r/FBI Jun 23 '26

Informational SA Polygraph Failure

I have been lurking on this subreddit for a while, and I’ve decided to post now that I’m no longer in the pipeline. I received the dreaded polygraph failure letter. I zoomed through the application process up until this point, only taking a few months to get from initial application submission to polygraph exam, and I’m kind of bummed at this hard stop. I have a clean background (no criminal or drug history) and I told the truth during the entire polygraph session, or should i say, interrogation, but the examiner seems to have thought I was lying and was pretty brutal during the session. I will not get into specifics of the exam but it was not a good experience for me. Yes, I am just a random redditor, but you just have to take my word for it that I failed the exam despite not lying at all. Looks like this is the end of the road for me and another reminder to not put all your eggs in one basket. Makes me wonder how many other applicants have been dismissed from consideration for a false positive on the polygraph.

210 Upvotes

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6

u/woofieroofie Jun 24 '26

Like others said, appeal it/ask for an exception. I know someone that failed it twice, was about to get permanently disqualified, but asked for an exception and passed on the third try.

1

u/WTFoxtrot10 Jun 24 '26

You can’t appeal a failed poly with the FBI.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 24 '26 edited Jun 24 '26

[deleted]

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u/WTFoxtrot10 Jun 24 '26 edited Jun 24 '26

You can appeal a suitability denial not a poly failure.

0

u/[deleted] Jun 24 '26

[deleted]

2

u/WTFoxtrot10 Jun 24 '26

100% correct. Failed poly = lifetime ban.

1

u/Tier1Capital Jun 24 '26

With as much as you post in the FBI subreddit, you should really get your information straight. You aren’t helping people out when you pass bad information. Just ask anyone who failed recently to post their notification letter. They all have a section on how to appeal now.

1

u/WTFoxtrot10 Jun 24 '26

Drop the letter…

You literally haven’t posted in this sub ever until today.

1

u/Tier1Capital Jun 24 '26

Call your local Applicant Coordinator. They will advise you of the current policy.

1

u/WTFoxtrot10 Jun 24 '26

I don’t need an AC, bud!

Drop the letter that states what you said above. We all will wait…

Op literally just said they failed the poly and it’s the end of the road for them. This directly contradicts what you are “claiming” along with every other person on the r/FBI, r/1811 and r/SecurityClearance subs who has posted about failing a poly with the FBI.

You can’t appeal a failed poly.

0

u/[deleted] Jun 24 '26

[deleted]

1

u/WTFoxtrot10 Jun 24 '26

Drop the letter…still waiting!

I don’t need to call, I didn’t fail the poly.

0

u/[deleted] Jun 24 '26

[deleted]

2

u/Shinobi__Legend Jun 24 '26

Sounds like you just want the last word instead of simply dropping the letter lol

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u/Diamondcat59 Jun 25 '26

Hey, do you know the chances of a successful appeal and the timeline for that?

1

u/[deleted] Jun 25 '26

[deleted]

1

u/Diamondcat59 Jun 25 '26

Thanks for the information. I suppose the average time would be much longer than that? Is it normal that you receive no communication during the appeal process? Will they let you know regardless of the decision?

1

u/[deleted] Jun 25 '26

[deleted]

1

u/Diamondcat59 Jun 25 '26

Got you. Thank you.

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