Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing

Frequently Asked Questions... about e-QIP

1. Can I access e-QIP with my personal computer at home? If so, do I need a special internet browser?

2. What is the process for completing my SF-86 using e-QIP?

3. Do I have to change my golden questions?

4. I cannot login to e-QIP. What should I do?

5. When I try to login, e-QIP displays golden questions that I have never created, or that I don’t know the answer to. What should I do?

6. I have just logged in and haven’t entered any data. I don’t know where to start from the Main

Menu. What do I do?

7. What does the Submit button do?

8. What does the Reset button do?

9. Do I have to go through the form question by question, in numerical order?

10. Is there a way to tell which questions I have finished?

11. Where do I get help for completing a specific question?

12. What’s the difference between an Error and a Warning when I validate my data?

13. If I have a lot of data and a number of errors for a question, how do I know which data the

error message addresses?

14. When should I validate my data?

15. Can I certify my form with errors?

16. Should I do anything before I certify my data?

17. I validated my data, had some errors, added more data to correct the errors, but I still see the

error messages. What’s the problem?

18. My birth country is not in the list of countries. What do I do?

19. Display Your Data doesn’t print. What’s wrong?

20. I have completed this form in the past. Why doesn’t this system have that data?

21. I’ve only entered a little data, but I have to go to a meeting. What should I do?

22. What happens after I certify my form?

23. I don’t have a suffix on my name. What do I do?

24. I don’t have a first or middle name. What do I do?

25. I’m not sure of a date. What do I do?

26. I have a validation error that says that a date has to be after another date. What does this mean?

27. I am 6 feet tall. I entered 6 feet, but I got an error message telling me to enter inches. What do I do?

28. I have a comment for a question between 1 and 6. Where do I enter it?

29. I’ve entered as much information as I think I can for questions 9 and 11, but I still get errors.
Why?
30. On question 9, I get an error message about needing a record with “Present”. What does this
mean?
31. What’s the difference between DNK and NA for a field?

32. I have to enter a foreign address. What do I do for zip code?

33. I hit the Back button and something strange happened. What’s wrong?

34. I have more than 3 degrees to enter in question 10. What do I do?

35. Can I see if I am qualified for a security clearance even if I am not a Federal employee?

1. Can I access e-QIP with my personal computer at home? If so, do I need a special internet browser?
Yes, you can use your personal computer - at home or at the office! e-QIP is designed to be accessible from any computer, anywhere in the world. The only requirement is that you use an internet browser capable of 128-bit encryption. Here are the browsers and versions you can use: (please note any special settings that must be enabled)

If using Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE), you must have version 5.5 or later, with Service Pack 2.Internet Options for IE should be set as follows:

• Enable JavaScript
• Enable Cookies
• Enable TLS 1.0
• Enable Scripting

If using Mozilla, you must have version 1.0 or newer.Although security settings may already be defaulted to the proper values, you should verify by doing the following in this order:

• Select “Edit”
• Select “Preferences”
• Select “Privacy and Security”
• Select “SSL”
• Under SSL Protocol Versions, enable “SSL Version 2,” “SSL Version 3,” and “TLS”

Mozilla users, must also verify that they are enabled to use cookies.To do so, go to your browser’s toolbar and verify in the following order:

• Select “Edit”
• Select “Preferences”
• Select “Privacy and Security”
• Select “Cookies”
• Ensure that either “Enable cookies for the originating website only” or “Enable all cookies” is checked.e-QIP uses one session cookie.

e-QIP is also compatible with Netscape Navigator, 6.1 and newer.

If using JAWS screen-reading software, please note that JAWS requires the use of Internet Explorer, version 5.5 or newer.

Both Applicant and Agency users must use these settings on their browsers to properly operate e-QIP.

2. What is the process for completing my SF-86 using e-QIP?
Once you have been notified that you have access, login using your social security number
and the answers to the golden questions provided by your agency. After initially logging in,
change your golden questions to ensure the security of your data. After successfully logging
in and changing your golden questions, e-QIP presents you with the Main Menu. Select Enter
Your Data from the Main Menu. The first time you access this option, you will be presented
a screen instructing you to read two documents. You should read and understand these
documents, check the checkboxes and submit. Subsequently you can enter your personal data.
To check the completeness of your data, validate your data by selecting Validate from the
Main Menu. Provide any additional data required. When you are satisfied that your form is
complete, select Display Your Data from the Main Menu. Print your form on paper and sign
each form that has a blank for your signature. Select Certify/Submit Form from the Main
Menu. Follow the instructions and Submit.

3. Do I have to change my golden questions?
To protect your personal data, you should change your golden questions/answers.

4. I cannot login to e-QIP. What should I do?
Contact the e-QIP representative for your agency.

5. When I try to login, e-QIP displays golden questions that I have never created, or that I don’t
know the answer to. What should I do?
Contact the e-QIP representative for your agency.

6. I have just logged in and haven’t entered any data. I don’t know where to start from the Main
Menu. What do I do?
Click Enter Your Data to begin entering your personal data.

7. What does the Submit button do?
The Submit button saves the data you have entered for an individual question or for the
section of the question on the current screen.

8. What does the Reset button do?
The Reset button clears (removes) any data just entered for the current question if that data
has not been saved (submitted).

