Civil Service pre-employment checks failed

I came into the UK in June 2021 from Hong Kong, so I've been in the UK for 1.5 years.
I'm now in the process of BPSS pre-employment checks for an AO position. It's been the 2nd week since the check has started...
Still waiting for the outcome... That's stresssful.

How long do you have to have been living in the UK for the AO position?

not sure if this is against any rule

but is there any HKer in this post want to connect ? please send a private message to me

It is subject to different roles, not the grade. It is dependent on whether the position requires further National Vetting such as Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) or higher levels of Vetting level, which requires minimum residency in the UK for 3 years or more. So it varies as some of the AO positions in "Department A" just requires BPSS, whilst some of the AO positions from "Department B" may need CTC or else. Usually, such level of National Vetting required for the position should be stated in the Job Advert.

So, to my understanding, positions that require just BPSS do not require minimum length of UK residency, but you will need to detail any period of 6 months or over in the past 3 years that you were abroad from the UK and they reserve their right to ask you to hand a Certificate of Good Character (the Certificate that proves you have no criminal record outside the UK) for the period that you were abroad from the UK.

However, I believe, for some cases, the position without requirements about CTC or Certificate of Good Character referenced in the Job Advert, for example, does not mean that such CTC or Certificate of Good Character is not necessary. You'll be advised of further details at the Pre-employment Check stage.

It is subject to different roles, not the grade. It is dependent on whether the position requires further National Vetting such as Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) or higher levels of Vetting level, which requires minimum residency in the UK for 3 years or more. So it varies as some of the AO positions in "Department A" just requires BPSS, whilst some of the AO positions from "Department B" may need CTC or else. Usually, such level of National Vetting required for the position should be stated in the Job Advert.

So, to my understanding, positions that require just BPSS do not require minimum length of UK residency, but you will need to detail any period of 6 months or over in the past 3 years that you were abroad from the UK and they reserve their right to ask you to hand a Certificate of Good Character (the Certificate that proves you have no criminal record outside the UK) for the period that you were abroad from the UK.

However, I believe, for some cases, the position without requirements about CTC or Certificate of Good Character referenced in the Job Advert, for example, does not mean that such CTC or Certificate of Good Character is not necessary. You'll be advised of further details at the Pre-employment Check stage.

My situation is similar to you. Good Luck.

I am having the same issue. I am a British born citizen but have spent time living overseas (Turkey) and returned home 2022. Yes, job adverts for HO do state about 3 years UK residency but it also states "A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance". I can provide full references, criminal record checks and proof of overseas address. However, I have never been asked to provide this and I have told them I can provide it but they keep ignoring me. I was at the provisional offer stage. It appears that they have not even attempted to obtain a security check, they are just refusing to apply for one. If a lack of UK residency is a clear and unambiguous bar to employment why not state this clearly in the job description (as police jobs do). Or, if there is only 1 exception (working or family working for armed forces) state this instead of wasting applicants and their own time. Civil Service guidance states clearly a lack of UK residency should not be an automatic bar to employment and there is other checks they can undertake (overseas criminal record checks, references, face to face interviews) none of which I have been offered. I have raised a formal complaint and escalated this to the Civil Service Commission. My issue is not the rules - if 3 years is the rule with mininmal exceptions, then this should be clearly stated in the advert. I have wasted months waiting for a security check that they are refusing to even attempt to apply for. The first part of the application asked for previous 5 years of addresses which I provided so if it was such a big problem for them, why did they not filter out my application at this first stage. It is an unfair recruitment practice. So wondering if anyone has been successful in overturning a decision like this based on their own guidance stating it should not be an automatic bar which mine seems to have been ...

This is a bit confusing to me. Have they told you of the outcome of the check? and how did you they have not applied for security clearance.

It’s confusing to me too. They have not told me the outcome of the check. Seemingly they have not even applied for the security check. They have just said I don’t fulfil the residency requirements and when I have queried the fact that it states a “lack of uk residency shouldn’t necessarily be a bat to employment” they have said basically it is in exceptional circumstances. If so they should state that on the job advert rather than the very blase way they have described it currently. If it said exceptional circumstances I would be sure not to apply and that is the crux of my complaint yet they seem to be stonewalling me

so sorry about it. If they have not stated the offer has been withdrawn, then there is hope.

Unfortunately they have told me my offer has been withdrawn despite all their guidance stating it shouldn’t be and things like overseas criminal record checks not even being asked of me which I can provide plus with fulll references . And they just seem to close ranks when you complain . Applied in January and it’s taken this long to say my time overseas is a problem despite the first part of application asking for last 5 years of addresses so if such an issue my application should have been filtered out at the first stage plus job advert stating it is very unlikely we will employ you if you have been overseas in recent years

hello fellow HKers
looks like it would be quite difficult for us to get into AO / EO grade jobs judging by OP's experience, understandably I might add
Did anyone succeed in BPSS?

Hello,

Just looking to see if any of this worked in your favour? The job advert of the role of an Admin Officer under Operational Delivery for Customer Services at the Home Office did not state residency requirements. I've just been reading up about it on this forum. I have received an e-mail for a pre-recorded video interview and was hoping I could get clarification on this. I moved from Hong Kong to UK in December 2022 and will not be able to meet the 3 years requirement if they ask for it. I don't really want to go through the whole lengthy process just to be told at the end that I have not passed security checks.
Did you or any other fellow HKers in the same situation manage to pass security?
Thanks!

Hello,

Just looking to see if any of this worked in your favour? The job advert of the role of an Admin Officer under Operational Delivery for Customer Services at the Home Office did not state residency requirements. I've just been reading up about it on this forum. I have received an e-mail for a pre-recorded video interview and was hoping I could get clarification on this. I moved from Hong Kong to UK in December 2022 and will not be able to meet the 3 years requirement if they ask for it. I don't really want to go through the whole lengthy process just to be told at the end that I have not passed security checks.
Did you or any other fellow HKers in the same situation manage to pass security?
Thanks!

Hi there, i have applied the same job as you(AO operational delivery customer service) and been invited to take pre recorded video interview could you pls let me know which questions they will ask you?