Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing
QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE FOR THE APPLICANT
Please note: If you are selected for a position requiring access
to classified information, you will be given instructions from the security
official at your employer and authorized to access e-QIP. You cannot
pre-apply for a security clearance.
System Overview
Welcome to e-QIP, the Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations
Processing system. e-QIP is part of an e-government initiative sponsored
by the Office of Personnel Management. e-QIP allows applicants to electronically
enter, update, and transmit their personal investigative data over a
secure Internet connection to their employing agency for review and
approval.
Web Browser Requirements
When deployed, e-QIP will be compatible with Microsoft’s Internet Explorer,
Netscape, and Mozilla.The following specific versions will be compatible:(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(e-QIP uses one session cookie only.)
- 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"(e-QIP uses one session cookie only.)
- Ensure that either "Enable cookies for the originating website only"
or "Enable all cookies" is checked.(e-QIP uses one session cookie
only.)
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.
e-QIP Main Menu Options for an Applicant
- Enter Your Data
- Display Your Data
- Validate Your Data
- List Expected Attachments
- Certify/Submit Form
- Edit Supplemental Data
Getting Started
-
Turn on your computer and allow Windows
to load.
-
Install Internet Explorer (IE) 5.5
SP 2 or later.
-
Start Internet Explorer and enter
the following URL: https://e-qip.opm.gov/eqip/eQIP
-
A Security Alert box will appear,
ending with “Do you want to proceed?” Click the “Yes”
button with the mouse, or type <CTRL Y> to continue.
-
The e-QIP Welcome Screen will appear.
Enter your Social Security Number in the text entry box, and click
the "Submit" button to logon to the e-QIP
site.
-
Be sure to enter three (3) Golden
Questions and Golden Answers according to the instructions provided
in the Help File on the Golden Question Screen.
-
Complete the SF-86 questions and save
as instructed.
-
Remember to Validate your data prior
to submission to OPM.
-
Be sure to Certify/Submit your form
when form is complete and all data has been successfully validated.
Choosing Your Golden Questions/Answers
It is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to provide Golden Questions to uniquely
identify you.
Golden Questions help the e-QIP system verify your identity.
By creating a combination of Golden Questions that ONLY YOU can possibly
know all of the correct answers to, you are assured that no one (including
parents, spouses, and close friends) can impersonate you on the e-QIP
system. Please carefully consider who else may possibly know the answer
to each possible Golden Question you enter. We suggest creating questions
concerning different time periods in your life. PLEASE REMEMBER
THAT IT MAY BE 4 OR 5 YEARS BEFORE YOU RETURN TO THE e-QIP SYSTEM!
Make sure you create questions you can still answer in the distant
future.
Entering Your Golden Questions/Answers
After you have selected your set of Golden Questions/Answers, enter
each Question under a "Question" header and
enter the corresponding Answer under the "Answer"
header directly under that question. You must provide a non-blank
answer for each question you provide, and vice versa. You must provide
three Golden Questions.
It is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to protect the answers to your Golden
Questions.
Golden Answers are your password to the e-QIP system. The text entry
fields for Golden Answers are NOT password protected, to allow more
accurate entry of your answers. Asterisks automatically mask Golden
Answers, but if you choose, you can view your answers by clicking the
“Allow me to see my Golden Answers” checkbox. Do not
allow someone to see your computer screen while your answers are on
the screen. If someone acquires your answers, they will be able to logon
to the e-QIP system under your identity, allowing them to see and change
your personal data.
Entering Your Data
NOTE: Click “Help” from any screen for specific
guidance on functions for that screen.
First Time Data Entry: Before you begin entering data
for the first time, read each instructions document listed on the Read
Instructions screen. Indicate that you have read and understand each
document by checking the corresponding checkbox. When finished, click
the SUBMIT button to continue. You must read each document and
indicate that you have done so before you may continue.
Question Navigation: From any question screen, you
may click the View Questions Navigation List hyperlink to go
to any desired question. In the Navigation List, an asterisk denotes
all questions that do not have an answer entered. When you enter data
for a question and click SUBMIT, the asterisk is no longer
displayed.
Errors and Warnings: After clicking SUBMIT,
if the system displays the same screen with "Validation
Results" listed at the top, you must satisfy validation
criteria (i.e., there was a problem with your submission that needs
to be addressed).
For validation "Error" messages, you may
correct your data by scrolling to the appropriate field and editing.
