Security Clearance (SC) Q&A Read first before asking questions

[David71]

i automatic fail because i failed dv?

Automatic? Nope.

[malvolio]

I get tired of saying this but let's do it again...

Clearance is not a badge , a special coloured hat or anything else. It is a risk assessment, measuring a candidate's history against criteria specific to a given role. While a lot of that is shareable and repeatable there is no certainty that what happened for job A will be applicable for job B. So trying to guess what happens for a new application based on what happened before is a non starter.

DV is a bit different since it goes very deep into your background (see the fourth post at the start of this thread!) but while having DV means you dont have to worry about passing the lower levels it has no effect if you don't have or failed DV.

[PerfectStorm]

Looks like the SC form (National security vetting 001) link is broken on the government publications website but the DV form (National security vetting 002) makes interesting reading: https://www.gov.uk/government/public...curity-vetting

That's gone now, but there is inexplicably a copy of the DV and SC forms on the Guardian's website
DV: https://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-fil...orm_NSV002.pdf
SC: https://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-fil...8Compliant.pdf
(Spooks: nowt dodgy here, they're near enough the first result on Google)

DV could rather boringly be described as like SC but with an additional question about who your grandad is.

[malvolio]

DV could rather boringly be described as like SC but with an additional question about who your grandad is.

ermm...

The DV process involves interviewing family and friends in some depth as well as detailed looks at your financial and personal history. It is not only nothing like SC but is deeply invasive. Unlike the risk assessment based processes for the lower levels, it is concerned with the totality of your suitability for Top Secret (and above) material.

[PerfectStorm]

ermm...

The DV process involves interviewing family and friends in some depth as well as detailed looks at your financial and personal history. It is not only nothing like SC but is deeply invasive. Unlike the risk assessment based processes for the lower levels, it is concerned with the totality of your suitability for Top Secret (and above) material.

Heard a lot of rumour about this but anyone got any data on how 'invasive' it is?

[malvolio]

Heard a lot of rumour about this but anyone got any data on how 'invasive' it is?

Very. Along the lines of asking your Mum about your political leanings as a teenager, where have you ever been on holiday and have you ever been accused (not convicted) of a sex crime kind of intrusive.

But it is all rumour. Nobody's talking about it that knows about it. For very obvious reasons.

[PerfectStorm]

What would happen if you were trying to hedge your bets and going through multiple 'onboardings' with cleared roles for different agencies who haven't yet produced a contract or start date - would it cause a conflict in the pre-start, short term where both agencies are trying to facilitate the transfer of clearance? Or can both attempt to start the transfer then the 'winner' finalises it when you start?

Or has anyone been in such a situation and how was it resolved?

[malvolio]

What would happen if you were trying to hedge your bets and going through multiple 'onboardings' with cleared roles for different agencies who haven't yet produced a contract or start date - would it cause a conflict in the pre-start, short term where both agencies are trying to facilitate the transfer of clearance? Or can both attempt to start the transfer then the 'winner' finalises it when you start?

Or has anyone been in such a situation and how was it resolved?

Clearance goes with the post not the post holder. So until you're hired, the process won't start...

[David71]

What would happen if you were trying to hedge your bets and going through multiple 'onboardings' with cleared roles for different agencies who haven't yet produced a contract or start date - would it cause a conflict in the pre-start, short term where both agencies are trying to facilitate the transfer of clearance? Or can both attempt to start the transfer then the 'winner' finalises it when you start?

Or has anyone been in such a situation and how was it resolved?

You can have clearances 'split' but I believe most places don't go down this route as it's more complicated than just getting a second clearance if required. Not sure about two sponsors trying to transfer a single clearance at the same time....usual advice from me...give UKSV a call and ask.

[Lance]

That's gone now, but there is inexplicably a copy of the DV and SC forms on the Guardian's website
DV: https://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-fil...orm_NSV002.pdf
SC: https://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-fil...8Compliant.pdf
(Spooks: nowt dodgy here, they're near enough the first result on Google)

DV could rather boringly be described as like SC but with an additional question about who your grandad is.

the SC form linked is out of date.
It's done online now (has been for 5 years as far as I know).