Great forum. I'm currently awaiting the results for my clearance with an intel agency. I know it would be a big hassle to travel overseas after I get my clearance and start work. I was wondering if it would affect my employment offer or the granting of my clearance if I were to go overseas for a few weeks to visit friends and family and to travel.
-The investigator finished his investigation 3 weeks ago. He said it 'should be ok' but didnt sound to sure.
-I called the security office of the agency I want to work at. They took my name and the dates I will be gone and said it 'should be ok' and I should 'do what I have to do' since my clearance had not gone to adjudication yet and I wasent 'theirs' yet. (yikes!) But again he didnt sound like he was 100% sure.
My question is, would it jepordize my clearance and employment offer if I were to leave? I will be gone for 3 weeks in april. I hear that clearances take 6 months or more and considering the investigator just finished his investigation a few weeks I ago I figure I should be ok and not miss any kind of call to come in for a drug test or a polygrapgh or even a start date.
No one seems to know! Please help!
I had a similar problem. I told both agencies where I would be going and what I would be doing. Both said "no problem." I'm back and have started work.
Unless you have a TS/SCI - you do not have prenotification requirements. However, I would as a courtesy tell people where you're off to..
Regarding overseas travel, an advisor in my university career center who specializes in government-related careers told me: "If you travel while a background check is in process, the background check pauses. It delays the process, so if you are anxious to start working I would encourage you not to travel. If you have more flexibility - feel free to travel. The most important thing is to keep your contact in the loop about your plans and touch base with them again as soon as you return."
I'm not sure how reliable her information sources are, so take this at face value.
I would advise against foreign travel. Agency will have to re-investigate foreign travel if new foreign contacts surface. Also...depending on country visited the agency might re-polygraph. Agency will always allow you do to what you need to, however, any foreign travel almost guarantee's a longer clearance process.
Quote from: opp on Jan 22, 2006, 03:39 PMIf I travel on vacation to a foreign country, would I have to take a polygraph upon my return? My case is now in the CIA adjudication and I am feeling OK about my chances but I was also planning to go overseas on vacation for a few days with my family after I get hired. Is this usually a problem, would it raise a red flag if I travel every other year?
Opp
If still in the adjudication process (read: no TS/SCI granted yet), then you have nothing to worry about as long as you notify them in advance of the trip and provided a list of any foriegn nationals with whom you anticipate maintaining contact with after the trip if given to them. You would not have to retake the poly. I would not, under any circumstances, withhold this information from them, regardless of how innocuous the trip may seem.
One caveat: if the trip were to be to an unfriendly or somewhat unfriendly country, it might raise some eyebrows. In other words, I wouldn't plan on spending the summer touring Persepolis in Shiraz, Iran.