Anonymous wrote:DOES ANY ONE KNOW HOW LONG CAN SOMEONE HOLD A INTERIM SECRET CLEARANCE BEFORE IT FINALLY GETS GRANTED, REVOKED OR DENIED?

Inperpetuity

OP you work in the private sector and it has you in and out of Cuba?

DOES ANY ONE KNOW HOW LONG CAN SOMEONE HOLD A INTERIM SECRET CLEARANCE BEFORE IT FINALLY GETS GRANTED, REVOKED OR DENIED?

My interim secret clearance is declined and the company processing it decided to not go any further with the process for now. If I get an opportunity in the future to work on a job that requires clearance, will I be eligible to apply? What should I answer for the question in Section 25 of SF86 "Have you EVER had a security clearance eligibility/access authorization denied, suspended, or revoked?" I was arrested for Public Intoxication in 2001 and I specified that in my application in Section22 - Police Record (EVER). I never had any other convictions or anything. I don't know whether specifying this caused the declination of my interim secret clearance. If I am eligible to apply for clearance in the future, should I say that I don't have any convictions ever? Please advice

Wow, good thing we're not at war or worried about terrorists these days.

http://www.shawbransford.com/security_clearance.php

many people are denied interim Security Clearance and wind up getting the clearance. The way interim is denied is if there is anything that hits a trigger that should required further investigation. You stated in your original post that there are - so in reality, the process is working. Wouldn't you want the government to research someone a little more thoroughly before giving them access to classified information if they had extended family in countries that are the Axis of Evil?

There is no need to retain a lawyer now - but if clearance is denied, you have 30 days (I believe) to appeal. It is in this window that you want to get a lawyer and have the lawyer research and file the appeal.

Check out martindale.com or other search engines to find reputable law firms. A reputable and experienced attorney should be able to provide you with a range of how much an appeal would cost. Start locally and don't fall for the pop-up ads that I see springing up in the margins of this thread.

"Investigator" - know when to say when. This is a public forum, after all. There are other ways to get attention that don't address your old job.

OP - your first question re: hiring an attorney might be "will this jeopardize my chances at employment".

A *little common sense* (not prevelant in this area) goes a long way!

Which leads me to know why PP is no longer an investigator!

Yes, it can go through, but I would also recommend an attorney.

You can't really do anything about the interim denial, since the point is to be extra careful on the "quick round."

Anonymous wrote:There are law firms in DC that do this kind of work. The earlier in the process you retain counsel the better off you will be. Don't miss any deadlines to appeal so that you can preserve your rights. It is possible to successfully challenge interim and final denials.

OP here - Are there any that have particularly good reputations. How many gazillions of dollars should one expect to spend in an appeal?