I have no credit problems or criminal background and have worked and lived the same place for the past 5 years. I could think of only 3 things:

1 – I have received treatment for depression in the past.

2 – I inadvertently deposited a counterfeit $100 bill many years ago. I was contacted by the Secret Service and interviewed by phone regarding the incident.

3 – I put on my form that I had never been involved in a lawsuit. I have since realized that in my current job, I am occasionally named as a plaintiff in collections or foreclosure actions. None of these cases were personal in nature, but a check of the court dockets would most likely show my name as a party.

Could any of these three things be what is holding up the process? Is there any I can/should do at this point to correct the ommission regarding the lawsuits?

Thank you for this thread. It has already answered some of my questions.

I am a US citizen currently working abroad and I have been abroad for 18 months, first in China and then in South Africa. I was home for 1 month between countries and I came home for Christmas this year. I know that having spent significant time abroad will prolong the clearance process, but is there a certain amount of time abroad that would disqualify me from getting a clearance? Likewise, is there a certain amount of countries that you can visit before you get disqualified? Finally, even if I can technically get a clearance would companies or the US government hesitate to hire me for a job that required a clearance knowing that the process would take an especially long time?

Thank you for your time.

The “Psychological Conditions” criterion in the Adjudicative Guidelines only concerns itself with current conditions and prognosis. Your past condition and treatment will be investigated, but should have no bearing on your current eligibility for a clearance.

Almost everyone who works for the CIA must be cleared for TS and Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI), so you can’t really compare a TS at USAID to a TS at CIA. Just as importantly the employment suitability criteria at CIA is different from USAID, making it even more difficult to compare the relative difficulty of being hired at these two agencies.

Absent any other alcohol-related incidents and provided that the people who know you perceive your current use of alcohol as being responsible and within social limits, your single DUI from 3 years ago appears to be fully mitigated.

Parking tickets and other traffic infractions are insignificant unless there are so many that they evidence a pattern of disregard for rules. Repeated incidents of Failure to Pay or Failure to Appear are a similarly significant but a little more so, since they are usually misdemeanors that must be reported (not subject to the $300 exception for traffic infractions). Even in the worst cases this kind of conduct can be mitigated by passage of time, a plausible showing that the violations (FTA) were inadvertent, and by the person consistently complying with rules and regulations in other areas.

Your spouse presents no problem. For a collateral TS clearance your in-laws are of only minor significance since they live in the US. Hopefully there are no other close relatives living in countries that pose a “heightened risk” of exploitation.

I can’t speak to employment suitability decisions at USAID, but I think your chance of getting a collateral TS clearance there is good.

Good information, indeed. Thank you!

All the best,
Strapped For Dollars/Optimistic 1

Thanks-

Your credit score per se will have no effect on your clearance. You will not have to list your previously delinquent debts on your clearance application form since they were less than 180 days late. Usually debt-to-income ratio does not become an issue unless you answer “yes” to one of the “Financial Record” questions on the clearance application. Although sometimes an investigator will, on his own initiative, explore an applicant’s ability to remain solvent when there is an unusally high amount of non-mortgage debt. Absent any aggravating or complicating circumstances, I think your chance of getting the clearance is good. I recommend you get a copy of your credit report from all 3 credit reporting agencies now and about one week after you submit your clearance application to insure there are no surprises.

You are required to notify your security manager when your bankruptcy occurs or when you become delinquent in paying your debts. This may prevent you from transferring your clearance without an investigation. A bankruptcy following an earlier period of financial problems is difficult, but not impossible, to mitigate.

I would like to add to my last post that I was also recently certified by my state Bar Examiner’s Committee for Character and Fitness (to practice law).

Although I know there is no direct correlation (please correct me if I’m wrong) between my certification and my TS investigation, I thought it may help explain my excellent character and history, while adding the fact that that Bar is neither concerned about my high debt, nor the chances of me doing anything inappropriate for financial gain.

Again, thank you!!

