FAQ

Having a security clearance means the U.S. Government has determined that you are eligible for access to classified information. This vastly increases your employability with the government and their supporting contractors. In most cases, clearance results in higher wages and can open additional career possibilities.

Security clearances can be issued by many United States Government agencies and there are three primary levels:

Confidential
Secret
Top Secret
Note: Some agencies have different names for these levels, but they correlate.

Access to classified national security information is based on an appropriate level of security clearance (Confidential, Secret or Top Secret) and a “Need-to-Know.” Within these basic levels, some information requires a formal Need-to-Know determination (also known as a Special Access Authorization) creating further protections within Special Access Programs (SAPs), including Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and Restricted Data (RD).

No, but SCP is here to assist you in your endeavor. For ultimate clearance, generally, you must be sponsored by a cleared contractor or a government agency which usually follows a hiring decision. That said, your readiness and ability to quickly achieve a clearance is a marketable factor in any job search involving the potential for classified work.

– Current unlawful use of or addiction to a controlled substance
– Determined to be mentally incompetent by a mental health professional approved by the government agency
– Criminal conviction resulting in incarceration for a period of one year or more
– Discharge or dismissal from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions

Otherwise, the most common reasons for clearance denial are serious financial problems, intentional false statements in connection with a clearance investigation, recent illegal drug involvement, repeated alcohol abuse, and a pattern of criminal conduct or rule violation. For many people, these issues can be mitigated if documented and presented properly during a security interview, or in response to a Letter of Intent to deny clearance. SCP can assist your preparation in these circumstances.

The application requires personal identifying data, as well as information regarding:

– Citizenship, residence, education, and employment history
– Family and associates
– Foreign connections/travel
– Criminal records and illegal drug involvement
– Financial delinquencies
– Certain types of mental health treatment
– Alcohol-related incidents and counseling
– Military service
– Prior clearances and investigations
– Civil court actions
– Misuse of computer systems
– Subversive activities

The number of years of information required on the form varies from question to question. Many require 7 years, some require 10 years, and others are not limited to any period of time.

A National Agency Check (NAC), police record checks, and credit check are components of all clearance investigations. When possibl,e these are done centrally by an Investigation Service Provider (ISP), like OPM. Some police record checks must be done locally by field investigators.

Letter inquiries to employers, employment supervisors, etc. are also done centrally by an ISP. For investigations requiring other record checks, reference interviews, and a Subject Interview, tasking is sent from the ISP simultaneously to different field offices and assigned to individual investigators (either federal agents or contract investigators) in all locations involved. If the investigation develops information that requires additional action in another location, tasking is sent from the investigator that developed the information to another field office. Investigative reports are electronically submitted as the work is completed. When all reports have been received at the ISP, the case is reviewed for completeness, and then it is forwarded to the appropriate Central Adjudication Facility (CAF).

For DOD clearances a cleared contractor or DOD government agency identifies an employee or employment candidate with a need to have access to classified information. Once identified, the contractor’s Facility Security Officer (FSO) or the government agency’s Security Manager (SM) submits an investigation request through the Joint Personnel Adjudication System (JPAS) and ensures that the individual completes a clearance application in the Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing (e-QIP).

The FSO then reviews, approves, and forwards the completed e-QIP to DSS PSMO-I for their approval, issuance of an interim clearance, and release to Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for investigation. For most federal employees and all military personnel, the government agency SM reviews, approves, makes an interim clearance decision, and releases the completed e-QIP to OPM. OPM conducts an investigation and sends the results of the investigation to DOD CAF, which either grants a clearance or issues a Letter of Intent to Deny Clearance with a Statement of Reasons. Clearances for other federal agencies are processed in essentially the same manner but can involve a different Investigation Service Provider (ISP).

You must answer all questions on the clearance application form truthfully and completely, but you do not have to volunteer unfavorable information that is not related to any of the questions on the form. Many clearance denials for financial problems, drugs, alcohol, and criminal conduct also involve intentional omission of relevant information and/or providing false information during the clearance process.

Oftentimes, the act of providing false information is more serious than the issues people try to hide. Passage of time is a major mitigating factor for all issues involving misconduct. Willfully providing false information on a clearance application or during a Subject Interview is a serious criminal offense and is very difficult to mitigate because of the recency of the offense.

Some security clearance determinations are made relatively quickly. Others may take a year or more. For these cases part of the answer involves the applicant and requires a better understanding of the process. There are three phases to clearance processing: 1) application, 2) investigation, and 3) adjudication.

In the past, most clearance delays occurred during the investigation phase. Due primarily to a significant increase in the number of investigators, the average time for investigations has been significantly reduced. Today, most of the delays in getting a clearance occur in the application phase and the adjudication phase. The problems that cause these delays are (note: S3C’s services can help mitigate these issues):

The applicant is not available for a Subject Interview
Missing or inaccurate data on security clearance application forms
Problems involving fingerprint submission
Serious security/suitability issues
“Queuing time”

The end-to-end processing time for a security clearance is primarily dependent on the type of clearance required, the federal agency involved, and the absence or presence of significant unfavorable information. Under the 2004 Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (IRTPA) federal agencies are required to complete the fastest 90% of all initial clearances (Secret and Top Secret) in an average of 60 days (not counting the 10 or 12 days required for case submission). This average for the fastest 90% can include completion times ranging from 30 to 180 days.

