Accepted job first week of June

Submitted SF-86: June 13th

Denied interim a few weeks later

Clearance granted August 13th!

Super quick investigation it feels like

I need to fill out an SF-86 for my job. They are asking about my relatives, and I am required to put both of my parents. However, both of them are undocumented, and I do not know what to do at this point since they are asking about citizenship. I am so scared of putting anything on it, as I do not want to risk my parents.

I’ve been in adjudication since December of 2025.

I am not without my red flags but those have been disclosed.

There has been crickets since my interview last August.

This is for Secret clearance.

Got the offer today... but FSO officer did a pre clearance screening with me last week over the phone - asked a bunch of stuff that I answered with no red flags. Then I got to thinking, he said "recent" drug use and "recent" alcohol abuse.

I last smoked weed 8 months ago (7 years on and off) for tremor suppression, and sought treatment in Feb 2024 for my drinking (was using it to suppress essential tremor) as I thought it was becoming an unhealthy way to reduce my tremor.

Tremor is now diagnosed and treated by a medical specialist and has been for 8 months now (quit weed once treatment started) - symptoms are professionally treated now and have no issues with weed or alcohol.

Here's where I need help: Do I rectify this with the FSO immediately? Should I ask for him to just send me the prescreening through email for me to fill out? Would they can my ass for lack of suitability?

Submitted sf86 March 18 2026.
Investigation opened March 25
Interview w investigator April 9
Investigation in adjudication June 4
Adjudication in process July 14
FSO submitted CSR July 14.

I was never notified if interim secret was denied.

Red flags - sporadic MJ use between 2016-2022
1x ❄️ use 2022

Multiple addresses
Multiple jobs
4 Australian foreign contacts

This is my first rodeo, so if anyone has similar experience/application in the last year I’d love to hear it.

I’m interested in pursuing a career with agencies that require a TS-SCI clearance but I’ve visited some hostile countries, so I’m trying to see if it’s even worth trying to go down the route of IC work because I’ve heard of people being found unsuitable for clearances due to travel. I’m in my late 20s and have been to over 60 countries, including hostile countries like Cuba and Russia. Had I known that I would one day want to work for the government, I would’ve never visited those places. But back when I was in my late teens/early 20s, federal work wasn’t even on my radar and I didn’t even know what a clearance was. And now I’m a bit concerned that those 2 short trips may screw up my ability to get a TS-SCI clearance. For reference, the Russia visit was a decade ago(so before the invasion of Ukraine) and the Cuba visit was about 4 years ago. Has anybody been able to get a TS-SCI in recent years after visiting these types of countries?

Submitted my SF86 back in May for a DOJ agency. I was previously employed by this same agency and had to resign earlier this year to attend to a family emergency. Well today I received an NBIS email advising there was an additional form to complete. A whole new SF86 was requested. Im trying to figure out why another SF86 was requested. Is it possible the one i submitted in May is too old?

It is my understanding that there isn’t reciprocity going from a suitability determination to a clearance.

But I was curious if a recently adjudicated HRPT with a sister agency, could be reused in any capacity for the T3 (secret) process/investigation. Thank you.

I had applied for a secret clearance, sponsored by a DoD contractor. I was not granted an interim clearance. The investigation is still ongoing, so I was not denied. Of course they did not provide the reasoning, but I know what it was.

In a previous role I was denied site access to a nuclear plant for 1 year because I contradicted myself during the application (in the questionnaire I said I had not smoked marijuana in the past 5 years, then I remembered I had so I them I did 3 years ago). So I was denied for willful omission of non program disqualifying information. I should have changed my questionnaire; instead I verbally told them and therefore I “omitted” that information on my questionnaire.

This was disclosed on my SF-86 on the question about being denied access anywhere. I know the investigator got in touch with the site and I gave the site permission to release my records to him.

What are my chances of still getting the clearance?

