If you’re applying for a security clearance, you already know what’s at stake. Your clearance isn’t just paperwork — it’s your ticket to career opportunities, income, and credibility in the federal and defense world. Without it, contracts dry up, promotions disappear, and in many cases your paycheck stops.

The security clearance process, however, is complicated, intimidating, and unforgiving. Many applicants don’t know what to expect, when to take action, or how to respond if the government raises concerns. Others wait too long to get help and lose their clearance — and with it their livelihood.

At the National Security Law Firm, we’ve built a reputation as the go-to team for clearance defense. Our attorneys include former adjudicators, DOHA attorneys, and military JAGs who know the process inside and out. In this guide, we’ll walk you step by step through the entire security clearance process — from your first SF-86 application to an appeal of a denial.

Step 1: Determining Whether You Need a Clearance

A security clearance is required for positions involving access to classified information or certain sensitive government facilities. Clearances come in three main levels:

  • Confidential: lowest level, valid for 15 years.

  • Secret: mid-level, valid for 10 years.

  • Top Secret: highest level, valid for 5 years, often with SCI (Sensitive Compartmented Information) or SAP (Special Access Program) eligibility.

Your employer (agency or contractor) will sponsor your clearance application. You cannot apply for a clearance on your own.

Step 2: Completing the SF-86 (Application)

The process begins with the Standard Form 86 (SF-86) — a lengthy questionnaire about your background, finances, foreign contacts, and more. It is completed electronically through e-QIP.

What you’ll need to disclose:

  • Personal information (residences, jobs, education) for the past 10 years.

  • Criminal history.

  • Drug and alcohol use.

  • Financial history (debts, bankruptcies, tax issues).

  • Foreign travel, contacts, and dual citizenship.

  • Military or government service.

✅ Tip: Omissions or inaccuracies on the SF-86 are one of the top causes of clearance denials under Guideline E: Personal Conduct. Be thorough, honest, and consistent. If you’re unsure how to answer, consult a security clearance lawyer before submitting.

Step 3: The Background Investigation

Once your SF-86 is submitted, the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) or another agency conducts a background investigation. The depth of the investigation depends on the clearance level.

What happens during the investigation:

  • A credit check and review of financial records.

  • Criminal record check and fingerprinting.

  • Review of foreign contacts and travel.

  • Interviews with references (friends, supervisors, neighbors).

  • Review of education and employment history.

  • A subject interview with you (especially at Top Secret level).

Investigators are looking for any red flags under the 13 Adjudicative Guidelines, such as finances, drug use, foreign influence, or criminal conduct.

Step 4: The Adjudication Phase

When the investigation is complete, the report goes to an adjudicator — the official who decides whether to grant or deny clearance. They apply the “whole person concept,” weighing both concerns and mitigating factors.

Adjudicators ask:

  • Does this person’s history raise doubts about loyalty, reliability, or trustworthiness?

  • Are those concerns outweighed by mitigating factors (rehabilitation, candor, passage of time, positive evidence)?

If the adjudicator sees no significant concerns, your clearance is granted. If there are concerns, you’ll move into the denial or revocation process.

Step 5: If Concerns Are Raised — LOI and SOR

If the government is considering denial or revocation, you will receive:

  • Letter of Intent (LOI): notification that concerns exist.

  • Statement of Reasons (SOR): a detailed list of the specific issues.

These documents cite the adjudicative guidelines — for example, a foreign bank account under Guideline B (Foreign Influence) or delinquent debt under Guideline F (Financial Considerations).

👉 This is a critical turning point. You have the right to respond in writing and, if necessary, request a hearing. How you respond determines whether you save your clearance or lose it.

Step 6: Responding to an SOR

Your SOR response is your chance to tell your side of the story and present mitigation. The key is evidence, not excuses.

Examples of mitigation:

  • Proof of debt repayment or bankruptcy discharge.

  • Letters from doctors or counselors verifying rehabilitation.

  • Surrender of a foreign passport.

  • Character statements from supervisors.

  • Proof of candor and corrective action.

✅ Top 3 Evidence Items That Move the Needle:

  1. Documentation of action taken (payments, renunciations, treatments).

  2. Expert or professional letters (CPA, psychologist, employer).

  3. Clear explanation linking facts to mitigating factors.

This is where an experienced SOR response lawyer can make all the difference.

Step 7: The DOHA Hearing (If Needed)

If your written response doesn’t resolve the case, you can request a hearing before the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA).

At the hearing:

  • A government attorney will argue against your clearance.

  • You (and your lawyer) can present evidence, witnesses, and testimony.

  • An administrative judge will issue a written decision.

Hearings are adversarial. Without representation, applicants are often overwhelmed. With NSLF, you deploy an elite unit of clearance lawyers who cross-examine witnesses, challenge weak government evidence, and present a persuasive case for your reliability.

Step 8: Appeals

If the judge denies your clearance, you may appeal to the DOHA Appeal Board or relevant agency review board. Appeals focus on whether the judge’s decision was legally sound and supported by evidence.

While appeals are uphill battles, strong legal arguments and procedural challenges can sometimes reverse denials.

The Stakes Couldn’t Be Higher

Every day without clearance means lost opportunities and lost income — often $10,000–$20,000 per month. Once revoked, getting clearance back is extremely difficult. Don’t wait until it’s too late.

NSLF’s Security Clearance Defense Package

When you hire NSLF, you get:

  • ✅ Free Consultation ($500 value) — no charge, no pressure

  • ✅ Government Insiders — former adjudicators, prosecutors, JAGs

  • ✅ Attorney Review Board Guarantee — multiple attorneys pressure-test your case

  • ✅ Flat-Fee Pricing, No Surprises

  • ✅ Flexible Legal Financing through Pay Later by Affirm

  • ✅ Access to our Security Clearance Resource Hub

Transparent Pricing

  • SF-86 Review: $950

  • LOI Response: $3,500

  • SOR Response: $5,000 (includes $3,000 credit if you previously hired us for the LOI)

  • Hearing Representation (includes travel): $7,500

Compare that to the $10,000–$20,000 per month in lost income if your clearance is denied.

Why Choose National Security Law Firm?

Additional Resources

Explore our Security Clearance Resource Hub for in-depth guides on:

Book a Free Consultation — Take Back Control

Don’t navigate this process alone. The sooner you act, the stronger your case.

👉 Book your free consultation today. It’s quick, easy, and confidential.

The National Security Law Firm: It’s Our Turn to Fight for You.