The remaining 10% can take from 6 months to over a year.  For a few years, starting in about 2010, federal agencies were generally able to meet the IRTPA timeliness requirements. However, a number of events beginning in fall 2013 caused delays in both investigations and adjudications. The ability of Government agencies to meet the IRTPA requirements is largely dependent on funding.

Although recent technological advances have reduced some of the manpower-intensive aspects of investigations and streamlined other processes, new investigative requirements have added to the cost and time required for investigations. Many new changes are being implemented and will continue being implemented. It is not possible to know what impact they will have on timeliness for the foreseeable future

An interim clearance is based on the completion of minimum investigative requirements and granted on a temporary basis, pending the completion of the full investigative requirements for the final clearance. With some exceptions, an interim clearance permits a person to have access to classified material at all levels of classification up to the level of the interim clearance granted.

A clearance is terminated when a person permanently leaves a position for which the clearance was granted. Cleared individuals whom no longer require access to classified information, but whom remain continuously employed by the same cleared contractor (or government agency) and do not anticipate future access can have their clearances administratively downgraded or withdrawn until such time that they require access again, provided their security clearance investigation has not gone out-of-date. Under such circumstances, the clearance can be administratively restored.

E-QIP is an Office of Personnel Management (OPM) web-based computer program in which an applicant enters the same information as required on the “ Questionnaire for National Security Positions” (Standard Form 86—SF86). E-QIP became available in July 2005 and slowly replaced the EPSQ. E-QIP now accounts for over 95% of all clearance applications.

Generally, as long as cleared individuals remain employed by a cleared contractor or government agency and are reasonably expected to require access to classified information, their personnel security clearance will remain in effect, provided they comply with periodic reinvestigation requirements.

Reinvestigations are required at 5-year intervals for Top Secret clearances, 10-year intervals for Secret clearances, and 15-year intervals for Confidential clearances. Each year a certain percentage of these reinvestigations will be done on a random basis.

Access to classified national security information is based on an appropriate level of security clearance (Confidential, Secret or Top Secret) and a “Need-to-Know.” Information that requires a formal Need-to-Know determination (also known as a Special Access Authorization) exists within Special Access Programs (SAPs), including Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and Restricted Data (RD).

It is a security clearance without any special access authorizations.

1. 1. I was born outside of the US?
      • Yes, if you are a naturalized US citizen.
   2. My parents were born outside of the US? 
      • Yes, as long as no associated deleterious information is discovered in the security clearance review.
   3. My spouse was born outside of the US?
      • Yes, as long as no associated deleterious information is discovered in the security clearance review.
   4. I have a juvenile criminal record (felony)?
      • It depends on the severity and number of cases cited.
   5. I have a juvenile criminal record (misdemeanor)?
      • It depends on the severity and number of cases cited.
   6. I have an adult criminal record (felony)?
      • A felony conviction does not automatically disqualify you from getting a security clearance, but it will be difficult to achieve if you don’t have everything lined up for yourself.  Whether a felon can receive a security clearance depends on certain factors. Typical felony convictions that could be difficult to get around include: 
        • Dishonesty, like theft or embezzlement
        • Substance abuse like a DUI
        • Possession of controlled substances
      • Positive factors for an applicant include, if:
        • The felony was not recent.
        • The crime was an isolated incident.
        • Someone was coerced into committing the crime.
        • Someone did not voluntarily commit the crime.
        • Acquittal was granted.
        • There is clear evidence of rehabilitation.
      • Obtaining a security clearance will depend on the particular offense. Even if you have your criminal record expunged, all charges within the past seven years must be disclosed when applying for a security clearance. You must disclose information regardless of whether the record was sealed, expunged, or dismissed.
      • The following felonies that are older than seven years must also be disclosed:
        • Violent crimes
        • Domestic violence
        • Firearm-related offenses
        • Crimes involving explosives
        • Alcohol- or drug-related crimes
   7. I have an adult criminal record (misdemeanor)?
      • Security personnel and the adjudication guidelines weigh misdemeanors much less than felonies. If your misdemeanor occurred over seven years ago (10 years for a Top Secret clearance) you do not have to report it on the SF-86, the “Questionnaire for National Security Positions,” that serves as a security clearance application.
   8. I have filed bankruptcy?
      • Filing for bankruptcy, in and of itself, will not affect your security clearance. However, the reasons that a person might file for bankruptcy could cause issues receiving a security clearance.
   9. I have poor credit?
      • A poor score does not, in and of itself, bar one from a clearance.  However, the reasons that a person may have a bad score could have an impact.
   10. I have a Dishonorable Discharge from the US military?
       • No.
   11. I have a General Discharge Under Honorable Conditions from the US military?
       • It depends on the circumstances.
   12. I have an Other-Than-Honorable Discharge from the US military?
       • It is difficult, but possible, depending on the circumstances.
   13. I have a Bad Conduct Discharge from the US military?
       • It is difficult, but possible, depending on the circumstances 
   14. I have an Entry Level Discharge from the US military?
       • It is depends on the circumstances.
   15. I have a Separation for the Convenience of the Government?
       • It depends on the circumstances.
   16. I have a Medical Discharge?
       • It depends on the circumstances.