For Americans seeking jobs that require access to classified information, one of the most pressing questions, especially for globally mobile families, is how past ties to foreign governments may impact their eligibility for a U.S. security clearance. The answer, experts will say, is it’s complicated: working for a foreign government does not automatically disqualify an applicant, but it could trigger intense scrutiny.
Yes, it’s possible, but your odds depend on the country, the role, how long ago it was, and how well you can show you’re not under foreign influence.
One ClearanceJobsBlog subscriber asks:
My daughter graduated from a UK university, so now she has the opportunity to work in the UK for two years without a sponsor. There are opportunities for her to work for the UK government in policy research, but I am concerned about the implications of that on a future US clearance when she comes back to DC to work on US policy issues. Any insight on the impacts would be appreciated.
One of the eligibility criteria for an applicant to apply for a U.S. security clearance is having lived in the U.S. within the last three years (unless the applicant was in the military or working for the U.S. Government overseas). Marko Hakamma, blog moderator says, “Once she has done that, as long as she should report the employment in the UK on her clearance application and should be fine as long as there is no conflict of interest.”
So, working for a foreign government is not a dealbreaker, but it places the burden on applicants to show that they are not subject to outside pressures and that their loyalty lies firmly with the U.S.
FACTORS EVALUATED
Security clearances are granted under a set of adjudicative guidelines that weigh things like foreign influence, loyalty to the U.S., and potential conflicts of interest. Applicants must disclose all foreign ties, including employment by a foreign government, when filling out the SF-86.
Investigators pay close attention to foreign government service because it can raise concerns about divided loyalties. The risk is higher if the role involved military, intelligence, or policy work. Employment with adversarial nations such as China, Russia, or Iran often raises significant barriers, while work in allied countries like the United Kingdom, Japan, or NATO members may be viewed as less problematic.
But with each factor evaluated, there are potential mitigating circumstances. Adjudicators weigh things like time since employment, the nature of the work, and whether the applicant still maintains ties abroad in determining if someone should be granted clearance or not. Remember, officials stress the importance of full transparency. Attempting to conceal foreign employment is far more damaging than disclosing it.
So, yes, a U.S. citizen can still get a security clearance after working for a foreign government, but their previous foreign employment will be a significant point of scrutiny under the foreign influence adjudicative guideline. The individual must demonstrate unwavering allegiance to the U.S. and prove no conflict of interest exists, which is evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Much about the clearance process resembles the Pirate’s Code: “more what you’d call guidelines than actual rules.” For this reason, we maintain ClearanceJobsBlog.com – a forum where clearance seekers can ask the cleared community for advice on their specific security concerns. Ask CJ explores questions posed on the ClearanceJobs Blog forum, emails received, and comments from this site. This article is intended as general information only and should not be construed as legal advice. Consult an attorney regarding your specific situation.Â
