My fiancee works for a US intelligence agency.  Yes, I know about it, and I have spoken with someone at the agency.

They have asked me to take a polygraph prior to our marriage.  I am told this is standard procedure.  Of course, I do not have to take it, but if I don't and he marries me anyway, I understand that he could lose his job or access to certain assignments.

I really would prefer not to.  I am due to take a professional license exam this year.  Can what they ask/my answers be held against me in other circumstances?  I am nervous because I was told that I cannot have a lawyer present.  BTW, I have nothing to hide; nothing I am specifically worried about, but I am nervous about what might happen once I am in there with their interrogators.

Any advice?  What are they looking for?  Instances of pillow talk where he told me state secrets?  I have asked him but I would like some other opinions.  

Also, anyone else had to do this or heard of this being done?  Is this standard procedure or do you think they are after soemthing specific?

Thanks.

Sarella,

You ask:

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Yes. Say, for example, you eventually apply for a job that requires a security clearance. In that context, the results of your CIA polygraph and any admissions you made, and/or the polygraph interrogator's (not necessarily accurate) characterization of anything you told him/her, may come up.

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Yes. Educate yourself. You'll find a thorough debunking of polygraphy in our free book, The Lie Behind the Lie Detector, which you can download as a PDF file here:

https://antipolygraph.org/lie-behind-the-lie-detector.pdf

It will forewarn you about the trickery that will be employed against you as part of the polygraph process.

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I think that their key concern will be that you are not an agent of a foreign intelligence service. You can expect to be asked about any close and continuing relationships with anyone from another country, and any foreign travel or interests you may have. You may also be asked about the kinds of things your fiancé has discussed with you.

Some CIA applicants/employees get interrogated about their sex lives. I think it is less common for fiancés/spouses to be asked such questions, but see Daniel Jeffrys' article "Would I Lie to You?" about some of the questions that the CIA's female employees have been asked:

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/would-i-lie-to-you-1354469.html

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Yes, I've heard of this being done before, and the practice is mentioned in Daniel Jeffrys' article. I would not assume that you've been singled out for special scrutiny. But polygraph "testing" is a degrading process and an insult to your intelligence. If I were in your shoes, I would refuse the polygraph.