US security clearances
 

I've been looking at positions in the aerospace engineering sector and some, if not most, of them require eligibility for US security clearance in the job description.

I'm a bit concerned about shifting my career in this direction only to find later that the tastiest projects are off limits because I am a dirty Scotsman.

Although I have lived here for nearly a decade I'm quite clearly a dyed-in-the-wool ex-pat wanker. There's no hiding it.

So, have any on here successfully applied for high-level security clearances in the US, and if so, what sacrifices did you have to make?


To maximise future career options I'd quite like to hang onto my UK passport and (fingers crossed) EU citizenship if I can.

I am about 10 months away from being able to nab a US passport so I have time to figure this out.

Re: US security clearances
 

My vague understanding is that the way security clearances are handled with respect to dual citizens differs from agency to agency and with level of clearance needed. Ultimately some require renouncing, others just surrendering the passport, others nothing.

Re: US security clearances
 

So that's the term for what I am...

I don't know what's involved in "surrendering" a passport, but I do recall that the UK lets you have two.

Re: US security clearances
 

So does the US. Dual citizenship of itself is not the issue here. Having the ability to exercise a foreign preference is potentially. As I understand it, surrendering your passport means you remain a British citizen but you have given up the ability to run off to Britain.

Re: US security clearances
 

Having US citizenship is a requirement for most clearances. If you also hold another citizenship you will have to show the you hold "no foreign preference". Things like using a foreign passport, having assets overseas and even relatives are indicators of a possible foreign preference. You won't be required to renounce your non-US citizenship, but you might be asked if you would do it...you answer again goes to showing a foreign preference ....or not. You will probably be asked to hand over your UK passport to the security people where you work for "safe keeping" and you might also be asked to deface the passport by cutting off a corner so it cannot be used again. They will want to know about your friends and relatives and will conduct a number of interviews with references that you give.

Re: US security clearances
 

Having US passport would significantly strengthen your hand. And bear in mind that you can apply for citizenship 90 days before the third/fifth anniversary (whichever applies) of getting your green card.

Re: US security clearances
 

My children had to renounce their British Citizenship for security clearance.

Re: US security clearances
 

This isn't right, not even close. Please don't give advice unless you're certain it's true.

OP - PM me, and I'll talk you through it. I worked for a defense contractor for nearly 10 years.

Re: US security clearances
 

I don't know the source for your "probably be asked to hand over", but I never heard of that in a decade in defense contracting.

And, were it to happen, the employee's response would, of course, be: "well, for you to lock it away could cause a diplomatic incident, and I can't knowingly deface it, because it's not mine to deface.

Here are a couple of facts: I worked with a guy who had two citizenships (and actively held and travelled with his non-US passport), who held a TS/SBBI clearance with Yankee White. I also worked with another guy who held three citizenships, and held a TS/SCI.

Re: US security clearances
 

they may have been told that, but they didn't have to.

Re: US security clearances
 

Guideline C is fairly clear. As I said it varies agency to agency.
Adjudicative Guidelines for Determining Eligibility for Access to Classified Information

Re: US security clearances
 

As the service academies / DOD require it I will take their word over yours.

Re: US security clearances
 

It's clear you haven't spent a lot of time working with the military.

That's not definitive. It says "may", which is a world away from "will". In practice, simple possession and even regular use of a foreign passport is NOT an automatic denial. They're looking for other, supporting activities that may lead the subject to be a security risk.

My colleague with Yankee White, for example. He'd be in the Oval Office once every 90 days. That's a big deal; highly scrutinized, more frequent reviews. He never, ever made a secret of holding and using his other passport (because, in the security world, it's really, really best not to lie). When he traveled to Japan, Korea, Germany, and the UK - he'd always use his "other" passport. I asked him why, and he said "because adversaries hate <other nationality> more than Americans". It wasn't a problem.

Re: US security clearances
 

They don't require it. That's my point. You haven't cited any source, but here's one: NISPOM 2-209. Even non-US Citizens *can* get a clearance. It's incredibly rare; I've only seen it three or four times, and always in the most urgent of situation. But I've known literally dozens of dual nationals with clearances.

Re: US security clearances
 

From the point of view of security clearance you may have a point, but giving up foreign citizenships might be necessary to get the job. So there's not much point in arguing that you can get security clearance while holding dual citizenship if you can't get the job anyway.

Re: US security clearances
 

I've hired literally hundreds of people into cleared jobs at a Top 10 Defense contractor. For them, they don't have a decision point of "dual national?" in their flow-chart, it's all devolved to OPM. The decision point is "clearance?". If applicant has one, good; if not, employer will offer the job contingent on obtaining a clearance. If they get one...good to go.

Re: US security clearances
 

Your experience is in defense contracting but does that mean that you know all the requirements of every US government department and agency?

Re: US security clearances
 

You could ask the same question of the poster who wrote " As the service academies / DOD require it". Seems like quite a blanket statement.

But, you're right. I really only did DOD, and a little bit of State. I never did Energy or any of that other stuff. But DOD is pretty straightforward, because all the branches of the military use OPM. I'm telling people what I saw based on a decade of experience, and I've posted citations. I'm the only guy in this thread who's actually answering the OP's question.

Re: US security clearances
 

My sources were the admissions officers at the USMA, Naval and Coast Guard academies. Also a JAG officer at UVA had the same opinion.
Given the competition for places at the academies if you start arguing with them over renouncing they most likely will pass you over.

Re: US security clearances
 

This! What works for hiring at BB's employer is not universally applicable to all roles requiring security clearance.

Re: US security clearances
 

Don't extrapolate from something that may well be an entrance requirement for a US Military Academy, to the OP's situation of entering the cleared workforce as a civilian. That's my point.

Re: US security clearances
 

There's no better advice in this thread than mine. I never said it was universal, but I have pointed out some fallacies in universal statements of other posters.

Re: US security clearances
 

Well you should have said that the difference is in hiring practices, which incidentally was my point too, rather than trying to lay down the law on security clearances. :rolleyes:

Re: US security clearances
 

You told Otto he was wrong, when (i) you didn't know all the relevant facts, and (ii) extrapolated your experience into a field where it didn't apply.

Your advice would have been better received if you had made it clear that it is possible to get security clearance while holding dual nationality, but not necessarily possible to get every job requiring security clearance when you have dual nationality.

Re: US security clearances
 

Security clearance was one of the reasons it was a requirement to renounce.
You do not need to renounce to apply, I do not believe the question of dual nationality was brought up.

Re: US security clearances
 

Just checked in to find a feistier discussion than I expected.

If clearances can potentially be obtained without renouncing citizenship that is encouraging.

I'm not sure I'd want to give it up, but that is purely from a pragmatic perspective. I think my position would be logical and defensible if I ever had that conversation, and I probably would be willing to negotiate if the job was promising enough.