What disqualifies one from getting TS clearance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about having received counseling for anxiety or depression in the past?

Depends on the agency and role, but in general disclose and you'll be fine.

[Anonymous]

I have a TS/SCI with CI Poly. (so no questions about drug use). I have disclosed issues that, if I hid, would be a huge issue: 1) my father gave classified info to a foreign gov't years ago; 2) A third cousin (who I saw once when he was 4) is now #3 in a foreign gov't.

[Anonymous]

Lying will get you disqualified on the spot. Make sure to tell the truth about everything and disclose everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a TS/SCI with CI Poly. (so no questions about drug use). I have disclosed issues that, if I hid, would be a huge issue: 1) my father gave classified info to a foreign gov't years ago; 2) A third cousin (who I saw once when he was 4) is now #3 in a foreign gov't.

OP here. Thanks everyone for your input and of course welcome more experiences. To this PP, they didn't ask you about drug use at all? That's really my only concern. My MIL is a foreign national with a green card who lives with us, which has resulted in a "red flag" on DH's TS/SCI clearance but it didn't prevent him from getting it. I think he is uncertain but optimistic about whether I can pass given my drug history.

Do any of you think part of the arbitrarty nature is how bad they want you for the role? I know in this case the agency director and deputy director both want me onboard. Hoping that may carry some weight in the process I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Disqualifiere are things like current drug use, foreign ties (family and property), outstanding high debts or unpaid debts, tax issues, etc.

I disagree on foreign relatives. As long as you are forthcoming about the nature of your relationship with them, what they do for a living and if you ever financially supported them, you should be OK. While I am born in the U.S., my parents are from Croatia and a whole bunch of my aunts and uncles still live there. We never financially supported them, they don't work for any government agency, etc. And I go to visit them every 3-4 years. Never been an issue, I always fully disclosed everything.

This. As long as you report any close and continuing contact with anyone foreign, its fine. We have foreign family and its not been an issue that they come to our home for extended time. Due to which country it is, we are actively discouraged from visiting that country as if we go and have a problem, the US gov't may not be able to get us out again. And, you have to disclose anyone illegal in your home so no hiring anyone illegal and/or report.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a TS/SCI with CI Poly. (so no questions about drug use). I have disclosed issues that, if I hid, would be a huge issue: 1) my father gave classified info to a foreign gov't years ago; 2) A third cousin (who I saw once when he was 4) is now #3 in a foreign gov't.

OP here. Thanks everyone for your input and of course welcome more experiences. To this PP, they didn't ask you about drug use at all? That's really my only concern. My MIL is a foreign national with a green card who lives with us, which has resulted in a "red flag" on DH's TS/SCI clearance but it didn't prevent him from getting it. I think he is uncertain but optimistic about whether I can pass given my drug history.

Do any of you think part of the arbitrarty nature is how bad they want you for the role? I know in this case the agency director and deputy director both want me onboard. Hoping that may carry some weight in the process I guess.

Disclose as they will grill you on the polly. Part of it is being truthful and if you fail your poly that's a huge. Gov't has been very helpful with our foreign family. We just report and always get approved. The initial part is hard, but after that its fine. They just want to make sure the relatives are not going to take classified information back to their country or you/they are not a spy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a TS/SCI with CI Poly. (so no questions about drug use). I have disclosed issues that, if I hid, would be a huge issue: 1) my father gave classified info to a foreign gov't years ago; 2) A third cousin (who I saw once when he was 4) is now #3 in a foreign gov't.

OP here. Thanks everyone for your input and of course welcome more experiences. To this PP, they didn't ask you about drug use at all? That's really my only concern. My MIL is a foreign national with a green card who lives with us, which has resulted in a "red flag" on DH's TS/SCI clearance but it didn't prevent him from getting it. I think he is uncertain but optimistic about whether I can pass given my drug history.

Do any of you think part of the arbitrarty nature is how bad they want you for the role? I know in this case the agency director and deputy director both want me onboard. Hoping that may carry some weight in the process I guess.

How badly they want you will not impact the granting of clearance. The investigators and adjudicators do not answer to the person that wants you. Bear in mind that how badly they want you can allow them to put you in the front of the stack.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Disqualifiere are things like current drug use, foreign ties (family and property), outstanding high debts or unpaid debts, tax issues, etc.

The foreign ties is simply not true. Lots of naturalized citizens with TS with infinite foreign ties. A little more complex? Sure, but not a bar.

[Anonymous]

Lying on the clearance forms is an automatic disqualifier.

Matters of substance include whatever would make you susceptible to blackmail - financial distress, an affair, some kind of shameful secret dark past. If you're hiding your prior drug use and treat like some shameful, unspeakable thing, then that's a red flag that you're embarrassed by it and potentially could be blackmailed for it. If you're like "hey, yeah, I did it, here's the whole story," then you're just like everyone else who experimented in college - like Obama. The fact that he put it out there in his own biography neutralized him against whatever attacks people would have tried to make out of that information. If you're public with your misdeeds, then you can't be blackmailed over them.

[Anonymous]

Thank god this forum is anonymous.

Do they ask sexual questions? Would a past sugar daddy thing have to be disclosed?

[Anonymous]

I got interviewed about my ex when he was trying to get a TS clearance. They asked about his college drug use....He got a call and withdrew his application for the new job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Disqualifiere are things like current drug use, foreign ties (family and property), outstanding high debts or unpaid debts, tax issues, etc.

I disagree on foreign relatives. As long as you are forthcoming about the nature of your relationship with them, what they do for a living and if you ever financially supported them, you should be OK. While I am born in the U.S., my parents are from Croatia and a whole bunch of my aunts and uncles still live there. We never financially supported them, they don't work for any government agency, etc. And I go to visit them every 3-4 years. Never been an issue, I always fully disclosed everything.

I agree, neighbor has one and is married to a North African and ha relatives coming and staying all the time and support several in home country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Disqualifiere are things like current drug use, foreign ties (family and property), outstanding high debts or unpaid debts, tax issues, etc.

The foreign ties is simply not true. Lots of naturalized citizens with TS with infinite foreign ties. A little more complex? Sure, but not a bar.

'

It comes down to whether the government believes you will resolve any conflict in the best interests of the USA.

[Anonymous]

From what I've experienced - very little to nothing. I know of one person who got denied a clearance, and that was because he made up HUGE lies to cover up gaping gaps in his employment.

Best Buy requiring a piss test for employment could weed out more candidates than clearance "questioning".

I know active drug users who have secret clearances. They just lie about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From what I've experienced - very little to nothing. I know of one person who got denied a clearance, and that was because he made up HUGE lies to cover up gaping gaps in his employment.

Best Buy requiring a piss test for employment could weed out more candidates than clearance "questioning".

I know active drug users who have secret clearances. They just lie about it.

Added: Obviously, rap sheets a mile long with disqualify you, but that is with just about any job that does a background check.