I am a law school graduate who has nearly $200K in related loans, and now also $38K in credit card debt with my two cards (average APR of only 7%, though). I live in a pricey area, but aside from my rent, I have no other major expenses (no car loan, etc.). I am single with no children or related financial obligations.

Around 2000 I settled a couple credit cards from college, and have had an exemplary credit report since then… until I made a mistake six months ago with one late payment (with 5 loan “groups”) that now shows as “paid 90 days late” (I believe I only paid 70-80 days late, though). I have had no other late payments, and am now current with everything.

My FICO score was previously around 775-800, but dropped due to this, and is now in the 550-600 range due to this incident.

If I get the position, I will be able to live comfortably based on the minimum pay for the grade offered, and I will be able to pay down my loans, as well. I realize that the amounts of my debt are high, but this is common with law/med. school grads. And my one (or five) late payment(s) is also probably common in this economic environment.

I am highly qualified for this job, and my other areas are impeccable, security-wise.

What do you believe the odds are that I will be denied TS clearance based on this information? What can I do to improve my chances?

What have you been told is the difference?

I am an economist with an initial offer with USAID. Now I am starting the TS clearance process. I have a million questions of course. I found some answers by searching on here. But I have more specific ones. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I will put a list of all the things that I worry about. If you could tell me your opinion of my chances, it would be great.

1. Depression 11 years ago. I was treated at a hospital for depression about 11 years ago. I have taken prozac for the time since and have been doing fine. I stopped going to the doctor about 3 years ago and dont have medication anymore. I feel good, but worry what this story does to my application.

2. USAID v. CIA. Is a TS clearance for USAID any easier than getting one for CIA. I know there is no polygraph. But are the standards different?

3. DUI. I have a DUI from 3 years ago. I got PBJ on it in the state of Maryland. I drink a few beers, but havent had trouble with alcohol other than this episode. How will this affect me?

4. Parking tickets/vehicle registration. I have had a few parking tickets I took a while to pay and one of our vehicle’s registration was suspended after we were late paying the insurance. It is insured again, but I am not sure if that shows up in my record or if it matters a lot to the security people.

5. Wife from former Soviet Union. She is a citizen now. And her parents came to live with us and help raise our son. They have green cards and are applying for citizenship. We speak Russian in our home, but are not politically active opr anything I can think of which would be suspicious.

I am a worrier. I have a PhD, a law degree, and two other graduate degrees. I am a friendly guy with a nice family and no other problems I can think of. I wonder what you might think my chances of getting this job would be? Thanks a million for being willing to read all these posts.

Mike

At the hiring fair I was given a CJO pending adjudication after a Full Poly, Psych eval. and 10 year investigative background. About a week after completing the Poly and Psych eval. I was contacted by my investigator. I completed my interview with him and I have been contacted by almost everyone I listed on my SF86 whom I listed as someone I either knew personally for 10 or more years or someone who could vouch for my residence, telling me they have done interviews. My investigator completed my personal investigation and submitted it on Dec. 23rd.

I only have contacts for a Technical Recruiter. My husband holds an active TS/SCI and has told me to contact my SSO and I see FSO on here. I don’t know who that is or how to find out. I have been told my process has gone incredibly fast, but since I was told Jan/Feb to start, it does not seem that way. When I have asked my Technical Recruiter for an update, I am only told “I am in Security Processing”. What does that mean?

Thanks for any incite you can offer.

The only federal government-wide policy that requires reinvestigation for Public Trust positions that I am aware of pertains only to certain Information Technology Systems positions. Individual federal agencies have the authority to require periodic reinvestigations for other Public Trust positions. I have never collected information on Public Trust policy implemented by individual agencies. Last month OPM’s authority to issue government-wide policy regarding Public Trust positions, other suitability determinations, and periodic reinvestigation requirements was expanded. It will probably be several months before OPM issues any new policy document in this area.

Eligibility to hold a Public Trust position can be revoked under the same rules governing the initial denial of eligibility.