Can SF-86 be used against you?

So, if you are not a current Federal civilian employee and you are filing out SF-86, there is a chance that the information may be used against you.

Can you go to jail for lying on SF-86?

If you completed your last SF-86 less than five years ago, you are still within the statute of limitations for a federal false statements prosecution. Such cases are rare, but they do happen – especially when the lie was particularly egregious and would have resulted in a clearance not being granted.

Does your employer see your SF-86?

The short answer is no – your references won't see any portion of the SF-86. Any questions they are asked will be directly related to one of the adjudicative criteria, or questions on the SF-86 form.

Is SF-86 confidential?

The information you provide on this form, and information collected during an investigation, may be disclosed without your consent by an agency maintaining the information in a system of records as permitted by the Privacy Act…”

How far back does sf86 go?

If not back 10 years, it will slow down the processing time of your background investigation. The SF-86 form requests information back 7 years for employment and residence; however, to comply with the investigative standards, 10 years is required.

Security Clearance News Update: SF-86 Checklist

What disqualifies you from secret clearance?

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 considered close and continuing contact?

If personnel have sexual or otherwise intimate contact on more than one occasion with the same foreign national, regardless of circumstances or likelihood for follow-up contact, the relationship must be reported as close and continuing contact, even if there is no expectation of future contact.

What is SF-86 used for?

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 happens after you submit e-QIP?

After your eQIP account has been initiated, you will receive an email notification from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) containing your eQIP Registration Code (14 characters). You can then access the eQIP website and register.

What happens if you lie on secret clearance?

We frequently warn of the importance of security clearance applicants being honest on government forms, including the SF-86 security clearance application. Falsifying information on the SF-86 is a felony that can result in fines or five years in prison.

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.

Will I lose my security clearance if I fail a drug test?

The results of a positive drug test are devastating. A drug test as a result of a safety violation or random employee selection will provide enough information to revoke a security clearance.

Can a lawsuit affect security clearance?

A single lawsuit to collect a debt, enforce a contract, or settle a property dispute is generally insignificant in the security clearance context unless it is demonstrative of a serious character flaw or integrity issues.

Should you lie about drug use for security clearance?

Hiding Drug Use? 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.

Do clearance Investigators look at tax returns?

They cause investigators to question the applicant's reliability, trustworthiness, and ability to protect classified information. If the individual requests a hearing, they should produce evidence that they have tackled the problem and filed all of their state and federal tax returns that are late.

How long is an SF-86 good for?

Either a potential incident has surfaced which requires the completion of a new SF 86 (e.g. dui, criminal charge, debt problem, etc.) or the time is ripe for either an initial clearance for a new employee or a renewal of the secret clearance (every 10 years) or a top-secret clearance (every 5 years).

Are bound by affection influence common interests and/or obligation?

Thus, if a bond of affection, influence, common interest, and/or obligation does not exist, then the applicant is not required to list the foreign national, regardless of whether or not their contact is close and/or continuing.

What qualifies as a foreign contact?

Who is a foreign contact? Foreign Nationals include any individual who is NOT a U.S. citizen. A permanent resident alien of the US, otherwise known as a “green card” holder, is a foreign contact. Dual citizens who hold the United States as a country of citizenship are NOT considered foreign contacts.

What do you need to report with security clearance?

By law, security clearance holders are required to self-report all life events — incidents that could impact your ability to meet security clearance requirements. Self-reporting is mandatory, and it's always better to be honest and forthright.

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.

What percentage of people get denied security clearance?

But don't lose heart – 20-30% of all interim security clearances are denied, but that is vastly different than the figure of final clearance denials, which hovers around 1%.

Do they polygraph for secret clearance?

According to William Henderson, a retired federal clearance investigator and author of "Security Clearance Manual," polygraphs are usually only issued "for Sensitive Compartment Information (SCI) and other Special Access Programs (SAP)." Some federal jobs do require a polygraph regardless of the clearance level ...

What causes a red flag on a background check?

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

How hard is it to get secret clearance?

The National Security Agency denied the most applicants–9.2 percent. The National Reconnaissance Office and the Central Intelligence Agency had the next greatest number of denials, at 7.4 percent and 6.5 percent, respectively. These numbers might seem relatively low, but there's a reason for that.