9. Do I have to go through the form question by question, in numerical order?
No. You may open the question number list by clicking on the View Questions Navigation
List at the top of the screen. This opens the list of questions from which you can select the
desired question.

10. Is there a way to tell which questions I have finished?
No. Initially, the system displays an asterisk beside each question number in the Questions
Navigation List at the top of the screen. After you have entered any data for a question and
clicked the Submit button to save it, the system removes the asterisk from that question
number at the top of the screen. This does not mean that you are finished with that question;
it does mean that you have saved some data for the question. Select Validate Your Data to
ensure that your data meets certain guidelines. But only you know if you have answered each
question completely and accurately to the best of your ability.

11. Where do I get help for completing a specific question?
Click the Help word at the top of the screen for that question.

12. What’s the difference between an Error and a Warning when I validate my data?
A Warning alerts you to a potential problem with your data. An Error must be corrected prior
to certifying your completed form.

13. If I have a lot of data and a number of errors for a question, how do I know which data the
error message addresses?
If the error/warning message starts with “Item #” and a number, this means that it applies to
the detailed record labeled with that number on the summary (initial) screen for the question.
If there’s no number, the message applies in general to the overall question.

14. When should I validate my data?
You can validate your data at any time while you are entering/editing data. You should
validate your data a few times during data entry so that you will be prompted to enter the
necessary data.

15. Can I certify my form with errors?
Currently you can, by checking “Yes” to both questions on the Certify screen. This may not
be the case in the future. When you certify the form, e-QIP will return a message informing
you of the number of errors that should be fixed prior to proceeding.

16. Should I do anything before I certify my data?
After you have validated your data and are sure that your answers are complete and accurate,
print a copy of your data, sign the forms in the blanks provided. Then select Certify/Submit
Your Data from the Main Menu, answer the questions “Yes” and click the Submit button.
After this, you will not be able to edit your personal data.

17. I validated my data, had some errors, added more data to correct the errors, but I still see the
error messages. What’s the problem?
Currently the validation routine is run when you select that option from the Main Menu.
Error messages are not updated until you run the validation routine again.

18. My birth country is not in the list of countries. What do I do?
Contact the e-QIP representative for your agency.

19. Display Your Data doesn’t print. What’s wrong?
Display Your Data is designed to display your data on the screen so that you can print it if
you desire. Use your browser’s print function to print your forms on the desired printer.

20. I have completed this form in the past. Why doesn’t this system have that data?
In the future e-QIP will be able to retrieve the data you are entering now. Earlier data has not
been loaded into this system.

21. I’ve only entered a little data, but I have to go to a meeting. What should I do?
Click the Submit button to save the data for the question. Then click the exit e-QIP button to
exit the system.

22. What happens after I certify my form?
Your data will be reviewed by the governing agency. Consequently, you will no longer have
access to your data. In the event that a reviewer rejects one of your answers, you will be reauthorized
to access your data for modification. After modifying your data, you must
validate, print, sign, and certify your data again.

23. I don’t have a suffix on my name. What do I do?
Leave the suffix field blank.

24. I don’t have a first or middle name. What do I do?
Check the NFN (no first name) or NMN (no middle name) box.

25. I’m not sure of a date. What do I do?
Estimate the date (month and year) to the best of your ability and check the EST. checkbox,
indicating that this is an estimated date.

26. I have a validation error that says that a date has to be after another date. What does this
mean?
Many questions involving dates are validated against the birth date entered in question 2.
Most date fields pertaining to the applicant (not relatives) must be after the applicant’s birth
date.

27. I am 6 feet tall. I entered 6 feet, but I got an error message telling me to enter inches. What
do I do?
Select 0 (zero) for inches and submit.

28. I have a comment for a question between 1 and 6. Where do I enter it?
If you have a comment to enter regarding questions 1 through 6, except 5, enter it in the
comment field for question 7. Question 5 (Other Names) allows a comment to be added for
each Other Name entered.

29. I’ve entered as much information as I think I can for questions 9 and 11, but I still get errors.
Why?
Perhaps it is because you have gaps between your dates. Validation for these two questions is
based on data entered and any time lapse between the end date of one record and the start
date of the next record. Please provide as complete a set of data as possible.

30. On question 9, I get an error message about needing a record with “Present”. What does this
mean?
Question 9 requires one record to have an end date for which you have checked the Present
box, indicating your current residence.

31. What’s the difference between DNK and NA for a field?
DNK indicates that you do not know that information. NA (not applicable) indicates that the
information does not apply to your particular situation.

32. I have to enter a foreign address. What do I do for zip code?
If there is a postal code associated with the foreign address, enter it in the comment field.

33. I hit the Back button and something strange happened. What’s wrong?
As a general rule, do not use your browser’s Back button for navigation within the applicant
section of e-QIP. Use the question navigation buttons or the buttons at the bottom of the
screen instead.

34. I have more than 3 degrees to enter in question 10. What do I do?
Enter three, click Submit. The system will then display additional lines for you to add
additional degrees.

35. Can I see if I am qualified for a security clearance even if I am not a Federal employee?
No. It is not possible to "pre-apply" for a security clearance. Not all Federal employees/contractors have security clearances.
Individuals who are tentatively selected for government jobs (or as Federal contractors) will be investigated as appropriate. If access to National Security Information is required, you will need to complete a security questionnaire and an investigation will be conducted. If the investigation results are favorable, a security clearance will be granted if appropriate.