For a secret security clearance, what all does the FBI look at? Will they call previous employers?

Question

Will they send out mailers or do personal interviews? I need to know what to tell my friends/relatives/previous employers to expect? How long does it take to complete Secret Clearance? Will I have to submit medical docs?

Answer 1

Of course, they will do all of the above.  And I hope they are thorough with each and every applicant!

Answer 2

Like the other guy said, they talk to absolutely everyone to make sure you're not an enemy of the state (I never heard of mailers, though).  A buddy of mine had to get top level clearance as a navy pilot and they talked to me for 2 hours.  They asked us both a lot of the same questions to make sure things were congruent.  His was completed in under a week.  I don't have any clue about medical stuff though, but I would assume so.

Answer 3

my son has special clearance in the military...you will not know when and who they are checking with. In his case they did not send out or call people, they did it in person...most of the time the people they were checking with didnt even know it....they will most often check with people that you did not give as references.. they will also check out your family members and friends....good luck

Answer 4

Mailers will not be sent; personal interviews will be performed instead. The agents will check your past addresses and neighbors--just like the other respondents have said.

It could take a few months, but in this age of Internet communications it may take less time.

When my security clearances were performed in 1960 and 1961 the process took months before my TS came in.

Answer 5

Depends on what level you need. They will visit where you lived and talk to your neighbors to make sure you weren't blowing up the hood with pipe bombs when you were 10.

For my brother they visited some places of employment and asked about him. Also one of his high school teachers whom amazingly is still alive and working at the same school. They just asked how he was and what kind of friends he had.

If you got no felonies and your parents didn't grow up overseas it should be fast.

Answer 6

Rest assured if you have any dirt on you, they will find it. If they have to go back to the womb.

Answer 7

they will go all the way back to your kindergarten teacher and next door neighbors

Answer 8

That would be a government job and the government is known for being ultra-anal-retentive in situations like that. If there is a stone to turn, they will turn it. If there is a closet, they will be looking for skeletons. They will look at anything and everything.