Working as a Border Patrol Agent, CBP Officer, or Air & Marine Agent is demanding.
And we need to be sure new recruits can perform their full range of duties under unpredictable and sometimes dangerous circumstances.
That’s why we require a medical exam as part of the pre-employment process.
No medical condition is automatically disqualifying,
and we review each applicant and their medical history on a case-by-case basis
to ensure they can safely & effectively do this work without putting themselves,
their team,
or the public at risk.
Here’s how the medical review process works.
Shortly after you receive your Conditional Offer,
a CBP medical partner will contact you to schedule your exam at a location close to the home address you provided on your application.
After your exam is scheduled, you’ll receive an email with a pre-exam questionnaire and instructions on what to bring.
Please ensure you’re on time to your appointment,
as missing it may mean starting your application to CBP over again.
Complete the questionnaire before your exam
and bring all paperwork, ID, and other documents we’ve requested,
including your most recent glasses or contact lens prescription, if you have one.
At your exam, a medical professional will conduct a physical exam,
a vision test,
a hearing test,
and review the answers you provided on the questionnaire.
You may also receive an email asking you to undergo mental health screening,
which consists of a multiple-choice questionnaire that you’ll complete online
and a one-on-one evaluation with a psychologist over the phone.
After everything’s complete, the information will be forwarded to the CBP medical team for review.
If the medical team identifies any conditions that might affect your ability to safely perform the duties of the position you’ve applied for,
a nurse case manager will email you or call to ask for more information.
It’s important that you promptly respond to your assigned nurse case manager,
as they’re there to help you throughout the process.
You may be able to provide additional information yourself,
but some applicants will need further evaluation from a medical professional.
The initial exam will be arranged and paid for by CBP at no cost to you,
but if a follow-on exam is needed, that’s something you’ll need to arrange and pay for on your own,
and you’ll have limited time to gather and submit the additional information.
If we ask for more information, it’s not a sign you’ll be disqualified.
It just means we need to know more to ensure you can do this work safely and effectively.
If the team determines that you meet the medical requirements, you’ll receive a notification that your medical evaluation is complete.
If we determine you’d be unable to safely perform your job duties due to a medical condition,
you’ll receive a Medical Disqualification Letter telling you what condition or factors led to your disqualification.
If you are medically disqualified, you’ll have an opportunity to request a medical waiver to continue with the hiring process.
Successful waiver requests show that, even with a medical condition,
the person can perform their duties safely & effectively.
Instructions for requesting a waiver will be in the Disqualification letter.
Make sure to carefully read all communications, forms, and questionnaires, and provide complete & truthful answers.
Omitting or concealing medical or mental health information will lengthen your application process,
give you less time to provide the necessary information,
and could lead to your Conditional Offer being withdrawn.
So it’s important to be open and honest about your complete medical and mental health history,
even if a medical professional, military health board, or other authority has previously told you that you don’t need to disclose it to future employers.
The work we do is unique, and the Federal government has authorized CBP to ask for and receive this type of information.
It will be held confidential and treated with respect.
We’re not looking to screen out applicants with medical or mental health conditions,
and remember – no condition is automatically disqualifying.
We want a committed, diverse workforce.
But we also need to make sure we’re hiring people with integrity who can be truthful and who we’re confident can do this work safely & effectively.
For more information about the medical review process and medical waivers, visit our website at cbp.gov/med for general information
or cbp.gov/cbpo-med or cbp.gov/bpa-med for information specific to each position.
The fitness test and drug testing are separate from the medical exam.
If you haven’t already, join our Talent Network to learn more about positions at CBP,
or head to cbp.gov/careers/apply-now to start your application.