Hi all,
Here is my timeline of the NSA Application Process.
Nov 22 - Interview for NSA
Feb 23 - Received CJO
Feb 23 - Completed SF-86
July 23 - Information requested about SF-86
Aug 23 - Background Investigation Interview
I am trying to understand when the polygraph test and psychological processing occurs. Do these two occur concurrently while the Background check is underway? Or will the polygraph and psychological examination occur once the background investigation is complete? Still waiting to hear back from HR on the timeline process.
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My Timeline is similar to yours, although I had my Background interview in June. They sent me an email to schedule the security interview, psych eval, and poly in late May, but there weren’t openings for me until July.
I bet you’ll hear sometime soon about scheduling everything, but if you don’t hear by the end of the month I’d reach out to someone at NSA and see where you’re at.
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From reading these forums over the years, there are no hard and fast rules. For a while there was a huge backlog getting polygraphs scheduled (for all agencies) maybe that has cleared up, although the response from @trailheads76 suggests it may still be a bit of a problem.
In most cases it is a “don’t call us we’ll call you” system so hang in there.
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On the other hand, I just had a second time where nothing was moving in my process with them, so I sent an email, and then an hour later get an email to schedule my re-poly. So, it might not hurt to bug them a little bit haha
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These two processes can happen concurrently. They are not dependent upon each other.
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Not to dredge up an old-ish post, but any updates since August?
Sort of similar timeline myself:
May 23 - Interviewed with NSA
July 23 - Received CJO
August 23 - Completed SF-86, provided more info to BIs
September 23 - In-person interview with BI
October 23 - Provided more info to BI
Was curious on how a fellow applicant was coming along.
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Yours looks like it’s moving pretty fast. You are less than 3 months in, grab a chair and relax.
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Long time lurker here. I’ve been following these forms almost daily to gauge where I’m at in the process. Here’s my timeline as of today:
February 23 - SF86 & Received CJO
March 23 - 10 references Interviewed & Interview with BI
April 23 - Psych & Fingerprints
May 23 - Poly Fail
August 23 - Poly Pass
September 23 - Provided more info to Security
I think I’m in the loop from Investigation > Review > Final Review > Adjudication Review. The CR on the government shutdown really helped. Hopefully I get some movement before the next shutdown deadline. Good Luck to anyone that comes across this. Thanks
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Ooh, nice. Hopefully, it’ll come to a favorable end for you soon! Certainly before the government shutdown with any luck.
I’ll really have to get cozy in my chair like @everyafter suggested, when that possibly happens in November, haha. The process won’t be going anywhere during that time, so better get to relaxing. 
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Aha, right, I’m trying to! My Hiring Manager mentioned the same thing when I asked him some questions about timeline. Pretty quick perhaps by gov standards, but still going to be long by any others. Just have to ride it out though!
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Yup. I’m only going for secret, but I’m 6.5 months in and investigation still open. It really varies and there’s no real way to gauge based on anyone else. Good luck!
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The process really does vary. My timeline has been a little over 2 years and looks like this:
Jun 2021: Submitted SF86
Jul 2021: More info requested
…
Oct 2023: Today
I have had no SI, no psych, and no poly. But as they say “no news is good news” and there’s not much I can do to speed it up.
Best of luck in your process!
It seems like they’re not in a hurry to fill this particular position. Two years without SI or poly seems highly unusual.
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Do not try to apply normal logic or reasoning here. It will not help, and in the end you will only injure your brain.
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How did your second poly go? More specifically, how different was it compared to your first? I have my second one in a few weeks.
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Not bad at all. I’m sure you can find people on these forms that have taken it 2-4 times and finally got a favorable result. The first time my heart was pounding through my chest and I couldn’t breathe. This time around I felt much more comfortable with the process and the proctor. Since this was my first time, I explained why I believed my first Poly wasn’t favorable and things I didn’t feel comfortable with on the questioning that would cause the proctor to believe I was lying to them. Once we went over a couple details and I did some explaining we cruised through the first half. Then another line of questioning and clarifying to make sure I understood, the second half went smooth as silk. I was in the chair for a total of 3.5hrs and it goes by really fast. They confirmed that I indeed “Passed” the exam multiple times. I think more than likely they will NOT say this to you but I might have been the rare occurrence.
No update on my file as of today. It’s been a month since someone from security reached out for more information / to clarify some details which they were satisfied with my response. I’m at least hoping my file is back to that portion of review if not further along. From reading these forms again I believe I should hear back from the agency sometime midway through November / December which is smack in between the looming shutdown and the holidays…
I was invited to a virtual Tech to Gov fair that’s on Tuesday from 12-4 and a in person NSA Woman’s in STEM event which I’m pretty sure I’m not applicable for hahaha
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Here is the final update: TS/SCI with FS poly. 8 months cleared from submitting SF86 to fully cleared.
February 23 - SF86 & Received CJO
March 23 - 10 references Interviewed & Interview with BI
April 23 - Psych & Fingerprints
May 23 - Poly Fail
August 23 - Poly Pass
September 23 - Provided more info to Security
October 23 - FJO
January 24 - EOD
Somewhere along the line my recruiter moved onto a new position, and I was not notified. Thankfully I attended the Tech to Gov event and a speaker noticed. They immediately had someone look into it and I was contacted the next day by the hiring manager and the following day by my new recruiter with a FJO. They still need to calculate my final salary but I’m sure that’ll come soon enough.
Red Flags in my history they cared about:
- Cocaine once use 4yrs ago.
- THC Gummy Bear I ate while in Colorado 1yr prior to applying. (State Legal / Federal Not)
- I’ve been on multiple cruises that have toured various island countries.
- One exgf whose parents were Americans was born in Taiwan. One close friend lives abroad works for the Army. Brother was deployed at the time of application / process but home now.
- My job 9yrs ago required me to visit an embassy which turned out to be the embassy staff housing location and not the embassy itself.
Good Luck everyone
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Hey Z. They supplied me (3) dates:
Early December, I’m getting married the week before and then on vacation during my start date. So no good.
First workday of the year, this is the one I’m choosing.
Mid-January, probably going to be getting laid off soon so its better to start sooner than later.
I’m only speculating but they may only do new hire orientation bimonthly. They still have to calculate my salary so early November wouldn’t work. Mid November is super close to the looming shutdown & holidays so they might not have orientation during that. But again that’s only a guess
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Huge ups on receiving the FJO and big congrats on the wedding! 
Hopefully, if my timeline turns out anything like yours, it’ll be an April FJO for me, haha. 
Especially since the only red flags I could imagine them asking about/extra info they have already asked about were regarding my foreign family and foreign travels.
Either way, a toast to your new beginnings are in order! 
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