Get Your Security Clearance in Washington, DC
Expert Guidance for Your Security Clearance Application from a Top-Ranked Security Clearance Law Firm Since 1976
If you’re trying to obtain security clearance in Washington, DC, your best first step is to consult an experienced national security lawyer. Attorney Alan Edmunds has nearly 50 years of experience helping people in Washington, DC, and across the country apply for security clearance. To learn more about how we can help, call 800-481-2526 right now.
How to Obtain Security Clearance
The process for getting a security clearance is long and complicated. Even small mistakes can derail the process, delaying approval or even resulting in denial. Here’s what you need to know to give yourself the best chance of security clearance approval.
How Does the Security Clearance Process Start?
An individual is not able to get security clearance on their own. The process must be kicked off by a governmental entity that is considering employing or contracting with the applicant or sponsored by a private company that does business with the government and is required to obtain security clearance for its employees.
Once that happens, the applicant has to complete a series of steps. Some elements are the same for all applicants, and others depend on the specific information the investigators are seeking.
There is no application fee or other cost when you apply for security clearance. That cost is absorbed by the government or the private company that is sponsoring your application.
The National Security Clearance Application Process
Completing the SF-86 Form
Standard Form 86 is the initial application for security clearance. It is now available in electronic form, known as the SF-86 Electronic Questionnaire. It is almost certainly unlike any application you have ever filled out before. The form itself is well over 100 pages long, and asks for information that may date back years, including addresses, dates of employment, and other detailed data.
The form also asks for information you may be uncomfortable sharing–information about criminal history, bankruptcies, delinquent debts, and other areas of your life. You must resist the urge to “forget” to add information here, or even to be less than fully honest. Inaccurate or incomplete information can delay your application or even lead to a denial. If there is information you’re uncomfortable disclosing, you should speak with an experienced security clearance lawyer in Washington, D.C. about how best to respond.
Next Steps Toward Getting a Security Clearance
After you complete the application, the investigation for your security clearance continues on two separate tracks. One involves you directly. You will be scheduled for an in-depth interview, and may also be asked to sit for a polygraph examination.
The other involves outside research. That includes running a criminal background check, a credit and public records check for debt, bankruptcies, lawsuits, and contacting people from your business and personal life. People who may be contacted include employers and co-workers (past and present), family and friends, landlords, and others who may have information of interest to investigators.
Security Clearance and Employment
Some jobs, both within the government and with private companies that contract with the government, depend on the applicant being able to obtain security clearance. Unsurprisingly, this requirement applies to a great many jobs in and around Washington, DC.
A job requiring security clearance may be posted in one of two ways: “must be able to obtain security clearance” or “active security clearance required.” Since you cannot secure security clearance on your own before you apply for a job that requires it, positions in the second category are typically available only to those who hold an active security clearance from a current or past position.
Learn How to Obtain Security Clearance in Washington, DC
Your ability to obtain security clearance can open the door to a new job or a big promotion. But the process is littered with pitfalls for those who are not experienced with how to obtain security clearance. Before you apply for security clearance, you should speak with an experienced Washington, D.C. security clearance lawyer.
The right lawyer can make all the difference by:
- Ensuring that your SF-86 is complete and that you have completed the form correctly
- Helping determine how to address any responses on the SF-86 or during the investigation that may raise red flags
- Preparing you for your interview
- Preparing you for a polygraph exam
An experienced attorney can also help at later stages of the process. For example, if you realize that you made a mistake on the form or left something out, you’ll need to act quickly to correct it. You don’t want to wait for the investigator to notice the discrepancy! Your attorney can also help if you receive a Statement of Reasons (SOR) indicating that your clearance is likely to be denied. A thorough response to an SOR can sometimes turn things around and avoid a denial. And, if your security clearance is denied, your attorney can help you put together the most effective appeal possible.
Choosing the Right Security Clearance Law Firm
Finding the best lawyer for you can be difficult under any circumstances. That’s especially true when you’re looking for help getting a security clearance. The vast majority of attorneys have never handled a single security clearance matter. That’s important because the security clearance process is unique and complicated. The best attorney for your security clearance application or appeal has extensive experience with the process.
Attorney Alan Edmunds has devoted his career to national security clearance matters, military law, and veterans’ issues. After nearly 50 years in practice, he has handled thousands of national security clearance matters and has a rare degree of knowledge regarding security clearance applications and appeals. And, he works with and personally trains every attorney in the firm.
We offer free consultations to make sure you have the information you need to make good decisions about your next steps. If you decide to move forward, we’ll give you a price up front, and we’ll never try to sell you services you don’t need.
To learn more, call us today at 800-481-2526 or fill out our contact form.