After making corrections, click the SUBMIT button at the bottom
of this page to save your changes.
For validation "Warning" messages, you may
either provide the requested information or click the EXPLAIN
button next to the message to explain why the information cannot be
supplied. Upon clicking the EXPLAIN button you may provide
an explanation in the text field or check the box labeled "I
do not know the requested information". After choosing an
action, click the SUBMIT button to save your changes.
For validation
"Error"
and
"Warning" messages, you may also
choose to click the
CONTINUE button. If you click the
CONTINUE
button, you may advance to the next question screen and correct
the information at a later time prior to the final submission of your
form.
To delete an entry, click on the DELETE button.
If you decide to not make any changes, click on the CANCEL
button.
If you make a mistake and want to start over on a given screen, click
on the RESET THIS SCREEN button at any time prior to clicking
the SUBMIT button.
When you are finished and ready to proceed, click on the SUBMIT
button.Upon clicking the SUBMIT button, your information will
be saved.
Displaying Your Data
When you are ready to display and/or print SF-86 information that
has been entered into e-QIP, select “Main Menu”
from any question screen. Displaying and/or printing can only be accomplished
from the Main Menu.
Select “Display Your Data” from the Main
Menu.A new browser window will then appear which will display on the
screen all the data that has been entered up to that point. If desired,
one can print the displayed data by first selecting “File,”
then “Print” from the new browser
window.
Validating Your Data
When you are satisfied that all SF-86 answers are complete and accurate,
return to the Main Menu to select “Validate Your Data.”
The validation results show errors that
need to be corrected. Read the validation results and the associated
errors. Close the window. To correct your answers, select
“Enter
Your Data” from the Main Menu then select the desired question
from the View Questions Navigation List.
To return to this screen after editing your data, click on
"Main Menu" and then click "Validate
Your Data".
Listing Expected Attachments
If desired, you may attach additional explanatory information to
your SF-86 form. You may attach resumes, photographs, maps, or any
other type of information that you believe would assist the Reviewers
and Approvers of the SF-86 form.
Select List Expected Attachments from the Main Menu,
and the system will display the Edit Attachments List screen.
This screen allows you to create, delete and edit attachments that
you will send with your request. It is the applicant's responsibility
to write his or her social security number and request ID on each
page that is attached. The request ID is displayed on the Main Menu.
Certifying Your Data
When you have completed all the questions on the SF-86 and are ready
to submit, click the Certify/Submit Form hyperlink from
the Main Menu and follow the instructions.
Ensure that you have completely entered your data, validated your
data for errors, and reviewed your data for correctness. Follow the
instructions on the Certify screen.
Certify that the answers you provided on the Questionnaire are correct
and accurate. After certification, your answers to the Questionnaire
will be locked and unavailable for editing. You must print an official
copy of your data and release forms only after you complete certification.
Answer the questions on the Certify screen by clicking
in the checkbox to the right of the question to continue the submission
process. Understand that once you answer the questions with 'Yes'
and click the SUBMIT button, you will no longer be able to
change the data on your Questionnaire. As part of certification, e-QIP
must revalidate your entire Questionnaire. This process takes a moment,
so please click the SUBMIT button only once.
After certification, the system will return to the Main Menu, where
you must select “Release Request to Agency.”
On that screen, you must click the RELEASE TO AGENCY button.
A popup window will ask you “Are you absolutely sure you want
to release your request to the Agency?” Finally, you must
click the OK button to complete your submission.
After you have successfully certified
your form, you cannot change your data. If you wish to abort this screen,
click the
CANCEL button.
If you wish to exit the e-QIP system WITHOUT saving your data,
click on the Exit e-QIP button. Upon clicking this button, you will
be prompted to confirm your intentions. Click on the OK button
in the pop-up box if you wish to exit. Otherwise, click on CANCEL
button.
Editing Supplemental Data
Select the Edit Supplemental Data hyperlink under Options
on the Main Menu.
On the Supplemental Info screen, verify that the demographic
information is correct. If your name, date of birth, or place of birth
is incorrect, contact the agency that initiated your request. You
may also optionally provide your e-mail address, which will only be
used to contact you regarding the request.
You may also optionally provide your e-mail address, which will be
only used to contact you regarding the request.
QUESTIONS? Contact the agency that gave you access
to e-QIP or send an e-mail to: e-QIP@opm.gov
