Dual Citizenship and Security Clearances

Holding citizenship in more than one country is not, by itself, disqualifying for a security clearance. What adjudicators examine is whether a person has acted in a way that shows a preference for another country, or whether foreign ties create a risk of pressure or divided loyalty. This page explains how dual citizenship is evaluated and what can mitigate the concern.

Where Dual Citizenship Fits in SEAD 4

Two guidelines in Security Executive Agent Directive 4 (SEAD 4) are involved:

• Guideline C (Foreign Preference): Concerns a person acting in a way that shows a preference for a foreign country over the United States.
• Guideline B (Foreign Influence): Concerns foreign contacts, family ties or interests that could create a risk of foreign exploitation, pressure or coercion.

What Raises a Concern

Under Guideline C, the concern is usually not the citizenship itself but what a person does with it. SEAD 4 identifies actions such as:

• Possessing or using a current foreign passport.
• Serving in a foreign military.
• Accepting benefits from a foreign government.
• Seeking or holding foreign political office, or voting in a foreign election.
• Using foreign citizenship to protect financial or business interests in another country.

Foreign relatives, property, accounts or business interests are assessed separately under Guideline B.

Mitigating Factors

SEAD 4 describes conditions that can mitigate a foreign preference concern, including that:

• The dual citizenship is based solely on a parent's citizenship or birth in a foreign country.
• The person has expressed a willingness to renounce foreign citizenship that is in conflict with U.S. interests.
• The foreign right or privilege was exercised with the approval of the U.S. Government.
• A foreign passport has been destroyed, surrendered to the cognizant security authority, or otherwise invalidated.

How these factors are applied depends on the agency and the facts, so a foreign passport question should be addressed before you apply, not after.

Reporting and Candor

All foreign citizenships, passports and foreign contacts called for by the SF-86 must be reported. Omissions are treated as a personal conduct concern under Guideline E and often do more damage than the foreign tie itself.

Seeking Legal Assistance

A security clearance lawyer can review your citizenship history, advise on passport and renunciation questions, and prepare a response if a Statement of Reasons cites Guideline C or B.

Dual citizenship is manageable in the clearance process when it is disclosed fully and the person's actions show a commitment to the United States. Results depend on the individual facts and cannot be guaranteed.