What percentage of TS clearances are denied?

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%. Your interim Top Secret security clearance may be denied for a number of reasons.

What disqualifies you from getting a top secret clearance?

Do people fail security clearance?

This may seem obvious, but criminal conduct is one of the most common reasons for security clearance denial. However, keep in mind that not all criminal conduct is equal and criminal conduct is not an automatic disqualifier.

Is it hard to get a Top Secret security 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.

Why do people fail security clearances?

From drug or alcohol dependence, to falsifying information on your application and problematic work history could all fall under the “personal conduct” category and result in a denial of your security clearance application.

Top Reasons Applicants are Denied a Security Clearance

Does everyone get interviewed for a security clearance?

The answer – no, not standard protocol. But it's also not out of the ordinary. A number of things can trigger an interview as a part of a Secret clearance investigation.

What can ruin a security clearance?

There are many reasons security clearances get denied or revoked. However, personal conduct, drug involvement, and security violations are three reasons that we frequently encounter in our work.

What do investigators look at for Top 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.

How often do people fail security clearance?

myth #1: Many security clearances are denied.

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 happens if you lie on Top 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.

What is the success rate of secret clearance?

“The denial rate for the DoD (which issues more than 90 percent of security clearances) has traditionally been reported at one percent to three percent,” she said.

Does anxiety affect security clearance?

Security clearances are not denied for seeking help. Pro-actively seeking counseling is a positive indicator and often mitigates security concerns. Less than 1% of security clearances are denied or revoked due to psychological concerns.

Is it easy to lose security clearance?

While a security clearance can be difficult to obtain, it can be surprisingly easy to lose. The federal government can revoke employees' security clearance for a variety of reasons.

What are red flags for security clearance?

For example, an inability or unwillingness to satisfy debts is a red flag. Financial problems that are related to gambling, alcoholism, or drug abuse also are security concerns.

Do they check credit for secret clearance?

Imperfect financial circumstances, such as bad credit scores, can have a negative influence on your application and potentially cause your security clearance to be denied. In fact, financial issues comprise a large percentage of security clearance denials.

How much does a TS SCI clearance cost?

The average cost to process a SECRET clearance can run from several hundred dollars to $3,000, depending upon individual factors. The average cost to process a TOP SECRET clearance is between $3,000 and about $15,000, depending upon individual factors.

How many people have TS clearances?

The 1.3 million individuals with Top Secret clearances are supporting a wide variety of missions, from the CIA to the Department of Commerce.

How far back does a security clearance look?

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.

Does security clearance check social media?

Security clearance holders should know that comments made publicly can be used against them in the security clearance process. The best step to take to ensure information doesn't come back to bite is to keep your accounts locked down and private.

Who gets interviewed for Top Secret clearance?

In particular, investigators will perform numerous interviews with your former employers, neighbors and landlords, among others. In some cases, they also will interview relatives, particularly those who are not U.S. citizens.

Do they contact references for secret clearance?

They will absolutely check with your references.

How to pass a security clearance interview?

How do I fight a security clearance denial?

If the decision is to deny or revoke the security clearance, the individual has the opportunity to appeal the decision to the Appeal Board. The Appeal Board will review the case file and render its decision.

How do you fail a secret clearance?

You may be denied security clearance for any number of reasons, including drug involvement, financial debt or affluence (being overly acquisitive), gambling addiction, undue foreign influence, reckless sexual behavior, technology misuse, or other behavior the government deems as a risk to national security.

Can family members affect security clearance?

Hardly. Previous questions have included if a spouse being listed on the sex offender registry for a decade-old arrest or if a jail stint would affect the applicant's security clearance. Those issues would likely only be an issue of the applicant was involved in some way.