Are You Experiencing Security Clearance Processing Delays?

I just got some very worrisome news. I heard back from my security dept. today with my question asking about OPM’s terminology. They said my case was opened on 2/13 and that an interim clearance has not been decided on. The really unnerving thing is he said he expects a interim decision no less then 90 days from the open date, because of these “Delays”. This will bring my waiting time to over 200 days. I truly cannot afford that time on min-wage while still owning all the debts I built up while earning my engineering degree. How is these even a feasible system where they expect people to choose them over another job? I don’t know at all…but I trully am frustrated. When I accepted the job I was told to expect something in 70-90 days, not 200.

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Good to hear that at least you can resume your work. I had contacted my SFO but he didn’t have any update. When I contacted the support phone, they received my file on Feb 17, but they didn’t start processing. Hopefully it will start making some move shortly. Again, Congrats!

That is good news. My SF86 was submitted on Nov 22, and when I contacted the toll free number they said, it was received by the office on Feb 17. But they didn’t start the process. I checked my credit bureau and there is no enquiries either. Not sure how long it will take. It give kind of relief after reading your post. Thanks for sharing the info and good luck.

I submitted my 86 in mid-Dec (16), had in person processing late Feb.(17), my credit was pulled early March and I know some of my references have been contacted. Does this bode well for me getting my TS clearance within a few months?
I received my offer in Dec. and I’m pretty sure they said if I don’t get it within a year I lose my offer.
Anyone have any insights? I’m graduating in May and would love to have a job soon after… trying to figure out if I should take other offers I get…

Was this for a government direct-hire position? I think the verbiage allows them to withdraw the offer but it is not a hard-and-fast deadline, especially these days.

Yeah, it’s a direct hire offer.

Update regarding my initial post:

My colleague who had applied in August 2016 has just received his Interim clearance (Secret) and is now working. He received his notice from his recruiter on 3/1/17 so he waited a total of 193 days, his manager told him that it would take about 6 moths so he ended up being pretty spot on.

Just for some insight, this individual was not born in the US (though is now a citizen), has had multiple jobs over the last year (including living in multiple states) and has traveled to more countries than anyone else that I personally know. I say this because on paper he looks like he’d be an investigators worst nightmare, yet he was still cleared to work within 6 months.

Cheers

I have been reading this blog for a while now and finally decided to share my experiences and ask a new question:

Got an offer from IC contractor April 2016
SF86 completed and returned in paper April 2016
Poly Mid September 2016
Subject interview with investigator Jan 2017
References/neighbors interviewed Jan2017

Waiting… emailed the FSO March 15th and I was advised to wait and that the customer takes very long time to clear for TS/sci

After seeing on this blog that you can call the OPM, I called today and they told me that they have no record of any investigation about me.

My question is, is this normal? To meet with OPM investigator with credentials and business card for 3 hours and all my friends and family interviewed but no record of it???

Any input/comments/ will be appreciated.

Thanks

NRO/CIA and a few other agencies conduct their own BIs, they don’t use OPM investigators, hence there being no record at OPM for you. The IC component that is sponsoring you for the clearance is the only one who can give you an update.

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Thank you Mr. Hakama for your help. Is this still the case even when the investigator is a contract investigator for OPM according to their business card?
And also if you can shed a light how the process ends for TS/SCI; will there be two separate adjudication pieces one for the TS and one for the SCI? And will I know when the TS is granted or will they wait and only inform me once everything is fully adjudicated?

Thank you very much

Can’t really say as it depends on the agency the contractor position for which are you are being investigated for. There are some things that don’t add up, the security official who took your SF-86 application would be the bets source to go to.

Understood! Thanks

I will patiently wait final adjudication and check with my fso monthly.
I will sure report back and update this thread once I get an update.

Cheers! And good luck with everyone waiting for a clearance.

Stilling in the stand by to stand by holding pattern.

However I have a question.

I know everything is slow moving though, when should an individual reach out to either their FSO or The freedom line to get a status check on their investigation?

Also after reaching out how often should you follow up?

After all the information in this blog and others like it, the waiting game in the end is worth while but it’s nice to know if thing are moving forward and be a little more patient just knowing things are happening.

My story

August 17th 2016 - Submitted Equip
Nov 14th 2016 - investigation Opened per JPAS update
Mid Feb 2017 - personal interview with BI
Feb 17th - Courtesy Call from investigator that his part was submitted and completed
March 7th 2017- called the Freedom line update stating still in progress
March 22nd 2017 - crickets in the weeds…

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394 days, still waiting to start the process.

I submitted my EQIP on 2-22-16. This is for an L through the DOE. Totally clean record, no drugs, no DUI, nothing. I am an American born and American educated. They sent a questionaire to my employer right away and then nothing.

I wrote them twice and then I contacted my Congressman. I am currently pursuing legal options and looking for a new job.

Just some advice, you would be wasting your time and money on legal fees as there is no right to being granted a clearance for employment, therefore you have not been wronged or had employment benefits withheld from you. The DOE component is the one you should be asking. I have seen a number of similar cases that got lost in the OPM-NBIB transition and other hiccups that are still pending closure.

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Transition? What transition? FIS became NBIB, wasn’t that about it? Did they manage somehow to exploit that as a reason to foul things up?

Your case seems similar to mine since it is DOE. I thought mine would be so simple since I have not moved around at all or even been out of the country but here I am over 7 months in and not much progress. My hiring company told me I needed an L clearance and it would take 3-6 months. I guess everyone though with the breach in the past things would be moving along but it is looking like the backlog is actually worse than ever! I hope the DOE cases aren’t sitting at the bottom of the pile or something, good luck to you!

Here I am at day 126 and I just noticed that yesterday my Credit was pulled. Here is hoping I’ll finally get to start very soon! All I need is my Interim for me to be happy.

Just a quick update. An woman who identified herself as an OPM contractor was at our facility today interviewing nearly everyone in the T3 and T5 queues. She indicated that OPM’s (or NBIB’s?) new SOP is to interview all applicants for S and TS clearances rather than only the TS applicants and S applicants with SF-86 issues. She indicated that her reports will be complete in 1-2 weeks and then submitted for adjudication. She provided no guidance on how long the adjudication process would take and will be back next week to conduct more interviews. It seems that 11-12 months in the investigative phase is where the mass interview process gets triggered. I’m only at the 7 month point which I assume is the reason I have no interview scheduled.

Never heard of such. Sometimes the contracting companies set priorities in order to close out specific cases, but I’ve yet to hear of an OPM directive regarding shifting priorities. (Someone feel free to correct me). Sometimes we get an influx of cases from a specific office, they all just happened to be next in line.
There’s no “triggering” of mass interviews. How many people were in the queue? Subject interviews tend to range anywhere from 1-5 hours depending on what’s discussed, especially with these T3 and T5 cases. I don’t want to elaborate further for the sake of OPSEC, but there’s things that don’t make sense in the way you’re framing them. Maybe you misinterpreted what she meant? Are you sure she was doing Subject interviews or was she simply interviewing colleagues of others?