My FSO called today and told me that the status for my Interim Secret has changed from “Pending” to “Eligibility Pending” I was reading on this forum that this status is same as Denial is it true but according to my FSO this is not a denial and they are still reviewing my case. I have a solid credit history, no arrest no criminal record then why was i rejected. The only issue I see is that I have a dual citizenships. Surprisingly I was granted a secret clearance back in 2010 with the same dual citizenships.
“Eligibility pending” technically means that you could still be issued an interim clearance at any time, but for all intents and purposes, means that you will almost certainly not receive an interim.
I have heard it quoted that 70% of applicants get interim clearances, but 99%+ receive final clearances. I don’t know if that is (or ever was) accurate, but basically the idea is that interim clearances are hard to get. Right now, it seems like very, very few people receive interims. For instance, I have no record (no crimes, US citizen, no financial trouble, not even foreign travel) except a handful of distant foreign contacts. I was still denied an interim (eligibility pending, that is).
It shouldn’t be surprising that things have changed to make interim clearances harder to obtain since 2010.
As I understand it, there is more to an interim clearance than a simple check of your background. Your employer has to provide justification for an interim clearance to fill the job that they want to place you in. If there are plenty of already cleared individuals who could fill the role or if the role isn’t considered critical enough, the interim will be denied despite the qualifications and background of the applicant.
Thanks all for your replies. So If Interim is approved what is the status that should show in Jpas for eg “Approved” , “Cleared” or any other specific word.
An FSO or investigator might be able to weigh in, but I imagine it would say “Interim clearance eligible, investigation pending”. Your FSO should be able to interpret the statuses.
If it is approved, your company will let you know.