DPS phone call

[Ruark]

OK.. after emailing and getting the standard "60 days" form reply, I thought I would play dumb and try a phone call to DPS. Mine has been in "Background check under review" status for 25 days now; everybody else is getting through it in 2 to 12 days. The lady said that the couple of PI convictions I had 40 years ago were almost certainly the cause. She said when an application comes in indicating a criminal record, no matter how old, it gets flagged and re-routed into another process. She said one person checks the background and finds out exactly what is there. Then another person examines the exact nature of the convictions and whether or not they disqualify the person from a CHL. Then another person looks over the whole file and gives the CHL final approval/disapproval. If that person approves it, then the application goes "back into the loop" and basically takes up where it left off. In this manner, the presence of any criminal record can delay the plastic by adding these extra steps to the process. People without criminal records get theirs faster because they zip straight through without the "detour."

So that's what they told me. (taps fingers on table, looks at ceiling, whistles...)

[speedsix]

...I'm glad it was only that instead of them interviewing all yer old girlfriends...THAT woulda had a negative effect...

[Itnkrman]

So really the phone call only reinforced what you already suspected. How's that old saying go..."If I knew then, what I know now....."

At least you know now why you're waiting the extra days and you've answer it for me as well. 34 days and counting....

[nguyen925]

OK.. after emailing and getting the standard "60 days" form reply, I thought I would play dumb and try a phone call to DPS. Mine has been in "Background check under review" status for 25 days now; everybody else is getting through it in 2 to 12 days. The lady said that the couple of PI convictions I had 40 years ago were almost certainly the cause. She said when an application comes in indicating a criminal record, no matter how old, it gets flagged and re-routed into another process. She said one person checks the background and finds out exactly what is there. Then another person examines the exact nature of the convictions and whether or not they disqualify the person from a CHL. Then another person looks over the whole file and gives the CHL final approval/disapproval. If that person approves it, then the application goes "back into the loop" and basically takes up where it left off. In this manner, the presence of any criminal record can delay the plastic by adding these extra steps to the process. People without criminal records get theirs faster because they zip straight through without the "detour."

So that's what they told me. (taps fingers on table, looks at ceiling, whistles...)

Ouch that hurts the waiting process. I don't understand why it still takes so long for each process though. I know most state department employees are over worked and under paid but dang people speed the process up. I'm sure things'll work out for you but it does suck that the DPS likes to enjoy taking forever

[knljr]

I had a couple from about 20 years ago - one was originally a felony that was dropped to a misdemeanor and I had a top secret clearance in the Navy which supposedly can bring problems.

I had mine in 5 weeks.

[Ruark]

Arrrgghhhhh.... now "Background check under review" for 30 days.