Security Clearance Investigation Assistance
National Attorneys for Investigation Preparation
Top-Ranked Legal Representation for Clients Nationwide
The Edmunds Law Firm has extensive experience helping clients obtain national security clearance or respond to a government denial of security clearance. The process of applying for national security clearance begins with completing an exhaustive questionnaire that is an inquiry into every aspect of your life-both present and past.
The instructions on the questionnaire for national security positions say:
“Background investigations for national security positions are conducted to gather information to show whether you are reliable, trustworthy, of good conduct and character, and loyal to the U.S…
In addition to the questions on this form, inquiry also is made about your adherence to security requirements, honesty and integrity, vulnerability to exploitation or coercion, falsification, misrepresentation, and any other behavior, activities, or associations that tend to show the person is not reliable, trustworthy, or loyal.
What You Should Know About Your Background Check
After you submit your completed questionnaire, government investigators worldwide check the veracity of your answers and look into your background.
- This background check, which can go back seven and in some cases ten years, includes:
- Verifying your previous addresses and employment records
- Interviewing your brothers, sisters, acquaintances, coworkers and friends-even your divorced spouse may be interviewed
- Checking your credit records
- Looking into your police record
- Investigating your medical history, including occurrence of mental illness
- Finding out about your use of drugs and alcohol
- Scrutinizing any public records of civil court actions
- Talking with three people who know you well that live in the United States, who are not your relatives, and with whom you’ve been associated for at least the past seven years; these might be peers, colleagues, college roommates or good friends
Documents Required for the Personal Interview
- Part of the investigative process might include a personal interview to which you are asked to bring any documents regarding:
- Verification of your identity
- Alien registration or naturalization documents
- Delinquent loans or taxes, bankruptcies, judgments, liens, or other financial obligations
- Agreements regarding child custody or support, alimony, or property settlements
- Arrests, convictions, probation, and/or parole
Because of the exhaustive nature of this investigation, it is always best to have a well-qualified lawyer help you with completing the forms and preparing for an interview. You most likely will have questions about how to answer parts of the questionnaire, how to prepare for your interview and which documents to supply. This entire process can be daunting and the support and knowledge of a top-rated national security clearance attorney, like those at The Edmunds Law Firm, are essential to helping you prepare for the investigation.
Security Clearance Interviews: Avoid These Costly Mistakes
What If My Security Clearance Is Denied?
If your security clearance is denied, an appeals process is available to you. During this time, it is critical to have an experienced, successful lawyer guide you through this process. The Edmunds Law Firm has been helping applicants appeal security position denials for more than 40 years.
Contact The Edmunds Law Firm for a Private Consultation
To reach an experienced national security clearance lawyer who has won many appeals cases or who has successfully guided applicants through the national security application process, contact The Edmunds Law Firm. We are available to assist you with any type of national security clearance matter.
Call us at (800) 481-2526 today and schedule an evaluation of your case.
Security Clearance Interview FAQs
A security clearance interview may take less than an hour, or may take two or three hours, or even longer. The duration depends on several factors, including the interviewer, how prepared you are to answer the questions the interviewer poses, and the number and type of issues in your SF86 that the investigator believes require follow-up.
The questions you’ll be asked during a security clearance interview will vary based on the information you provided when you completed your SF86 and any other information the investigator may have discovered.
Typically, the questions asked will aim to:
- Clarify anything that was unclear or incomplete on your questionnaire, or
- Dig further into any red flags your responses raised
Questions in the latter category will typically relate to one of the 13 guidelines for national security clearance. These include allegiance to the U.S., foreign influence or preference, sexual behavior, personal conduct, finances, alcohol or drug issues, mental health, handling of protected information, outside activities, and misuse of information technology.
To prepare for a security clearance interview, you should review likely problem areas, think through your answers, and gather documents that may help explain or resolve concerns. When you’re preparing for an interview for security clearance, there are multiple things to consider.
First, you’ll want to try to anticipate the areas of your life you’ll be questioned about and know how you’ll respond to those questions. Depending on the issue, you may also want to bring documentation that will help resolve those issues.
But the substance of the questions and answers is only part of your preparation. You’ll also want to be thoroughly prepared for how the interviewer may approach the questions, how to handle common interviewing techniques, and what to do if the interviewer mischaracterizes what you’ve said or if there are errors in the summary you’re asked to review and sign.
The best way to handle this preparation is with the help of an experienced national security clearance lawyer.
During a security clearance interview, you should expect questions about your SF86 and follow-up questions about any issues the investigator wants to explore further. In addition to being prepared to answer questions about any potential issues raised by your SF86, you should also be prepared for interviewer techniques.
For example, the interviewer may repeat back something you say incorrectly to see whether you agree. Or they may repeatedly push you to answer a question more specifically when you do not know the exact answer. Your security clearance interview attorney can help you prepare to respond appropriately to these techniques.
Facing a Security Clearance Issue?
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