These conditions may disqualify you from access to classified information: Drug abuse. Illegal drug possession. Diagnosis of drug abuse or dependence by a medical professional.

What is checked for a secret security clearance?

Credit and criminal history checks will be conducted on all applicants. For a Top Secret security clearance, the background investigation includes additional record checks which can verify citizenship for the applicant and family members, verification of birth, education, employment history, and military history.

What disqualifies someone from a security clearance?

Conditions that could raise a security concern and may be disqualifying include: Allegations or admissions of criminal conduct, regardless of whether the person was formally charged; A single serious crime or multiple lesser offenses.

Do security clearances check Internet history?

Although security clearance background checks can be intensely thorough, the government can't view your emails, Internet browsing history, hard drive data, and other virtual assets without a subpoena or warrant.

Do security clearances look at text messages?

INTERNET HISTORY, EMAILS, TEXT MESSAGES AND iCLOUD

Security clearance background investigators do not check your browsing history, read your emails, surveil your every move, bug your telephones, or photograph you commuting to work. That's just not feasible, or allowable.

Top Reasons Applicants are Denied a Security Clearance

How far back do security clearances go?

Security Clearance Adjudicative Process

The clearance process for Secret level access uses an investigation called the National Agency Check with Law and Credit that goes back five years, while the clearance process for Top Secret uses a Single Scope Background Investigation that goes back ten years.

What can hurt security clearance?

13 Things That Affect You Getting a Security Clearance

• Financial Considerations. For example, a history of not meeting financial obligations or an inability or unwillingness to satisfy debts.
• Emotional, Mental and Personality Disorders. ...
• Foreign Preference. ...
• Criminal Conduct. ...
• Drug involvement.

Does secret clearance require polygraph?

Polygraph tests accompany some Top Secret or TS/SCI clearances; however, they are not required to obtain either type of clearance and are not part of the clearance background investigation.

How long does a secret clearance take?

In general, expect a CONFIDENTIAL or SECRET clearance to take between 1 and 3 months. A TOP SECRET will probably take between 4 and 8 months. However, some individuals have been waiting for the results of their TOP SECRET investigation for more than one year.

What disqualifies you from getting a federal job?

In most cases, individuals tried in federal criminal courts are disqualified from government jobs. Crimes, such as fraud, embezzlement, and tax evasion, and similar white-collar offenses, are highly frowned upon.

What are the 5 levels of security clearance?

Contents

• 3.2.1 Controlled Unclassified.
• 3.2.2 Public Trust Position.
• 3.2.3 Confidential.
• 3.2.4 Secret.
• 3.2.5 Top Secret.
• 3.2.6 Compartmented.

Does security clearance check bank accounts?

They run a credit check and run your name and SSN through NICS. If there are problems you'll be asked to provide more information. You don't have to provide the information (such as bank statements) but the clearance process will stop if you don't provide it.

What is the highest level of security clearance?

There are three levels of security clearance, with the highest level being Top Secret. Secret is the next level of clearance and Confidential is the final. 6.

How hard is it to get a top secret clearance?

Obtaining a top secret clearance is a lengthy process that involves an in-depth background check. Denial of a clearance can occur for a variety of reasons, including financial problems, mental disorders and criminal violations.

What is the difference between an interim secret and a secret clearance?

An Interim Security clearance (also known as "Interim Security eligibility") 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 secret clearance.

What happens if you fail a CI polygraph?

The Consequence of Inconclusive Results

So, by “failing” a polygraph or producing “inconclusive results” you might not get the job or the clearance you're applying for – but you also won't lose any clearance you already have or jeopardize your future prospects of obtaining clearances that don't require a polygraph.

What questions are asked in a CI polygraph?

Questions asked might concern drug and alcohol use, sexual misconduct, mental health, family relationships, compulsive or addictive behavior and more. A Lifestyle Polygraph can also attempt to look for issues in a person's private life for which he or she might be susceptible to blackmail or coercion.

How do you pass a polygraph if you are nervous?

Tice says it's also easy to beat a polygraph while telling a real lie by daydreaming to calm the nerves. "Think of a warm summer night... or drinking a beer, whatever calms you. You're throwing them off," he says.

Should you lie about drug use for security clearance?

Don't Do It! Many security clearance applicants become tempted to hide former drug use, such as the fact that they smoked marijuana or abused prescription pills, perhaps back in college.

Can you get a security clearance if you owe taxes?

If you are an interested candidate pursuing a security clearance and owe back taxes, have a lien on your property because of unpaid taxes, or have failed to file for tax returns, these issues should be taken care of before applying for a security clearance.

Can your spouse affect your security clearance?

When you fill out an SF-86 security clearance application, a number of references are requested, along with information about any spouses or cohabitants. The activities of a spouse – whether it's drug use or gambling – can impact a security clearance, and may come up in the course of a background investigation.

What causes a red flag on a background check?

Common background report red flags include application discrepancies, derogatory marks and criminal records.

What is required to get a DOD secret clearance?

To have access to classified information, you must possess the necessary two elements: A level of security clearance, at least equal to the classification of the information, and an appropriate "need to know" the information in order to perform your duties.

Do they interview family for security clearance?

Thanks for the help in advance. Relatives are typically not interviewed. Questions about a current spouse are not usually asked, though if she is a foreign national, some follow up may occur. Ditto if there are some odd ball circumstances regarding your spouse that might warrant a question or two.

How much money can you make with a Top Secret clearance?

The average top secret clearance salary in the USA is $115,000 per year or $58.97 per hour. Entry level positions start at $71,312 per year while most experienced workers make up to $155,000 per year.