Security Clearance

[Lyuba 0]

I just got a job working for the federal government. They started the security clearance process for me.

I am kind of freaking out. I have no criminal record or any credit problems or any drug use.

But I am still freaking out. How often do they deny the clearance?

Will they really call everybody at my application?

Will they verify every single employment place?

Thank you for your help!

[Niels Bohr 72]

Well if you have no criminal record, and a citizen I guess you're okay. I worked in a job that requires security clearance once. The FBI contacted everyone that knows me. I cleared.

[Nessa 23]

they'll deny for sure for these reasons:

criminal conviction with a sentence of more than one year of incarceration, addiction to a controlled substance, mental incompetence, and dishonorable discharge from the military

they'll check:

individual’s character and conduct (they'll question your neighbors etc); financial responsibility (bad credit, etc); foreign travel, association, etc.; alcohol abuse; drugs; criminal records; mental, personality disorders; sexual behavior (yeah, u better not be caught with a hooker or let them find out you're gay) lol

Edited May 2, 2009 by Nessa

[NickD 202]

Understand the USCIS does a background check on sponsoring USC's, have no idea what they do, but just know it can take forever. Least it seems that way. Got a top secret security clearance for the military, when home on leave, neighbors, family, old employer told me the FBI came around asking questions about me, all I know is that I got my clearance in about a week.

But getting that clearance was only a start, keeping your mouth shut, proper storage of documents was a day in and day out affair, and the penalties were severe, so had to be very careful. Today I hear that the Chinese are walking away with tons of stuff and it seems like we have extensive security in all of the wrong places.

[GaryC 7]

It also depends on the level of clearance you need. For secret all you need is a clean background. If your needing something more high level than that then they will dig deeper. I had a top secret clearance in the Navy and they interviewed my family and friends.

[Anna C. 4]

Exactly what Nessa said for DH. He needed top security clearance for his position and they came and interviewed everyone (but me). He had to list all foreign contacts and I am sure they checked out my family as well, after all DH is working with nuclear weapons and they need to make sure those people are no threat. It took 3 months to go through for us. A fellow officer is married to a Russian, it took them over 12 months to get cleared. I guess it's harder to come by information in Russia than in Germany (where like everything is well documented).

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I have had it done several times. No big deal. The hardest part is to give a complete history, and include all the stuff about your family. If you have a clean history, with no "hits", it will be completely painless. I met some of the folks that did my clearance, and they found some of my history and that of my family members "entertaining". It is supposed to be confidential, but even those folks need their giggles.

Edited May 2, 2009 by Mister_Bill

[Ban Hammer 12,878]

they'll deny for sure for these reasons:

criminal conviction with a sentence of more than one year of incarceration, addiction to a controlled substance, mental incompetence, and dishonorable discharge from the military

they'll check:

individual’s character and conduct (they'll question your neighbors etc); financial responsibility (bad credit, etc); foreign travel, association, etc.; alcohol abuse; drugs; criminal records; mental, personality disorders; sexual behavior (yeah, u better not be caught with a hooker or let them find out you're gay) lol

depends on what the level of the security clearance. for secret, a national agency check. what you described is for the ts.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

they'll deny for sure for these reasons:

criminal conviction with a sentence of more than one year of incarceration, addiction to a controlled substance, mental incompetence, and dishonorable discharge from the military

they'll check:

individual’s character and conduct (they'll question your neighbors etc); financial responsibility (bad credit, etc); foreign travel, association, etc.; alcohol abuse; drugs; criminal records; mental, personality disorders; sexual behavior (yeah, u better not be caught with a hooker or let them find out you're gay) lol

depends on what the level of the security clearance. for secret, a national agency check. what you described is for the ts.

[Lyuba 0]

I am going to be just an administrative assistant.

I don't think it is top secret but I don't know. They said it would take 6-8 weeks for the clearance.

[Ban Hammer 12,878]

I am going to be just an administrative assistant.

I don't think it is top secret but I don't know. They said it would take 6-8 weeks for the clearance.

it's the secret version then, given that time frame. if they'd said 6-8 months then they'd be referring to the ts.

[Lyuba 0]

Thank you everybody for their help! You guys are the best

[c_and_a 0]

Thank you everybody for their help! You guys are the best

Even as an administrative assistant chances are you will need the same security clearance as some of the other staff members where you work, because you will be handling the same documents.

And I don't mean this to be offensive at all but I could see it taking awhile if you are Russian. I'm definitely not accusing you of anything, but Russia and China operate the most extensive spy rings in the United States.

[Lyuba 0]

They knew I was Russian from the very beginning and still chose me for the job. I don't think me being Russian is such a big deal.