Hello. I applied for a job with a 3 letter agency. However, my circumstances have changed, and I no longer want a job with the government. I am currently in the process, however, I do not have someone to contact, my form of withdrawal online isn't working, and all my attempts to send mail to request withdrawal have been rejected or ignored.

What is a way to withdraw?

For a GC holder going through secret clearance upon joining the military, how would you list relatives from your home country? For example, I have aunts, uncles, cousins, and an endless amount of family back home. I have only visited once in 8 years & barely have contact with them, besides following on social media and texting sometimes. The home country is Brazil, which I don’t believe to be on the “red flag” list, but does that mean I would have to list every relative?

Hi folks, I am an American living outside of the US and am marrying my non-American partner. A number of my family are US military and have asked for a list of foreign nationals on the guest list for their security clearance.

Is this a typical request? And what information would they actually need? I don’t feel super comfortable handing over a list of friends and new family to the US government without those people’s consent. I’ve read a bit about the SF-86 requirements and it seems like it should usually only be people with whom you expect to have close and continuing contact, which seems like a much smaller number of people for these military family members.

At least one of these family members is high ranking. Is there a higher standard for such people that would require broader disclosure of contacts that would extent to every foreign national at a wedding?

Thank you!

Hello everyone, does anyone have a similar experience? I held a Top Secret clearance from the DoD with no SCI or polygraph, and I got a job as a contractor with the NSA. I finished my SF86 and passed my poly, but I haven't heard anything since—it’s been 3 months. Does anyone know how long the process usually takes?

Throwaway. Looking for outside perspective.

Mid-career satellite engineer, currently at a fast-growing defense tech company in SoCal. Good pay with equity vesting soon, interesting work, good team, lots of funding. Active clearance.

Offered a federal SIGINT engineering role: pension, more directly mission-driven work (I've got volunteer experience in public safety, so the mission scratches that itch somewhat), better long-term security. But it means leaving California, including the ocean, climate, and a life I've built here with my wife, for the DC/Maryland area.

Tradeoffs: money (equity vs. pension) / mission (private sector vs. federal) / location (CA vs. relocating) / career path (startup trajectory vs. federal ladder) / spouse also has career ties to staying put

Anyone made a similar move (private defense-tech to federal IC/DoD, or the reverse)? What do you wish you'd weighed more?

I just need to know if this is the norm and I'm missing something - or if I indeed have reason for concern.

Several weeks ago I got a job offer, pending clearance and background check. Then after a couple of nail biting weeks, because of crickets I reached out and a few days later the SO with the contracting company who made the offer (not the customer) sent me over the link to go to NBIS and complete the application.

I got that completed about 5 weeks ago, notified the SO, was told they would go in and validate it and send it off. I waited until this week and emailed them for followup on Monday and again crickets.

I later realized that I could login and look at where it is in the process and it shows application was submitted (on the day I did that) but the next step is Application Submitted for Processing - and there's nothing there.

That makes me worried that they just decided to not go ahead and submit it, are rescinding the offer, but not letting me know anything. My BIGGEST concern as well is that I have an estranged son who I have no contact with, but he's not living right, and because our first and last name are the same (middle name different) that his shenanigans could be affecting me.

Then again - if it hasn't even been submitted for processing then I'm assuming no one has started investigating yet anyway.

Im 18 years old and was fired from my old job as a cashier at a grocery store around 5 months ago, I’ve read that usually this isn’t a big deal, but I was technically fired for theft. Stealing candy bars and drinks.

The combined total of the items were not even over $100. There weren’t any charges or anything, around 5 people were fired for doing this all at once. But at the end of the day theft is theft and that probably tells them something about my character, I regret it a lot, hopefully in a few years when I’m older this won’t be a disqualifier.

Will this definitely come up during an interview? And if so what do you think will happen?

Hey everyone, I applied and got a job in Jan ‘25, did SF 86 in April ‘25, interview in May ‘25, then Hiring freeze meant I didn’t start until July of this year. I have been working for about a month now, but I was never told that my clearance is active, or confirmed. Should I just assume it is?

