security clearance and dual nationality
Discussion
djones123 said:
Is it difficult for someone to get security clearance if he holds dual nationality? I have heard that you can be asked to relinquish your non-British nationality.
Not that difficult necessarily but it does depend on your circumstances. Yes I have dual nationality and hold a clearance above that of SC.Have held high level clearances for well in excess of a decade, almost two decades for SC.
djones123 said:
Also, wow long does SC clearance take to come through
How long is a piece of string? Again, it all depends on your circumstances and how busy the vetting agencies are. Probably not the answer you want but that's the way it is unfortunately! Dual nationality does not in itself prohibit security clearance, even at the the higher levels.
There are some specific security requirements around certain projects or sites which do prohibit dual nationals and some which prohibit those who are eligible for dual nationality (even if they do not hold it).
If you have a specific question I am happy to try and help via pm.
There are some specific security requirements around certain projects or sites which do prohibit dual nationals and some which prohibit those who are eligible for dual nationality (even if they do not hold it).
If you have a specific question I am happy to try and help via pm.
This probably won't be about security clearance, but rather ITAR - the US International Traffic in Arms Regulations.
Like a great many things USA related, its tentacles reach out far beyond American shores. If your company does defence things for the US government, chances are you'll come under ITAR.
The whole thing is fiendishly complicated - I once went for a job administering ITAR for a defence company and after reading the regulations decided it would be terrible. Have a read of this:
https://www.gov.uk/exporting-military-goods-to-the...
It makes my head hurt.
Like a great many things USA related, its tentacles reach out far beyond American shores. If your company does defence things for the US government, chances are you'll come under ITAR.
The whole thing is fiendishly complicated - I once went for a job administering ITAR for a defence company and after reading the regulations decided it would be terrible. Have a read of this:
https://www.gov.uk/exporting-military-goods-to-the...
It makes my head hurt.
I used to work with a French national who had SC, currently working with a Bulgarian.
As stated ITAR clearance is the main problem, they don't even like UK/US dual nationality.
Time wise it depends on the backlog and complexity, can be a month for UK nationals, dual & foreign can take a while longer with 6 months or longer not being unknown in my experience.
As stated ITAR clearance is the main problem, they don't even like UK/US dual nationality.
Time wise it depends on the backlog and complexity, can be a month for UK nationals, dual & foreign can take a while longer with 6 months or longer not being unknown in my experience.
I know of a least 3 people I've worked with who have dual nationality and are SC cleared, one Irish, one Iranian and one Romanian, infact I think the Romanian was DV cleared, and the Iranian guy came her illegally in the 80s and got nationality through some convoluted leave to remanin through a marriage that eventually led to him being naturalised and getting a passport, or some such process, he did however have the spooks round his gaff interviewing him and going through his kids computers etc... for a whole day.
Like the poster above say being ITAR clear is another kettle of fish.
Like the poster above say being ITAR clear is another kettle of fish.
I don't have duel nationality but I do/did live abroad, have property overseas (None EU), and married to a foreign citizen, again none EU. all my kids have duel nationality.
Not insurmountable problems but took a few months and had to have interviews, and find a lot of records on bank accounts.
The biggest problem I had was that my Dad's birth year was incorrectly recorded at Somerset house and was different from that on his birth certificate. The interview told me the birth certificate was illegal, so I give him my Dad's death certificate and said we would be happy to attend court if he could arrange. That was the ice breaker and he was very helpful after that, at the start of the interview he was very cold about my residence problems.
Not insurmountable problems but took a few months and had to have interviews, and find a lot of records on bank accounts.
The biggest problem I had was that my Dad's birth year was incorrectly recorded at Somerset house and was different from that on his birth certificate. The interview told me the birth certificate was illegal, so I give him my Dad's death certificate and said we would be happy to attend court if he could arrange. That was the ice breaker and he was very helpful after that, at the start of the interview he was very cold about my residence problems.
FredClogs said:
I know of a least 3 people I've worked with who have dual nationality and are SC cleared, one Irish, one Iranian and one Romanian, infact I think the Romanian was DV cleared, and the Iranian guy came her illegally in the 80s and got nationality through some convoluted leave to remanin through a marriage that eventually led to him being naturalised and getting a passport, or some such process, he did however have the spooks round his gaff interviewing him and going through his kids computers etc... for a whole day.
Like the poster above say being ITAR clear is another kettle of fish.
This is scary man...going through personal stuff. Like the poster above say being ITAR clear is another kettle of fish.
sdyson31 said:
FredClogs said:
I know of a least 3 people I've worked with who have dual nationality and are SC cleared, one Irish, one Iranian and one Romanian, infact I think the Romanian was DV cleared, and the Iranian guy came her illegally in the 80s and got nationality through some convoluted leave to remanin through a marriage that eventually led to him being naturalised and getting a passport, or some such process, he did however have the spooks round his gaff interviewing him and going through his kids computers etc... for a whole day.
Like the poster above say being ITAR clear is another kettle of fish.
This is scary man...going through personal stuff. Like the poster above say being ITAR clear is another kettle of fish.
rhinochopig said:
It's standard DV clearance practice. It is to establish whether you have any 'things' - affairs, debts, peccadilloes, etc. - in your life and history that can be used by a third party to apply influence. Some of the interviewers do get a bit carried away with the cloke and dagger side of things though. It really isn't scary.
do they interview everyone for SC?sdyson31 said:
rhinochopig said:
It's standard DV clearance practice. It is to establish whether you have any 'things' - affairs, debts, peccadilloes, etc. - in your life and history that can be used by a third party to apply influence. Some of the interviewers do get a bit carried away with the cloke and dagger side of things though. It really isn't scary.
do they interview everyone for SC?sdyson31 said:
rhinochopig said:
It's standard DV clearance practice. It is to establish whether you have any 'things' - affairs, debts, peccadilloes, etc. - in your life and history that can be used by a third party to apply influence. Some of the interviewers do get a bit carried away with the cloke and dagger side of things though. It really isn't scary.
do they interview everyone for SC?It's worth knowing that an SC clearance can give you access to some pretty secret information, sometimes in my line of work that can seem pretty abstract because the information is low level technical data that I take for granted but in the wrong hands it could be very useful.
It's also worth noting that every UK passport holder is automatically beholden to the official secrets act, whether they're aware of it or not.
FredClogs said:
sdyson31 said:
rhinochopig said:
It's standard DV clearance practice. It is to establish whether you have any 'things' - affairs, debts, peccadilloes, etc. - in your life and history that can be used by a third party to apply influence. Some of the interviewers do get a bit carried away with the cloke and dagger side of things though. It really isn't scary.
do they interview everyone for SC?It's worth knowing that an SC clearance can give you access to some pretty secret information, sometimes in my line of work that can seem pretty abstract because the information is low level technical data that I take for granted but in the wrong hands it could be very useful.
It's also worth noting that every UK passport holder is automatically beholden to the official secrets act, whether they're aware of it or not.
Does that sit above or below 'Victoria's Secret'?
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