Are polygraph exams always required?
A polygraph exam is mandatory for employment by the NSA and CIA, and for defense industry Top Secret SCI and SAP access programs. It is also used to resolve credible derogatory information. No action may be taken solely on the basis of a deceptive result, except by the direction of the Under Secretary of Defense, if the classified information is of such extreme sensitivity that access poses a risk to the national security. What is the difference between an interim and a full security clearance? Interim clearances are granted in exceptional circumstances where official functions must be performed before completion of the investigative and adjudicative processes. There is no difference between an interim and a full security clearance (as it relates to access to classified material). However, when such rare access is granted, the background investigation must be expedited. In a December, 2005 revision of the Adjudicative Guidelines for Determining Eligibility for Access to Classified Info
