What causes a clearance to become “out of scope,” and what’s the impact of that?
It varies from what ive read and heard, in my case my background investigation finished but they couldn’t adjudicate in time. My background investigation was finished for over 2 years (2 year is the amount of time to be in scope), so had to re-do a background investigation because it was “out of scope”
Ok, but you still have your clearance, yes? You’re still eligible to hold a position that requires it?
I have a “confidential” clearance, so im not sure what it is for secret, top secret, and such. Im still able to perform my daily duties but in my case im going for a TS and that will be for another position. So im not entirely sure, you may want to reach out to your security officer and ask.
Yes I understand that im noting that Im not sure what it is for OP’s case in being able to hold a position that requires a clearance.
I don’t think that the OP has provided enough information to answer this question.
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Hair-splitting time: a clearance does not go out of scope, but an investigation does. If your investigation for TS is over five years old (ten years for Secret) then you need a new investigation. If you are still actively cleared then you should be OK as long as you get your paperwork in for the periodic update.
That’s my take on it.
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Is there a difference between reinvestigation and new investigations? I was under the impression that both are the same.
Different name, shows differently in most clearance systems. But BI folks could give clarity on if they treat them any differently.
There is a significant difference between a reinvestigation and an new investigation.
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What a the significant differences? My reinvestigation is more invasive than my original investigation 10 years ago. Are these the differences you are referring to?
Wow, really? Why would that be, I wonder? Seems it should be the other way around.
Backgd, is that correct? Is a PR more detailed than an initial investigation? That seems odd.
I guess what I was trying to determine was, if an investigation does go “out of scope,” because, for example, your employer didn’t notify you that your PR was coming up due, do you still actually have a clearance, and would seeing “out of scope” in JPAS make a future employer pass you up because they don’t want to reinitiate the PR?
As long as you stay at the same employer you “should” still be cleared to work on contracts for the same customer that cleared you. But it will be very difficult (meaning impossible in some cases) to get your clearance transferred to another program.
Of course if you should get laid off during this period, you may be out of luck.
Is your paperwork in now?
That’s what I meant. I was laid off, so new employers now see me in JPAS as “out of scope,” because my PR is due/overdue. Does that mean I can’t come back, that I’m doomed to live in a clearance limbo forever? That’s terrifying. Genuinely scary, if that’s what you’re suggesting.
What’s the date of your last clearance adjudication? Are you past ten years yet? If not, another employer can pick up your clearance and you can continue to work while your PR is completed. If you are beyond ten years, you MAY be out of luck and need to start from scratch.
Talked with my last FSO, and thankfully they’re still talking to me, and I guess I was last done in 2008, so the possibility is still there, and if they rehire me (long shot, but possible) into the org, they will restart the PR. BUT- if that doesn’t happen, I may indeed by hosed like nobody’s business, as companies see that “out of scope” flag and potentially give me an immediate rejection because they don’t want to restart the PR.
The initial is more broad than the periodic.
Think of the process like getting a drivers license then later the renewal. Initially, you have to do the driving test, have your identity verified, take the written exam, and get your eyes checked. For your renewal (states vary, please, this is just an example), you might get your eyes checked, have a check on your driving record, then have to pass the exam. - no road test.
Change states or let your license expire for awhile and you might have to do the whole process over again.
The initial security level (secret or TS) will be the most thorough. This doesn’t mean we ignore everything when the reinvestigation happens, this just means the process focuses more on specific areas.
If you are having a rough time with a reinvestigation, then you have issues that you didn’t have when you completed your initial. A lot happens in ten years - the biggest reason the process wants to shorten the secret level BIs to five years.
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When I cross over a person near the due date for a PR, they cross over and request the re investigation. If it is far out of scope they refuse to cross over and I must submit as an initial. Even if still in access on another program.