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

[northernladuk]

I've trawled through this thread as best I can but can't really find a suitable answer to the query I have.............

I'm just out of contract and am applying for new contracts. I have a valid SC held with my old client but this expires in July this year. Some of the gigs I am going for are with defence clients who need SC. What would be the process for renewing the clearance when it expires? I am expecting to start next gig before the SC expires.

My assumption at this stage is that any new client will be happy that I have a valid SC but the imminent expiry may put me at a disadvantage to others who have more longevity in their clearance. I assume also that any new client would need to renew the clearance before it expires but don't really know how much work this might entail for either them or me.

Trying to get some info on it via a large agency I am dealing with but nothing clear from them as of yet. Anyone have any experience of this situation?

Regards

The answer is in the details which you have not posted clearly. So about halfway down the first post is a question about how long SC is valid for. There are two check points. One is 10 years overall BUT if you spend a year doing something that doesn't require SC it lapses. So which are you? I will assume you are in the 1 year period. So if you get a new gig the SC is transferred and the 10 years continues to tick.

If you haven't used it for 6 months and transfer it does not mean you only have 6 months left.

Is this the situation you are in or is your 10 years coming to an end?

[psychocandy]

Last night I got in to a argument and ended throwing a drink (liquid only) over someone. I was arrested and was cautioned (simple) for common battery!!

As I have this SC already, how is this impacted? Does it suddenly stop my SC?

So what happened? Come on - full story!

[malvolio]

The answer is in the details which you have not posted clearly. So about halfway down the first post is a question about how long SC is valid for. There are two check points. One is 10 years overall BUT if you spend a year doing something that doesn't require SC it lapses. So which are you? I will assume you are in the 1 year period. So if you get a new gig the SC is transferred and the 10 years continues to tick.

If you haven't used it for 6 months and transfer it does not mean you only have 6 months left.

Is this the situation you are in or is your 10 years coming to an end?

Not entirely accurate...

It's five years for contractors, ten for Permies. The one year period is an administrative convenience and shouldn't normally be an issue, but not all clearance agencies trust other ones, or have different criteria for what is essentially a risk assessment, so the transfer is not actually guaranteed anyway, although obviously it will help if you have been cleared in the recent past (just as an illustration I was cleared six times in the last 20 years... nonsense, of course, but that's how it works).

You can't influence the process anyway, but 99% of agencies have no idea how clearance works so will take the fact you still have active clearance as gospel, so that shouldn't be problem. You won't actually find out the real position until the new client gets involved.

While all of that has been covered in the thread at various times it does no harm to repeat it!

[northernladuk]

Not entirely accurate...

It's five years for contractors, ten for Permies.

Interesting. I'll update the first page with that.

[Gomez]

The answer is in the details which you have not posted clearly. So about halfway down the first post is a question about how long SC is valid for. There are two check points. One is 10 years overall BUT if you spend a year doing something that doesn't require SC it lapses. So which are you? I will assume you are in the 1 year period. So if you get a new gig the SC is transferred and the 10 years continues to tick.

If you haven't used it for 6 months and transfer it does not mean you only have 6 months left.

Is this the situation you are in or is your 10 years coming to an end?

10 years is coming to an end. Apols. Should have clarified that. I've just had a long conversation with large agency who are putting me forward for a role. They say they can actually hold the clearance and could put me through an SC renewal. If I was successful getting the gig, I guess it would be up to the end client to say whether they would transfer that SC...

[malvolio]

10 years is coming to an end. Apols. Should have clarified that. I've just had a long conversation with large agency who are putting me forward for a role. They say they can actually hold the clearance and could put me through an SC renewal. If I was successful getting the gig, I guess it would be up to the end client to say whether they would transfer that SC...

They may hold the clearance as a List-X organisation. That doesn't mean the new client will recognise that clearance as valid (MOD, for one example, will re-vet you if you are coming from a list-X supplier).

But let's leave the agency to their delusions of grandeur. All you can do is apply and see what happens.

[KTF]

I have a new role that requires SC. I got the link to the form, completed the details and submitted it thinking it was odd that it didn’t ask for any financial details - just if you have had a ccj, been bankrupt, etc.

Now from reading the help section and speaking to others I am paranoid that I missed the financial section and it can’t be edited now.

Does anyone know what will happen? Will they be in touch to ask for the missing information, will it be rejected and I have to start again or something else?

I emailed the sponsor and they just said that the government dept will be in touch if needed but I am worried that I will be declined rather than have the option to amend the form now...

[malvolio]

I have a new role that requires SC. I got the link to the form, completed the details and submitted it thinking it was odd that it didn’t ask for any financial details - just if you have had a ccj, been bankrupt, etc.

Now from reading the help section and speaking to others I am paranoid that I missed the financial section and it can’t be edited now.

Does anyone know what will happen? Will they be in touch to ask for the missing information, will it be rejected and I have to start again or something else?

I emailed the sponsor and they just said that the government dept will be in touch if needed but I am worried that I will be declined rather than have the option to amend the form now...

Who would you rather believe, the vetting agency or a bunch of ill-informed strangers?

Clearance is a risk assessment specific to the role in question. You may not have been asked about financial stuff (although what they have asked is pretty comprehensive in security terms) if the role doesn't warrant it. Also, they almost certainly know or can find out a lot of stuff already and are simply testing your answers against those.

Stop worrying, if you're rejected you'll never find out why anyway.

[KTF]

Thanks for the reply. The people I asked work for the same company although in different roles and have SC.

I didn’t realise the form could be tailored to specific roles so that may explain why I didn’t see the section about my financial assets, etc. as I am sure I expanded every section.

I guess if I have missed it out then someone will be in touch as I can’t be the only person to have submitted it with a section missing.

[Bleepbloop]

Residency Waiver

Hi all, new to SC.

Am in process of Residency Waiver for NS clearance - has been nearly 6 months. Am a duel citizen (US/UK) and have worked/lived abroad in developing countries (incl. Colombia). Am hopeful that my background (Human Rights/Humanitarian) indicates that I wasn't involved in dodgy activity.

If I do not get my clearance before the beginning of December, I am no longer eligible for the position I was offered. Would be a terrible shame, as I have worked very hard to secure this very competitive role.

Has anyone else gone through anything similar? What are typical waiting times for residency waivers? Should I kiss this job goodbye?