Border Force

What we do

Border Force is a law enforcement command within the Home Office. We secure the UK border by carrying out immigration and customs controls for people and goods entering the UK.

Border Force was formed on 1 March 2012 as a law enforcement command within the Home Office. Border Force secures the border and promotes national prosperity by facilitating the legitimate movement of individuals and goods, whilst preventing those that would cause harm from entering the UK. This is achieved through the immigration and customs checks carried out by our staff at ports and airports.

Responsibilities

We are responsible for:

  • checking the immigration status of people arriving in and departing the UK
  • searching baggage, vehicles and cargo for illicit goods or illegal immigrants
  • patrolling the UK coastline and searching vessels
  • gathering intelligence
  • alerting the police and security services to people of interest

Priorities

In 2012 to 2013 our priorities are to:

  • deter and prevent individuals and goods that would harm the national interests from entering the UK
  • facilitate the legitimate movement of individuals and trade to and from the UK
  • protect and collect customs revenues for trade crossing the border
  • provide excellent service to customers
  • provide demonstrable effectiveness, efficiency and value for money

Who we are

Border Force officers work at 140 sea and air ports across the UK and overseas. We are led by Director General Sir Charles Montgomery, who is supported by Mandie Campbell, Chief Operating Officer, Gary Downes, Director of Border Systems, and Julie Taylor, Director of Strategy and Change.

Our policies

  1. Securing borders and reducing immigration

    Immigration enriches our culture and strengthens our economy and we want to attract people to study, work and invest in the UK.

See all our policies

Documents

Our announcements

  1. Smuggling: Women jailed for smuggling endangered Iguanas

    • 4 April 2014
    • News story

  2. Home Secretary launches new Border Force cutter to protect UK coastline

    • 17 March 2014
    • News story

See all our announcements

Our publications

  1. Power to enter business premises without a search warrant

    • 3 April 2014
    • Independent report

  2. Emergency travel document process

    • 3 April 2014
    • Independent report

See all our publications

Our statistics

  1. Control of immigration: quarterly statistical summary first quarter 2011

    • 26 May 2011
    • Statistics - national statistics

  2. Control of immigration: quarterly statistical summary fourth quarter 2010

    • 24 February 2011
    • Statistics - national statistics

See all our statistics

Our management

Contact BF

Border Force Complaints and Correspondence Team

Lunar House
11th floor Long Corridor
40 Wellesley Road
Croydon
CR9 2BY

Make an FOI request

  1. Read about the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and how to make a request
  2. Check our previous releases to see if we’ve already answered your question

Corporate information

Jobs and contracts

Help us improve GOV.UK

Please don't include any personal or financial information, for example your National Insurance or credit card numbers.