I am very new to the clearance process and world. I am a naturalized US citizen originally from Italy, I still hold Italian citizenship and have two passports.
I am now in a position where to accept a job offer, I would have to get a DoD security clearance.
I don’t have any assets in Italy, only some friends and family, and I go there only to visit my parents maybe once every two years or so.
I have only used my US passport since I got it and I consider myself American more than anything else.
Would this disqualify me? I am willing to give in my Italian passport if needed.
Dual citizenship normally does not disqualify an individual, but there are certain high risk countries (Italy is not one of them) where it might. Holding a foreign passport will be an issue, and the investigator will have follow up questions. I encounter it often. You may be asked to bring all passports, foreign and domestic, expired and current for visual inspection, and be prepared to discuss each and every foreign national family and friend with whom you have contact.
General disclaimer I am not, nor have I ever been, an adjudicator.
Shredding/destroying your foreign passport with your new security officer or someone else as a witness before your interview will make your adjudication so much easier and quicker. Make copies of it beforehand for your records. If you consider yourself American only then why have it? Possession of a foreign passport can be an indicator of someone who plans to flee the country for whatever reason. When you take the oath of US naturalization there is a phrase in which you pledged allegiance to the US over other citizenships. Ultimately it’s your choice. This is America
Yes foreign passports raise additional questions of US allegiance and can facilitate foreign travel/escape to a foreign country for whatever good or bad reasons a person wants to leave.
Thank you all for the responses. I feel better and more confident.
I’ve had the Italian passport for a while and never thought about this scenario. However, if asked, I’d be happy to get rid of it.
Fingers crossed, I had the offer today so will start the process soon!
Good Luck! It is your choice to do whatever you feel comfortable with. If you only have exclusive US allegiance and want this process and adjutication to go as quickly and easily as possible being a sole US citizen with only a US passport is the surest way to do that.
Thanks! I thought about that, and it’s something I’m considering.
I’ll also have a conversation with the security officer, but they’ve already also said it shouln’t be a problem.
I am an investigator and not an adjudicator. Investigators are never updated as to whether the people we interview actually receive a clearance. With that said, however, I interview a LOT of people who have dual citizenship for secret and top secret clearances. If dual citizenship was a disqualifier or if it made it unlikely for someone to get cleared, I doubt employers would submit so many dual citizens for investigation. Sponsoring a clearance is time consuming and expensive which is why many employers will filter applicants before even beginning the investigation process. There will be additional foreign questions to be answered and your investigation may take a little longer but I don’t believe you will have a problem getting cleared unless you have other more serious issues.
