Security Clearance...lead time?

[Barriebazg]

My original SC, when I joined the forces, (back in '97), took about 16 weeks. I have not let it lapse so not sure what the timescale would be now. I know it took 2 days to swap over the handling of my SC though.

[swamp]

Does anyone have any recent experience of how long it's taking to get security clearance?

Mine has been in for 6 weeks and I've started my contract on some unclassified stuff for now. I have heard worrying rumours of 16 weeks, from two different sources.

Also should I expect it to be any quicker if I have been fully cleared before and circumstances haven't changed since then?

Hoping for some reassurance but give it to me straight!

My SC took six months to come back.

Left the site a week later....

[malvolio]

If we could, we would and charge to our companies, but you can't.

Otherwise everyone would have it and it would be worthless.

If we could I wouldn't be sat on the bench watching programmes 20 minutes from home that I helped set up go to ratchet because I can't get a job with them to sort it out because my clearance lapsed and none of the agencies will put you forward without it
(and ignore the "willing to undergo" nonsense, they're lying).

[ContractIn]

Not as much fun.
If we were doing the easy and sensible thing you would have googled up the DVA web site, or done a search on these forums and found the answer before asking a stupid ******* question!

You've got far too much time on your hands...

[The Lone Gunman]

If we could, we would and charge to our companies, but you can't.

Otherwise everyone would have it and it would be worthless.

spoilsport.

[mictech]

Does anyone know whether you can apply for your own security clearance in preperation for potential roles, or does it have to be initiated by an employer/government dept?

If we could, we would and charge to our companies, but you can't.

Otherwise everyone would have it and it would be worthless.

[The Lone Gunman]

Surely it would be easier to reply than responding with nonsense?

Not as much fun.
If we were doing the easy and sensible thing you would have googled up the DVA web site, or done a search on these forums and found the answer before asking a stupid ******* question!

[ContractIn]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrggggggggggggggh

Surely it would be easier to reply than responding with nonsense?

[The Lone Gunman]

Does anyone know whether you can apply for your own security clearance in preperation for potential roles, or does it have to be initiated by an employer/government dept?

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrggggggggggggggh

[ContractIn]

Does anyone know whether you can apply for your own security clearance in preperation for potential roles, or does it have to be initiated by an employer/government dept?

[CJay]

My ten year renewal was up last year but i wasnt advised...... So it ran out while Ii was in a permy position...... Wasnt until i got an offer for another job and they tried to transfer clearance i found out I didnt have it !!.....

Took ten weeks to go throguh the system.. And I had to sit there waiting, knowing i had a new job to go to....... Nightmare

[opc]

Cheers, 13 is better than 16 I guess......

[malvolio]

The DVA;s Service Level Agreement is 13 weeks... It used to take 6-7 weeks for SC, they got it down to around 4 now, thanks to NL's piss-poor performance in combatting terrorism, it's back out to 13 weeks.

Think positive - at least you got the gig. I can't get back in and I've held SC for most of the last 30 years.

[opc]

Does anyone have any recent experience of how long it's taking to get security clearance?

Mine has been in for 6 weeks and I've started my contract on some unclassified stuff for now. I have heard worrying rumours of 16 weeks, from two different sources.

Also should I expect it to be any quicker if I have been fully cleared before and circumstances haven't changed since then?

Hoping for some reassurance but give it to me straight!