Here is my secret clearance timeline:
1/23: fingerprints submitted
1/24: e-QIP submitted to the government
2/10: references were reached out, including my managers
Does this mean my interim is rejected since the investigation has already been started (they are reaching out my references now)?
The interim determination and the background investigation - while both connected by the questionnaire submission - are not the same thing.
Since my FSO hasn’t notified me regarding my interim determination yet, should I understand contacting references at this point should be for the interim determination? Maybe the formal investigation hasn’t started yet?
no, the interim does not contact references. Your investigation started.
If my interim is rejected, will it be notified in one way or another?
It is a questionnaire sent to somebody mentioned in my SF86. You said interim determination is also connected by the questionnaire submission. This questionnaire was sent out about 13 days after my eQIP was submitted. Can you make the situation more clear here? Thanks for all the help.
The eQip submission is the questionnaire submission. The eQip is the electronic version of the SF 86 and it used to review interim requests.
The questionnaire sent to someone mentioned on your eQip is part of your background investigation.
If the background investigation has already started, does it mean that my interim has been rejected? In other words, could an interim be granted after the background investigation started?
The interim is not granted until the investigation is started.
An interim security clearance (aka “interim”) is based on a need for someone to be ale to start work quickly, an initial review of the submitted security questionnaire (eQip/eApp), and the completion of a few internal process happenings.
Not everyone is automatically submitted for a interim and the requesting agency (the federal agency) might determine there is no need to take the risk of an interim. The interim clearance is a risk management tool.
So, my interim has been rejected since I clearly know that I was submitted for interim consideration. Can you give out a few examples for what you mentioned as “a few internal process happenings”.
Thanks for all your help here.
I was intentionally being vague about internal processes.
Interim denial is not a derogatory event, Your position might not have been a critical need justifying the interim.