The going is slow

A few weeks later and still no news. When I passed my Oral Assessment in May of this year, the folks at the State Department that did my exit interview said they would be surprised if I had my security clearance by the end of the year, so this is expected. It doesn’t make waiting

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Quick Update

It’s been a few weeks since I posted anything, and if there’s anyone out there that’s curious, there hasn’t been much movement. I am still in the security clearance process. I’m sure because my spouse was born and raised abroad (but as a US citizen in a friendly country), this gets more scrutiny. Considering half

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Almost there! The Suitability Review Panel

The finish line is in sight. If you have made it past the Medical and Security Clearance process (and every step before it), congratulations! You’re nearly there! The Suitability Review Panel is a group of individuals working for the State Department/Foreign Service, that reviews every candidates application/security package head to toe, and decide if you

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Security Clearance Purgatory

Search some popular internet forums like Reddit, and you will quickly realize that the Security Clearance process is one of the most vague and time consuming steps in the Foreign Service hiring process. You will read stories about folks with previous drug use, dual nationality, lived abroad for a decade, and have a Chinese born

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Foreign Service Medical Clearances

*Updated April 2024 to reflect the new medical clearance requirements. So you just passed the Oral Assessment and signed your conditional offer of employment. Congrats, you did it! You’re Hired!!! Oh wait….not so fast. Make no mistake, passing the Oral Assessment means you have cleared more hurdles than the vast majority of candidates that applied

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