DBS-NSV Aftercare Information - GOV.UK

1 1 Aftercare and Existing Clearances Aftercare is the maintenance of effective personnel security. Its purpose is to investigate anything of security concern, between periods of normal review, which affects an individual holding a security clearance. The Counter Terrorist Check (CTC), Security Check (SC) and developed vetting (DV) security vetting processes give an assurance of an individual s suitability for access to sensitive Government Information or other valuable assets. It is important that any new Information or concerns affecting the reliability of a vetting Subject are brought to the attention of the appropriate Personnel Security Authority. This is achieved through a combination of Aftercare and routine security clearance review procedures. Aftercare includes risk management measures to monitor the security reliability of individuals who hold a security clearance. Aftercare Incident Report (AIR) Aftercare Incident Reports (AIR) are to be raised by local Security Officers in cases where actual or potential security concerns exist about an individual who holds a security clearance.

2 Should Information become available that raises doubts about an individual s suitability for access to protectively marked or sensitive assets, the circumstances are to be reported to UKSV. Anyone, not just Security Officers, can do this online via the NSVS portal by following this link: online form allows reports to be submitted anonymously. It is the preferred route for raising an AIR but concerns can also be reported by email to or by post to: United Kingdom Security vetting Exceptions Room 02-080, Building 107 Imphal Barracks York YO10 4AS 2 Change of Personal Circumstances (CPC) If you hold a security clearance, you should report any Information that you believe could potentially affect your security clearance. Several forms are provided to report specific changes in your personal circumstances: If you marry, re-marry, set up a stable unmarried relationship where you are living with someone as a couple or (DV clearance holders only) you are living in shared accommodation and a new co-resident aged 18 or over moves in, there is a requirement for your clearance to be revalidated.

3 It is the responsibility of every vetted individual to report such changes to UKSV. Please complete and submit a Change of Personal Circumstances form: are also required to report the following events, using the appropriate form: A substantial change in your financial circumstances (for example, being declared bankrupt, receiving a sizeable inheritance or suffering a substantial financial impact due to divorce or the dissolution of a civil partnership). You do not need to report a change in financial circumstances if you hold a CTC clearance: Receiving a criminal conviction, or being arrested or cautioned by the police (including military police if relevant): A change of nationality: Questionnaire (FQ) A completed FQ helps UKSV to build up a detailed picture of a vetted individual s financial situation. If this gave cause for concern when you went through the clearance process, it is likely that UKSV will have scheduled a review of your finances to take place after a suitable interval, to confirm that you are not leaving yourself open to pressure or bribery.

4 As part of this review, you will be asked to complete an FQ. Extraction of SC from DV Clearance Where a DV clearance has expired, or is no longer required, customers requiring the underlying SC, please e-mail UKSV with your request using the phrase Extraction of SC from DV Clearance in the subject line, to Clearance Notification Requests E-mail UKSV directly, using the phrase NATO request in the subject line, to Security Appraisal Form (ASAF) If you hold a DV clearance, you must complete the clearance holder s section of the ASAF every year and submit it to UKSV. Your supervisor/line manager will fill in their own part of the form and send it in separately. The two parts of the ASAF will be married up and reviewed by UKSV, who will follow up any security concerns that they might reveal. The form will be retained on your vetting record. By exception, holders of lower levels of clearance may also be asked to complete an ASAF. Please complete and submit your AnnualSecurity Appraisal Form using this link: NSV clearances When someone moves to a new employing organisation, there may be a continuing requirement for them to hold a security clearance.

5 This may be either at the same level or at a lower one. In these situations, the Sponsor of the clearance within the receiving organization should submit a Transfer Request Form via the NSVS Sponsor Portal, following the instructions in the published guidance: for Transfer Before a transfer can take place, the following criteria will need to be met in order to comply with Cabinet Office personnel security policy: The clearance must not be older than: o10 years (SC or CTC) o7 years (DV) These are the maximum durations allowed by Cabinet Office policy. The importing Department may apply a shorter validity period, either across the board or to particular 4 categories of personnel ( , MOD issues shorter DVs to Reservists than to Regulars). If this has already been exceeded, the Sponsor should initiate a new clearance rather than requesting a transfer. No more than 12 months have elapsed between the individual leaving the organisation with which they had been holding a clearance and joining the one that is now applying for it to be transferred in.

6 If there has been a break in service, the individual must not have lived overseas for more than 6 months during that period. For transfers into or within Defence (Armed Forces, MOD civilians and Defence contractors), MOD also applies the following conditions: The expiry date of the clearance must not have passed (exception: if the subject holds a DV clearance and has remained in continuous employment, an extension of up to 6 months may have been granted to allow time for a review to be actioned. In this case, the extended DV may be transferred). The vetting subject must not have undergone any of the following changes in their personal circumstances since the application for the security clearance for which a transfer is under consideration was made: oMarrying or remarrying. oEntering into a civil partnership. o Setting up a stable unmarried relationship which includes living with someone as a couple. However, if a change of personal circumstances (CPC) questionnaire has already been completed and has been satisfactorily processed, it should still be possible to proceed with the transfer.

7 Otherwise, it may be possible for the transfer process to be paused while the vetting subject completes a CPC form.