May I ask if a background investigation for CIA jobs are recorded on OPM offices or they do their own investigations? I called OPM and they could not find any investigations done , but the recruiter is saying that my background check is completed and I am in adjudication status since December 2015, still pending and active.
CIA, FBI, DHS and some more do their own investigations. OPM handles the other 90% of investigations.
Thank you, make sense now.
I application was submitted to EQIP on June 16 2017. At the time the Security Officer told me that it would take about 4-6 weeks. It’s been over 4 months and OPM hotline tells me that it’s Pending. Does anyone know that this is normal for just a NACI check?
I’ve been waiting over 6 months for my NACI check to finish as part of my BI. If you are processing with another agency, that could hold it up. Also OPM is very very backlogged with the NACI checks apparently.
Thanks for sharing anon471.
I’m processing with two agencies and any agency checks become a mess since they both will want to pull the others files/investigations on you. I’ve heard there’s a 3+ month delay for some places before they can send off your file to someone else.
It’s pretty amazing. So many people, businesses, agencies, waiting on security clearances and they’re dependent on schlock companies working sweatshop-style operations with ridiculous employee turnover rates paying $18/hour and requiring their employees to use their owns cars. Geez, you wonder why the average OPM background investigator is some kid out of college or the military looking to get some work experience for a real job.
Amazing, they have 50k government employees working airport screening, but screening for top secret security clearances? It’s done by 5k low-paid private-sector tyros.
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My OPM investigator was a former IRS Special Agent and extremely professional and competent. Overworked? Yes, clearly. I am certainly not writing off your comments but pointing out that there is more to it . . .
Yeah, I know there is a smattering of experienced guys. I have some friends with equivalent backgrounds still sticking in with the job as contractors working several contracts. That’s were I hear about the current state of affairs in the BI game. Can’t imagine tech wanting in on cleared work and being able to deal with background investigation process as it is. They have the clout to change things completely. In short order.
But was this person a direct-hire OPM employee? I’d be surprised if someone with that background would settle for the contract investigator gig at very low salary.
No . . . No . . . She was an OPM employee and she did tell me about a number of problems going on with contractors . . .
Hello all, so a little bit about my timeline:
I submitted my eQIP papers in December.
Started process in March.
Denied for interim late April.
And since then I’ve been stuck in this limbo, where I found out today I am in pending eligibility. But my contracting company is claiming I am still in good standing and under investigation. What does it all mean, and what specifically does it mean for my investigation to be closed, but pending eligibility?
Prepare for a wait. This has happened to a lot of us. You can read through the forums and see many timelines similar to yours. I waited about 18 months after my interim was denied and in “eligibility pending” status.
I would take anything anyone says with a grain of salt. Agents don’t interact with the contractor employees, contractor employees don’t interact with the agents. They don’t know our day-to-day, we don’t know theirs (generally). Factor in that we all work independently. Yet oddly enough we’re all doing the same exact thing (in theory), with the same scope of authority.
We all have contacts in/out of our own circles so there’s always info being passed around the FI News Network. In both the fed and contractor sides, we share a lot of the same problems. There are some problems unique to the contractor sphere, though.
Come on, while I bash the privatized OPM investigations, it’s still on the private side where you will still find the greatest experience and talent. I know a bunch of them personally. Retired S/As and LEOs and guys with 30 years of CI in IC. Sadly, the private side is not getting these types too much anymore. I assume the word is out what the private side has become.
I’ve known quit a few OPM folks as well. I will leave it at that.
Why does it say it’s closed then? I panicked for a second when I first heard that because I thought I had been denied.
I am no expert, I am only speaking from personal experience and from information i have gathered from reading around. I believe it says “closed” because the investigation portion of you security clearance is completed, and it now goes into adjudication. The timeline for this varies, but basically your packet is completed, everything listed in your packet has been investigated, and it goes to an adjudicator to make a final decision. Like I mentioned before mine sat in this stage for 18 months or so. A lot of other people are adjudicated within 90 days. No news is good news, there is still a chance for you. Keep living your life, work another job if you have to, and it will come through eventually. The exact time, no one can tell you for sure. Good luck my friend.
Equip submitted in April of 2015. Investigation closed in October of 2015. Two years later and still nothing. I requested a copy of the background investigation a few months ago and was able to look over everything. I’m currently working on an interim clearance, but awaiting the final.
Hey well at least you are working with an interim. That is a long wait but maybe they work on cases that don’t have interim and need final clearances in order to work before yours. Just an idea.