What to prepare and bring to the Assessment Center (For Foreign Service Generalist and Specialist candidates)

  1. All invited candidates, bring to gain entrance to the Assessment Center:
    • Valid U.S. state or federal government-issued photo identification
  2. For Foreign Service Officer Generalist Candidates Only:
  3. For Pickering, Rangel, and Diplomatic Fellows Only: DS-1950 Application for Employment.

  4. All invited candidates, bring to show or submit if you pass the oral assessment (FSOA):

    • Valid U.S. passport or original U.S. birth certificate or certificate of naturalization
    • The Social Security numbers of your dependents (while it is not a requirement that you bring these to the FSOA, it will facilitate the hiring process)
    • If you are married, engaged, married but separated, or in a romantic relationship with a cohabitant who is a U.S. citizen, a DS-7601 Spousal Release (607kb, PDF), signed by your spouse, fiancé(e), estranged spouse, or cohabitant.
  5. All candidates, whether you have a security clearance or not, must prepare electronically and certify (but do not hit the submit button) the SF-86, Questionnaire for National Security Positions, on e-QIP. To do this:

    • Please wait at least one week after receiving this letter and until you are within 90 days of your FSOA, and then download and follow the e-QIP instructions (46kb, PDF).

    • Please note that the SF-86 will ask  for places you have lived and employment activity going back ten (10) years. E-QIP will automatically ask you for ten years' worth of information. Please use the continuation sheet if necessary.

    • If you have previously filled out an e-QIP application, the information should already be on file. Once you are re-initiated into the system, you should only need to update that information.
    It is very important that you DO bring an archival copy of the SF-86 Security Form you have prepared, along with unsigned release forms generated in the e-QIP application, to your FSOA.

  6. If you have a spouse, estranged spouse, co-habitant of a romantic nature, or a fiancé(e) who is not a U.S. citizen but who has a Social Security number:

    • E-mail FSOAQuestions@state.gov to initiate the necessary background investigation process for this person to complete an electronic version of the SF-85P Questionnaire for Public Trust (pdf, 500kb) and SF-85PS Supplemental Questionnaire for Selected Positions (pdf, 187kb).

      Please include "Initiate Security Clearance" in the subject line of your e-mail and your partner's full name, Social Security number, date and place (city and country) of birth in the body of the email, and your career track.

    • Bring the completed SF-85P (pdf, 500kb) and SF-85PS (pdf, 187kb), along with the associated signed release forms to the FSOA.

    • If you have a spouse, estranged spouse, co-habitant of a romantic nature, or a fiancé(e) who is not a U.S. citizen and who does not have a Social Security Number:

      1. You cannot use e-QIP. Print out the SF-85P (pdf, 500kb) and SF-85PS (pdf, 187kb) and have them completed in hard copy.

      2. Please bring to the oral assessment the printed, signed, SF-85P (pdf, 500kb) and SF-85PS (pdf, 187kb).

Keywords: assessment Foreign Service

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