, each
location will usually have the number of openings shown beside it. If
there is more than one vacancy, it can be displayed as 2, 3, or even 10
positions. Often the word “Few” or “Many” appears instead of an actual
number. The agency is not obligated to fill all positions at all
advertised locations. |
| Q: |
How often will referral lists be issued? |
| A: |
Typically, referral lists are issued within 2 weeks after an
announcement closes. Lists are usually generated for each of the grade
levels and duty locations advertised. If the vacancy announcement is an
“Open Continuous” type, then referral lists are issued as needed. When a
position opens up in a given location, a request is processed and a list
of eligible applicants is developed. |
| Q: |
What is “full performance level” and “performance potential”? |
| A: |
“Full performance level” and “promotion potential” are terms used to
indicate the highest grade level you can obtain in a position without
further competition. Once you have reached that grade level and have
completed one year of service at that grade, then you must apply and
compete with other applicants to receive a promotion to the next higher
grade level. |
| Q: |
What is the lowest acceptable grade? |
| A: |
The lowest acceptable grade is the lowest grade that you are willing
to accept. |
| Q: |
Do I have to submit an application for each duty location listed on
a single vacancy announcement? |
| A: |
No, you do not have to apply multiple times for the same vacancy
announcement. If the announcement has more than one duty location and
there is a limit on how many locations you select, it will be noted in the
vacancy announcement. |
| Q: |
Why can’t I print the questionnaire and my responses? |
| A: |
At this time, there is not a feature enabling you to print the
questionnaire and your responses. Remember, simply filling out the
questionnaire does not mean you have finished the application process. You
must click the “Finish” button at the bottom of the last page of the
questionnaire then select the “Submit” button. |
| Q: |
How do I submit my resume? |
| A: |
You should upload your resume if possible. The upload screen appears
at the end of the online questionnaire. When you upload a file it is
scanned for viruses and then attaches directly to your record for this
vacancy. If you receive an “Upload Successful” acknowledgement, your file
was received and will attach to your record. If it is not possible for you
to upload your resume, then the facsimile (FAX) service is offered. Use
the cover page when faxing documentation or there is no way to associate
your FAX submission to your record for this vacancy. The FAX “Cover Page”
is located in two places. There is a link under the “How to Apply” portion
of the announcement. Click this link and the page will appear. Print it
and fill in the required vacancy ID, SSN, name, and address, and FAX it to
(478) 757-3144. Make sure to print neatly and use the same name and
SSN that you used when you completed the online questionnaire. You can
also get a copy of the cover page on the upload screen at the end of the
online questionnaire. If you scroll down this page you will see a link for
the cover page. If you print the cover page from this link the required
information (Vacancy ID, SSN, Name, and address) is preformatted on the
page for you. Send this to the FAX number listed. FAXed documents take
anywhere from 2-48 hours to attach to your applicant record.
Please note that if you have a USAJobs resume that you built using the
resume builder feature, it will not automatically attach to your
application. Ensure that your resume contains the required information:
Name, address, (email address) current and previous employment, to include
the hours worked and dates employed (grade level held if current Federal
employee), education, Veterans preference (if applicable), and any other
pertinent information. |
| Q: |
What is “time in grade”? |
| A: |
For most promotion opportunities, in addition to meeting
qualifications and eligibility requirements for the position, you must
have completed at least one year of service equivalent to the next lower
grade level in the normal line of progression for the position to be
filled. |
| Q: |
What type of documentation do I need to submit to support my
Veterans' Preference claim? |
| A: |
To support your claim of veterans’ preference or VEOA eligibility you
must submit a DD-214 form. The DD-214 form shows your length and dates of
service and your type of discharge. The dates that you were on active duty
determine whether you are entitled to veterans’ preference. If you are a
veteran who has a service-connected disability, or you are receiving
compensation for a service connected disability or you are entitled to
derived preference, then you must submit a completed SF-15 along with your
DD-214. (
SF-15 ) If you would like additional
veterans’ preference information visit the section called "Your Veterans'
Preference Status" at the USAJobs website. (
Veterans' Employment Resource Center ) The
“Overview” link provides information about general requirements and types
of preference. |
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