I was denied an interim TS. Naturalized citizen background here.
My red/yellow flags:
1.) I suspect it was because I had a sizable amount of foreign contacts, although that list was inflated because my company’s FSO had stated that I needed to disclose US Dual Citizen contacts (which is about a dozen people).
2.) I also own very low amounts of American Deposit Receipt shares of foreign companies on the NYSE/Nasdaq which I disclosed.
3.) Fired from a job about 9.5 years ago.
CreditKarma and Experian have my credit in the 800+ range. I don’t have anything worse than a speeding ticket on my record.
The odds are in the applicant’s favor for an eventual clearance. The interim denial is not a predictor to the final adjudication.
The clearance process is about risk management. This is why dishonesty is weighed very heavily in the process. The fact you are a naturalized citizen is not a strike against you - unless we find out you became naturalized to gain access to sensitive information because your loyalties lie with another country/entity/group/cause. The same issue, or strike, applies to native citizens who want access to gain access to sensitive information because…well, you should get the idea now.
We are not out to “get” the Subjects. The agent/investigator is out to get the information for the adjudicator to make an intelligent decision. There is a review process that is automatically triggered if a clearance is denied. There is also DOHA.
This is really simplifying the process.
The interim just means the government (not the company) is willing or not willing to take a risk on granting you access before the investigation completion.
Probably the best summation of that question ever. Comes up a lot. I wouldn’t worry about a job 9.5 years ago firing you. Getting fired doesnt auto indicate you did anything wrong.