Top Secret Security Clearance

[Anonymous]

Family or inlaws in foreign countries. Every place you ever lived. Social media.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private person and TS clearance don't work.

You have to give all sorts of info- family, bank account info, job info, etc....

And it takes like 18-24 months. It is invasive and you can't decide not to share something you find private.

My clearance took 6 months which I think is pretty usual.

For a TS? My plain old secret took 6 months and I thought that was amazing.

I think that it varies a LOT by year, by agency requesting the clearance, probably even by the contractor hired to do the clearance. My TS took 7 months in 2012-13; a colleague's took a year in 2024-2025 ... I think it's impossible to predict.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Private person and TS clearance don't work.

You have to give all sorts of info- family, bank account info, job info, etc....

And it takes like 18-24 months. It is invasive and you can't decide not to share something you find private.

I didn't find the TS clearance at all incompatible with being a private person in everyday life. Honestly answering questions about my finances, mental health history, or anything else when asked by an investigator is very different from sharing intimate details with the office gossip or my next-door-neighbor.

[Anonymous]

It depends how private you are and what clearances or agency. It’s not just about getting the clearance. As an example, you are generally not allowed to travel outside the US without permission.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It depends how private you are and what clearances or agency. It’s not just about getting the clearance. As an example, you are generally not allowed to travel outside the US without permission.

TS holder here: I need to inform my employer before I travel outside the US, but "permission" has never been involved. (I have been required to read materials about the particular risks associated with that country, as well as reminders about not saying much of anything to anyone.) Although, since getting my clearance I haven't traveled anywhere except Canada/Europe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It depends how private you are and what clearances or agency. It’s not just about getting the clearance. As an example, you are generally not allowed to travel outside the US without permission.

Allowed to travel outside US, yes, no permission needed.

Required to give advance notice of foreign travel and receive job-specific travel-safety training, also yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends how private you are and what clearances or agency. It’s not just about getting the clearance. As an example, you are generally not allowed to travel outside the US without permission.

Allowed to travel outside US, yes, no permission needed.

Required to give advance notice of foreign travel and receive job-specific travel-safety training, also yes.

There are also places where you can't go and keep your clearance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends how private you are and what clearances or agency. It’s not just about getting the clearance. As an example, you are generally not allowed to travel outside the US without permission.

Allowed to travel outside US, yes, no permission needed.

Required to give advance notice of foreign travel and receive job-specific travel-safety training, also yes.

There are also places where you can't go and keep your clearance.

Varies by organization, I guess. I am supposing PP means Iran, N Korea, and Cuba. Not places I would ever want to go.

[Anonymous]

Can't go to Cuba, Venezuela, Russia, Belarus. Currently Mexico is problematic. I would think many other places would raise eyebrows. Of course Canada is fine.