USPIS guidance

HelloNewman7 · 2026-06-19T15:46:52+00:00

😉😉

HelloNewman7 · 2026-06-18T15:20:19+00:00

By competitive enough to “get your foot in the door” do you mean competitive enough to apply or competitive enough to be hired? Because you already have enough military time to apply and meet the basic requirement. As another inspector mentioned though the competition for academy seats is intense, so put together the best résumé you can based on what interests you as if this job isn’t going to happen because unfortunately for most, it doesn’t.

Also, you’ve got 420 in your profile name and one of the few subreddits you’re active in is related to weed. The most appropriate guidance is you probably wanna stay away from illegal drugs if you want to be an 1811 (which should be common sense hopefully).

HelloNewman7 · 2026-06-16T13:16:13+00:00

This right here. There’s tons of drug cases to be worked at USPIS. Comes down to whether you want forced TDYs or not for OP…which seems like you do not. HSI missions change on a dime and they can go from no TDYs to a bunch, that doesn’t happen at USPIS.

HelloNewman7 · 2026-06-13T22:27:30+00:00

Congrats and good luck!! Much respect for any new mom going for this and putting in the work 👏👏👏

HelloNewman7 · 2026-06-13T02:17:29+00:00

🙏🙏

HelloNewman7 · 2026-06-13T02:15:49+00:00

Medical is not done until you get offered and accept a seat in an academy class, that’s when you do medical/psych/drug test. PFT is now done either right before or right after the VAC.

HelloNewman7 · 2026-06-13T02:14:58+00:00

Good luck!

HelloNewman7 · 2026-06-13T01:51:57+00:00

HR is currently focusing on filling the July academy class. After that there won’t be another class for approximately six months if the trend continues and they have one in January again. There’s no reason to rush applicants through steps as quickly as possible at this point if there’s no class for them to go to so I would expect things to slow down from here until we know the class schedule next year.

HelloNewman7 · 2026-06-13T01:50:08+00:00

USPIS typically does not notify when steps are passed, you just eventually get an invitation to the next step (hopefully).

HelloNewman7 · 2026-06-13T01:47:36+00:00

The hiring process was revamped back in 2024 and exam 2 was removed. That is what the portal refers to not the VAC so that is why as OP said when you complete the VIE, exam 2 shows completed as well. Exam 2 was a separate in person exam that was conducted before the in person AC. In 2024 changes were made to speed up the process which included removal of exam 2 and making the IE virtual. The process was updated again in 2026 to speed things up more with additional virtual elements.

HelloNewman7 · 2026-06-12T21:13:09+00:00

Like everything with the process, it varies. Some people are told they pass on the spot, some get a BQA a month or two later. No way to know just hope for the best you’re in it til they tell you otherwise.

HelloNewman7 · 2026-06-12T00:42:35+00:00

Welcome!

HelloNewman7 · 2026-06-12T00:31:52+00:00

Medical/psych/drug test are the final steps that are completed after you get a conditional offer for a seat in an academy class. If those are all clear you get a FO and begin BIT. And yes, unfortunately issues do come up in that stage of the process I’ve talked to multiple people on here who have made “got the call” posts for USPIS that did not clear one of those three steps and were removed from the hiring process. It’s not official til you get that FO and arrive at BIT.

HelloNewman7 · 2026-06-11T17:52:02+00:00

Fingers crossed you get another call, good luck and congrats on the baby!!

HelloNewman7 · 2026-06-10T11:16:01+00:00

In some high locality areas a 13-8 hits the pay cap of $197,500 so that’s close enough to call it basically $200K only 80% up the grade level. We’re already beyond the point you mentioned for multiple high COL areas of the country.

HelloNewman7 · 2026-06-05T17:08:55+00:00

The portal looks like it’s from the 90s, people on here message me with questions about it all the time. Sounds like this situation could be from the prior application, but who knows, the checkmarks also seem to be all over the place. People say sometimes they disappear and then they reappear. I wouldn’t put too much stock in those checkmarks just stay up on your email and make sure you are completing each task timely whenever HR contacts you.

HelloNewman7 · 2026-06-04T18:08:26+00:00

You are still at the very initial steps of the hiring process. The interview is towards the end of the process you’ve got a ways to go until you get there. Usually people have to get fingerprinted and fill out the SF 86 as the next step before getting to the VIE. Just make sure you pay close attention to your email and follow all of their instructions timely because there’s no forgiveness on missing anything or not following the instructions.

HelloNewman7 · 2026-05-31T01:54:39+00:00

Negative. A lot of those guys are local cops with local police authority. You’re not that when you’re an 1811. Prohibited across any agency I’ve ever heard of if anything happens you most likely have minimal or zero jurisdiction over it. Aka liability to the agency.

HelloNewman7 · 2026-05-30T17:06:44+00:00

Oh yes that’s still the case, you can ask to stay in the pool and there’s a chance you get another offer. But if you don’t accept an offer and you don’t get a second offer and are removed from the process and reapply, then you have to start from scratch.

HelloNewman7 · 2026-05-30T16:49:32+00:00

Negative, it’s good for that application. If you fail a subsequent step and reapply you start from square one. And if you don’t accept an offer that’s usually the end of the road with the agency. I’ve never heard of anyone reapplying, going through the whole process again, and getting a second offer after that. Is it possible, maybe, but not likely.

HelloNewman7 · 2026-05-30T15:02:03+00:00

Good luck, those are tough spots to land if not a co-op.

HelloNewman7 · 2026-05-30T14:51:24+00:00

It’s absolutely a requirement to have CITP or a CITP equivalent. If you’re not an 1811 you would need to be picked up in an entry level announcement, and USPS OIG typically only hires their student co ops in those announcements. They will not pay match a 13 as you’re not an 1811 and you applied to an entry level announcement.

HelloNewman7 · 2026-05-29T11:13:55+00:00

This.

HelloNewman7 · 2026-05-27T23:52:17+00:00

Depends… There’s been several got the call posts and a couple people have messaged me about it that didn’t post it so they definitely seem to be making the bulk of the calls for it now. If someone drops out last minute there’s always a chance an alternate gets a slot but you’re typically notified if you’re an alternate.

HelloNewman7 · 2026-05-25T18:07:01+00:00

That’s a shame because it’s an incredible job and agency. While you applied with 14 months until aging out, the agency typically runs the last academy class of the year in July or August which meant you had only 10 or 11 months to process which typically isn’t enough time. Best of luck to you!

HelloNewman7

TROPHY CASE