How do you get a top secret clearance?
Obtaining a Security Clearance
- Applicants must go through the application phase, which involves verification of US citizenship, fingerprinting and completion of the Personnel Security Questionnaire (SF-86).
- The Defense Security Service conducts thorough background checks.
How much does a Top Secret clearance cost?
The average cost to process a TOP SECRET clearance is between $3,000 and about $15,000, depending upon individual factors. The government pays the cost of clearances for military personnel and civilian government employees.
How hard is it to get top secret clearance?
The process generally takes between four and eight months, but with the current Department of Defense backlog it can take more than a year to receive top secret clearance. Top secret clearances must be renewed every five years, which contributes to the backlog as well. Not exactly easy, but perhaps not hard enough?
What disqualifies you from top secret clearance?
The Most Common Reason For Being Denied A Security Clearance
- Poor credit choices over a prolonged period of time;
- Theft, embezzlement, tax evasion, and other financial violations;
- Recognizable patterns of unpaid debt.
- Recognizable patterns of paying consistently late.
How far back does top secret clearance go?
ten years
How long does a Top Secret clearance take?
Current processing times for a Top Secret security clearance are 136 days. It currently takes 107 days to process a Secret security clearance. These numbers are for DoD/Industry security clearance applicants only.
How many security clearances are denied?
myth #1: Many security clearances are denied. Peregrine noted the rate of security clearance denials is incredibly low. Less than 1% of security clearances investigations result in denial. Individuals may not be eligible for an interim clearance, and they may have significant issues that need to be mitigated.
What is a Tier 3 secret clearance?
T3 is the investigation required for positions designated as non-critical sensitive and/or requiring eligibility for “L” access or access to Confidential or Secret information. T3R is the reinvestigation product required for the same positions.
Is Top Secret clearance worth it?
The highest levels of clearance can lead to even higher salaries. The Human Resource Association of the National Capital Area also reported that employees with top secret security clearance could earn up to 60% more than those without top secret clearance in certain jobs.
What required for secret clearance?
Secret. A Secret clearance, also known as Collateral Secret or Ordinary Secret, requires a few months to a year to investigate, depending on the individual’s background. A Secret clearance requires a NACLC, and a Credit investigation; it must also be re-investigated every 10 years.
Do you get drug tested for secret clearance?
While drug involvement can raise questions about loyalty, reliability, and ability to protect classified information for initial security clearance assessments, currently there are no requirements to conduct recurring or random drug testing as a part of the security clearance process.
Can I get a security clearance if I’ve done drugs?
Under federal law (Section 3002 of 50 U.S.C. 435b) a current user of illegal drugs can not be granted a security clearance. Using illegal drugs a few months prior to submitting a clearance application form can be considered current use.
What is investigated for a secret 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.
Can you get top secret clearance with drug use?
Play it smart at parties: If you’re at a party where people are using drugs, use discretion, as illegal drug use is one reason that may result in a denial of a security clearance. Also, just because marijuana use may be legal in places like the nation’s capital, it is still illegal under federal law.
Does SF86 ask about drug use?
The SF86 has always asked about illegal drug use, but the question has become more confusing in recent years with eight states legalizing the recreational use of marijuana.
What is an SF 86 security clearance?
Standard Form 86 (SF 86) is a U.S. government questionnaire that individuals complete in order for the government to collect information for “conducting background investigations, reinvestigations, and continuous evaluations of persons under consideration for, or retention of, national security positions.” SF 86 is …
What are the levels of security clearance?
How many types or levels of security clearance are there? There are three levels of security clearance: confidential, secret, and top secret.
What is code word clearance?
This information is also known as “Sensitive Compartmented Information” (SCI). A document marked SECRET (CODE WORD) could be viewed only by a person with a secret or top secret clearance and that specific code word clearance. The CIA administers code word clearances.
What happens if you lose your security clearance?
Losing your security clearance happens quickly but finding out why you lost clearance takes time. You can do nothing, which means your security clearance is revoked (which means you can’t work in government jobs that require a security clearance.)
Can you get a top secret clearance with an Article 15?
An Article 15 in your military record can impact your ability to obtain special assignments, promotions, or security clearances. If some time has passed without any further disciplinary issues, sometimes you can get your Article 15 removed from your file.