Investigations FAQs

Adjudications officials at the agency requiring the investigation will evaluate your case and communicate their recommendation to the appropriate personnel or security office.

OPM's agents will leave OPM Form 1634 at the residence of contacts. Individuals can verify the status of an OPM investigator by contacting FIS Security and Safety Team at 888-795-5673 or fissst@opm.gov.

We talk to as many knowledgeable people as possible to get a balanced, accurate, and comprehensive picture of the person being investigated. Later, you may have an opportunity to refute any misleading or false information that was reported about you.

Not necessarily. Any negative information is evaluated regarding its recency, seriousness, relevance to the position and duties, and in light of, and in relationship to, all other information about you.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the Department of Defense, and a few other agencies share this responsibility. The FBI mostly conducts investigations on the following:  High level Presidential appointees, cabinet officers, agency heads and staff who may work at the White House directly for the President.

Yes. A search of the records of commercial credit reporting agencies is an integral part of almost all background investigations.

Agencies are responsible for ensuring that applicants selected for positions are suitable for Federal employment. While it is more practical and cost-effective to initiate a complete suitability investigation after an individual is selected and has accepted a job offer, agencies may choose to begin preliminary suitability determinations for all applicants at any time during the hiring process.

Yes. Background Investigators are required to identify, locate, and interview a sufficient number of people who know you well. We want a balanced and unbiased investigation. It would be a questionable investigative practice to only interview persons whom the individual being investigated identified for us.

The interests of national security require that all persons privileged to be employed in the departments and agencies of the government shall be reliable, trustworthy, of good conduct and character, and of complete and unswerving loyalty to the United States. This means that the appointment of each civilian employee in any department or agency of the government is subject to investigation. The scope of the investigation will vary, depending on the nature of the position and the degree of harm that an individual in that position could cause. The requirement to be investigated applies whether or not the position requires a security clearance (in order to have access to classified national security information).