SF-86 Foreign Contacts Section: Complete Disclosure Guide

SF-86 Section 19 (Foreign Contacts) requires disclosure of close and continuing relationships with foreign nationals. 42% of clearance investigation delays stem from incomplete or unclear foreign contact disclosures.

Who Must Be Disclosed

The "Close and Continuing" Standard

Disclose foreign nationals with whom you have contact that is:

• Bound by affection, influence, common interests, or obligation
• More than casual and infrequent

Contact Type	Must Disclose?	Notes
Foreign spouse/partner	Yes	Always required
Foreign in-laws	Yes	Parents, siblings of spouse
Close foreign friends	Yes	Regular meaningful contact
Former college roommates (foreign)	Depends	If maintaining contact
Foreign coworkers	Depends	If relationship extends beyond work
Brief vacation contacts	No	Casual, no ongoing relationship
Online gaming friends	Depends	If significant relationship exists
Social media connections only	Generally no	Unless substantive communication

Categories Requiring Disclosure

Always disclose:

• Romantic relationships (current or former)
• Family members (by blood or marriage)
• Close personal friendships
• Business partners/associates
• Financial relationships
• Mentors/mentees
• Roommates (current or former, if contact maintained)

Consider disclosing:

• Former coworkers with ongoing contact
• Religious community members
• Professional association contacts
• Childhood friends from other countries
• Exchange student hosts/guests

Required Information for Each Contact

For every foreign contact disclosed, provide:

Field	Required Details
Full name	Legal name, include previous names
Date of birth	MM/DD/YYYY or best estimate
Place of birth	City and country
Country of citizenship	Current citizenship(s)
Current address	Complete address including country
Employer/occupation	Current employer and position
How you met	Circumstances of initial meeting
Nature of relationship	Friend, business, romantic, etc.
Frequency of contact	How often you communicate
Method of contact	In-person, phone, email, social media
Foreign government affiliation	Any government/military connection

Government/Military Affiliation

Pay special attention to contacts who:

• Work for foreign governments (any capacity)
• Serve in foreign military
• Work for foreign intelligence services
• Are employed by foreign state-owned enterprises
• Have diplomatic status
• Work for foreign political parties

Common Foreign Contact Scenarios

Scenario 1: Foreign Spouse

Required disclosures for foreign spouse:

• All spouse personal information
• Spouse's parents (full details)
• Spouse's siblings (full details)
• Spouse's citizenship and naturalization status
• How you met
• Marriage details
• Any foreign government connections in spouse's family

Scenario 2: Study Abroad Contacts

Contact Type	Disclosure Required
Host family	Yes, if ongoing contact
Fellow students	If close friendship maintained
Professors	If ongoing professional relationship
Brief acquaintances	No
Romantic relationships	Yes, even if ended

Scenario 3: International Work Experience

Disclose former foreign coworkers if:

• Relationship continues beyond work
• Regular personal communication
• Visited each other
• Exchange personal news/updates

Generally do NOT disclose:

• Casual work relationships
• No contact after leaving job
• Professional-only interactions

Scenario 4: Online Relationships

Platform	Disclosure Considerations
LinkedIn	Generally no (professional networking only)
Facebook	If regular meaningful communication
Dating apps	If relationship developed
Gaming platforms	If significant friendship formed
WhatsApp groups	If regular personal communication

Frequency of Contact Guidelines

Frequency	Likely Disclosure Required
Daily	Yes
Weekly	Yes
Monthly	Yes
Quarterly	Probably yes
Annually (holidays/birthdays)	Case-by-case
Less than annually	Usually no

Special Considerations by Country

Tier 1 Concern Countries

Contacts in these countries receive heightened scrutiny:

Country	Concerns
China	Intelligence collection, economic espionage
Russia	Intelligence targeting, influence operations
Iran	State-sponsored terrorism, nuclear concerns
North Korea	Hostile nation, no diplomatic relations

For contacts in these countries:

• Provide maximum detail
• Explain nature of relationship thoroughly
• Document any government connections
• Be prepared for extensive interview questions

Countries with Mandatory Military Service

Contacts from countries with mandatory military service (Israel, South Korea, Switzerland, etc.) will have military background questions asked during investigation.

How Investigators Verify Foreign Contacts

Verification methods include:

• Interviewing you about each contact
• Reviewing your travel records
• Checking communication records (if warranted)
• Cross-referencing with other information sources
• Interviewing references about your foreign connections

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Under-Disclosure

Problem: Omitting contacts you have ongoing relationships with Consequence: Discovered during investigation, raises honesty concerns Solution: When in doubt, disclose

Mistake 2: Incomplete Information

Problem: Missing addresses, dates, or employer information Consequence: Investigation delays, additional interviews Solution: Research contacts before completing SF-86

Mistake 3: Inconsistent Information

Problem: Dates or details don't match other sections (travel, employment) Consequence: Credibility questions during adjudication Solution: Cross-reference all sections before submission

Mistake 4: Omitting Online Relationships

Problem: Assuming online-only contacts don't count Consequence: May be discovered through other means Solution: Apply same "close and continuing" standard

Mistake 5: Failing to Update

Problem: Not reporting new foreign contacts after initial submission Consequence: Required during reinvestigation, appears deceptive Solution: Maintain records for future updates

Gathering Foreign Contact Information

Before Completing SF-86

Create a spreadsheet with:

• Contact name and all known names
• Best contact information (current address, phone, email)
• How you met and when
• Last contact date
• Citizenship information
• Employer/occupation
• Any government connections

If You Can't Find Information

Situation	Recommendation
Lost contact	Provide last known information with explanation
Don't know current address	Best estimate, explain in comments
Unsure of citizenship	List country of birth, note uncertainty
Don't know employer	Provide last known, explain

Impact on Clearance Adjudication

Foreign Contacts That Raise Concerns

Factor	Concern Level
Contact works for foreign government	High
Contact is foreign intelligence officer	Very High
Financial entanglement with foreign national	High
Cohabiting with undocumented foreign national	High
Contact in Tier 1 concern country	Elevated
Failure to disclose (discovered later)	Very High

Mitigating Factors

Factor	Mitigating Value
Contact is U.S. permanent resident	Moderate
Infrequent contact	Moderate
Relationship predates clearance work	Low
Contact is in allied country	Moderate
Full disclosure and cooperation	High

Questions to Expect During Investigation

During your Subject Interview, expect questions about:

• How you met each foreign contact
• Nature and depth of relationship
• Frequency and method of communication
• Topics you discuss
• Any requests for sensitive information
• Knowledge of contact's government affiliations
• Financial exchanges with contacts
• Travel to visit contacts

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SF-86 guidance current as of January 2026. Agency requirements may vary. When in doubt, disclose and provide explanation.