Security Clearance/SF86 question

[Anonymous]

Are your relatives dual citizens? That is a major issue. Even if they are naturalized, foreign contacts and dual citizenship on their parts are a major issue. By the refusal of one let alone two of your naturalized relatives raises a high degree of suspicion. Tell them that you need them to cooperate or you may lose your job.

[Anonymous]

What is their country of origin? Also another important factor where investigations scrutinize certain foreign countries more than others.

[Anonymous]

EVALUATING FOREIGN INFLUENCE

The location, relationship, occupation, activities, and interests of the foreign person, as well as the recency, frequency and nature of the contact are all relevant. The security significance of these foreign contacts can be measure by the extent to which an applicant:

• Maintains contact with foreign friends, family members, or professional associates.

• Provides or receives material support to/from contacts outside the U.S.

• Returns to native country.

• Maintains property or financial interests (including inheritance rights) outside the U.S.

• Fails to report association with foreigners when required.

Foreign connections that “create a potential conflict of interest between the individual’s obligation to protect sensitive information and the individual’s desire to help a foreign person, group, government, or country by providing that information” are security concerns. Absent a potential for a conflict of interest, foreign connections must present a “heightened” risk of foreign influence to be a security concern. A heightened risk can be created either by the nature of the foreign contact and/or by the applicant’s perceived ability to resist foreign influence. In assessing an applicant’s ability to resist foreign influence adjudicators may consider the degree to which an applicant has assimilated American culture and displayed undivided loyalty to the United States by:

• Applying for U.S. citizenship as soon as they are eligible.

• Expressing their intention to live permanently in the U.S. even after retirement.

• Observing American holidays.

• Participating in local non-ethnic social, community, political, or charitable groups.

• Socializing with people outside their ethnic group.

Additionally, circumstances or behavior that could attract the attention of foreign intelligence are also potentially disqualifying factors.