Summary
A 51-year-old dual citizen of Serbia and the U.S. was denied a security clearance due to concerns under Guideline B (Foreign Influence) and Guideline C (Foreign Preference). The applicant's significant ties to Serbia and Montenegro were central to the denial.
Specific allegations included the applicant's active use of a Serbian passport, obtained in July 1997 after becoming a U.S. citizen in March 1996. He used this Serbian passport for entry and exit from Serbia in 2000, 2003, and 2004. The applicant also owns three apartments in Serbia, valued at approximately $350,000, and co-owns properties in Serbia and Montenegro valued between 290,000 and 340,000 euros. Further, his mother is a dual citizen residing with him in the U.S., and two aunts are Serbian resident citizens. The applicant traveled to Serbia multiple times between 2000 and 2005.
Despite the application of one mitigating condition, the judge concluded that the applicant's emotional and financial ties to Serbia and Montenegro, including his continued dual citizenship and property ownership, created doubts about his allegiance to the U.S. and posed a national security risk. Consequently, the security clearance was denied.
Why the Applicant Was Denied
- The applicant maintained dual citizenship and actively used a Serbian passport after becoming a U.S. citizen.
- He co-owned properties in Serbia and Montenegro, valued between 290,000 and 340,000 euros, which raised foreign influence concerns.
- The applicant's emotional and financial ties to Serbia and Montenegro created doubts about his allegiance to the U.S.
Conditions Referenced
- DC ¶ 10(a)(1)raisedExercise of Any Right, Privilege or Obligation of Foreign Citizenship After Becoming a U.S. Citizen
- DC ¶ 10(a)(5)raisedUsing Foreign Citizenship to Protect Financial or Business Interest in Another Country
- DC ¶ 7(a)appliedContact with a Foreign Family Member, Business or Professional Associate, Friend, or Other Person Who Is a Citizen of or Resident in a Foreign Country
- DC ¶ 7(d)appliedSharing Living Quarters with a Person or Persons, Regardless of Citizenship Status, If That Relationship Creates a Heightened Risk of Foreign Inducement, Manipulation, Pressure, or Coercion
- DC ¶ 7(e)appliedA Substantial Business, Financial, or Property Interest in a Foreign Country
- MC ¶ 11(e)appliedThe Passport Has Been Destroyed, Surrendered to the Cognizant Security Authority, or Otherwise Invalidated
Key Rule Quoted
“When an individual acts in such a way as to indicate a preference for a foreign country over the United States, then he or she may be prone to provide information or make decisions that are harmful to the interests of the United States.”
Procedural Posture
- SOR issuedApr 10, 2007
- Answer filedMay 4, 2007
- Hearing heldOct 16, 2007Applicant surrendered his foreign passport at the hearing.
- Decision dateNov 27, 2007
Cite For
- Foreign Preference Concerns Due to Dual Citizenship Under Guideline C
- Foreign Influence Risks Associated with Property Ownership Abroad Under Guideline B
- Impact of Emotional Ties to Foreign Countries on Security Clearance Eligibility