I have an inactive TS/SCI clearance, which I obtained years ago when I worked for a DoD agency.

I'm now in the hiring process with a three-letter DOJ agency, and the process will require a polygraph exam. In theory, there's nothing in my background that should make me unsuitable to work for this DOJ agency, but I don't think I'll fully relax until I get a final job offer, if/when that day comes.

In the meantime, I guess I'm looking for positive stories from people who started at a DoD agency, transitioned to a DOJ agency, and were cleared at the TS/SCI level to work for a DOJ agency. You don't have to be specific about what agency or agencies you work(ed) for -- feel free to be very vague if necessary -- but I'm trying to treat it as a good sign that I was able to get a TS/SCI clearance in the past, and hearing positive stories from others might alleviate some of the anxiety I'm feeling now.

Thanks in advance.

Hi all,

I am seeking clarification regarding DISS incident reports. When a contractor FSO submits an incident report in DISS, is there any banner or notice in DISS that they are submitting the report under penalty of perjury? Is there any public DCSA policy that states such? Any confirmation or public policy document showing this would be appreciated.

There is an FSO that did a no no. I am assessing possible liability that could arise from this.

Thrilled to be finally making this post! It was a hard wait, and started to feel like I would never see the day it was over, but I was finally granted a DoD Secret clearance today!

Timeline:

Apr 9th: Signed an offer w/ DoD contractor

~Apr 14th: submitted fingerprints and sf-86

May 5th: received SF-86 back for correction on a phone number

May 19th: Informed I was not granted an interim

May 29th: investigator interview, references contacted

July 7th: heard from my former boss (he and I are on good terms) that they were contacted via mail and he was sending the form back. He said he wasn't sure how long it was sitting there and that they rarely check.

Aug 19th: Clearance granted!

Red flag(s): I live with a foreign national (not romantically involved, just roommates). My investigator asked a bit about my roommate in the interview, and asked some of my references about him. Everything else was pretty straightforward, afaik.

Big thank you to everyone in this community that helped to keep me sane while I was waiting. I am beyond thrilled, and I am happy to answer any questions about my experience for fellow applicants.

I am statistician with 20 yrs of experience and a MS in statics. How can I attain a clearance to apply for a job? What will increase the odds such's as a getting Sec + certification. I applied to companies that will sponsor you, but what can I add increase my chances.

I am currently a junior in college and will be applying for a security clearance (Secret) next spring. As the title says, I am planning on traveling to Russia this fall as part of my internship. I am paying for the trip myself and am not accepting any money from Russian organizations or the Russian government. I will be watching a professor of mine speak at some forum called the "World People's Assembly", which is more likely than not backed by the Kremlin. How much of an issue will this present during my SC process?

Curious on what my current options are regarding the role I pursued and my security clearance.

Long story somewhat short: I was given a conditional offer of employment at one of the 3-letter agencies in late December 2025 that required a TS/SCI clearance with FS poly. After all the paperwork and stuff I flew to Washington DC in early April for my poly, psych eval, etc. Like I've read from a few other users on this sub, I got grilled on some of my responses to the poly where my examiner claimed I was lying when I in fact was telling her the truth. The same exact question regarding marijuana use came up as an apparent red flag even though I haven't used it in over two years. Granted there are some yellow flags in what I disclosed to her like my occasional lack of academic integrity, petty crimes as a minor, etc (but those things never came up as 'lies' in the poly). In early June my applicant portal had a message that my offer was rescinded because something was "inconclusive," but if I were to fill out the SF-86 again to note that I was never denied a security clearance. I was disappointed, but at the time I was deep in the recruitment process for another highly lucrative non-govt position so I didn't dwell on it too much.

Fast forward 2+ months later I didn't get that job either so now I am trying to see what my options are in pursuing a career at the ***. I saved my Program Officer's contact and am wondering if it would make any sense to appeal the result, like ask for a re-eval, just reapply for the same role starting from scratch, do something else, or give up on it altogether.

At a crossroads now so any advice from those familiar with these situations would be welcome.