SF-86 Relatives: Who to List, Foreign Ties, and Clearance Impact

Section 18 of the SF-86 requires you to list a defined set of relatives on the SF-86, and the list is broader than most applicants expect: 16 relationship types spanning parents, children, siblings, parents-in-law, and anyone who acted as a guardian, whether they are living or deceased and whether you are in contact with them or not.¹ For each person you list, you provide the same core biographical details, plus additional information if the relative is not a U.S. citizen.

Who Counts as a Relative Under Section 18

The form checks off relationship categories and then asks for a full entry for each person:

Parents: mother, father, stepmother, stepfather, foster parent, and guardian
Children: biological, adopted, foster, and stepchildren
Siblings: brothers, sisters, stepbrothers, stepsisters, half-brothers, and half-sisters
In-laws: mother-in-law and father-in-law

You list all of them whether they are living or deceased.¹

A few boundaries catch people out. In-laws means your mother-in-law and father-in-law only, not siblings-in-law or other extended in-law relationships. Spouses, former spouses, cohabitants, and civil union or domestic partners do not belong in Section 18 at all; they are covered in Section 17. If you live with a partner you are not married to and share a genuine personal bond rather than a landlord-tenant arrangement, Section 17.3 is where that person goes.²

“Guardian” is meant broadly. Anyone who acted in a parental capacity counts, even informally. A grandparent who raised you belongs on the list. So does an older sibling who served as your legal guardian. The investigation cares about who shaped your upbringing, not just whose name is on a birth certificate.

Information You Need for Each Relative

Gather the same core details for every person before you start entering data:

Full legal name, including maiden names and any aliases or prior names
Date of birth
Place of birth (city and country)
Current residential address
Current country of citizenship
Exact relationship (biological mother, stepfather, half-sister, and so on)
Current employer or occupation; if retired or unemployed, state that

The form also asks for Social Security numbers for relatives who have them.² This is the field that produces awkward family phone calls. Not every relative has one, and not every relative who has one will share it. Provide it where you can. If a relative refuses or does not have one, note that on the form instead of leaving the field blank without explanation.

Non-U.S. Citizen Relatives

Foreign relatives trigger extra questions on top of the standard biographical data:

Country of citizenship, including dual citizenship. If a relative holds both U.S. and foreign citizenship, disclose both.
Immigration status if the relative lives in the United States (lawful permanent resident, visa holder, etc.)
Alien Registration Number for lawful permanent residents, found on the front of the permanent resident card
Naturalization details for naturalized citizens, including certificate number and date citizenship was granted
For relatives living abroad, how often you communicate and by what means

If a relative was born overseas to American parents, check whether they hold a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, which documents their U.S. citizenship at birth.³

Dual citizenship deserves attention even when the relative is a U.S. citizen. The adjudicative guidelines focus on loyalty and obligation to foreign countries, and that analysis reaches dual citizens too. When in doubt, disclose. Overreporting is safer than underreporting.

How Foreign Relatives Affect Your Clearance

Having foreign relatives does not automatically disqualify you. That misconception is what drives people into the worst possible decision, which is hiding or minimizing foreign family connections. Adjudicators evaluate foreign relatives under Guideline B (Foreign Influence) of the national security adjudicative guidelines, weighing several factors:⁴

The country involved. A parent in Canada raises less concern than a parent in a country with an aggressive intelligence service targeting the United States.
The relative’s position. A sibling working for a foreign government or military draws more scrutiny than one who runs a restaurant.
Closeness of the relationship. Daily calls to a parent abroad carry more weight than annual holiday cards to a distant cousin.
Financial ties. Sending money regularly to a foreign relative, or receiving support from one, raises additional questions.

The guidelines also list conditions that can mitigate these concerns. A relationship distant enough that you are unlikely to be put in a position of choosing between a foreign relative and U.S. interests works in your favor, and casual, infrequent contact helps too.⁴ Adjudicators routinely grant clearances to people with foreign spouses, parents, and siblings when the risk is documented and contextualized. Transparency is what makes that possible.

Deceased Relatives

Deceased relatives still belong on the list. Provide the full name and date of birth, indicate the relative is deceased, and give the year of death and last known city and state of residence.² If you do not know the exact year of death, provide your best estimate and note in the comments that the date is approximate. This keeps investigators from trying to locate someone who is no longer living.

Estranged Relatives

You must list a relative you are estranged from. Not speaking for years is not a basis for omission.¹ For fields you genuinely do not know, such as a current address, phone number, or employer, indicate the information is unknown. Use the comments section to explain the estrangement: when contact last occurred, why you lost touch, and what efforts you made to find the information.

Provide whatever you do know, even if it is outdated. A last-known address from ten years ago is more useful than a blank field. Blank fields with no explanation read as concealment; a straightforward account of why information is missing reads as honesty, which is what the investigation is looking for.

Reporting Family Changes After Your Clearance Is Granted

Your obligations do not end when the clearance is issued. Under Security Executive Agent Directive 3, cleared individuals must report certain life events involving immediate family to their security officer, including:⁵

Foreign travel by family members, particularly to or through countries identified as high counterintelligence or security risks
New continuing contact with foreign nationals involving bonds of affection or personal obligation, in person or online
Any foreign financial interest held by an immediate family member that could create a conflict of interest
A family member taking employment with a foreign government or foreign-controlled entity

For these purposes, immediate family includes your spouse, cohabitant, children, parents, and siblings.⁵ Report these events as soon as possible. Failing to report can lead to administrative action, including revocation, when the underlying event might have been fine had you simply disclosed it.

Consequences of Inaccurate or Incomplete Answers

Discrepancies between what you report and what investigators find through records, interviews, and database checks generate follow-up questions at a minimum. At worst, they result in denial of your clearance or revocation of an interim clearance. Failing to disclose foreign family connections is one of the most common triggers for a Statement of Reasons denying eligibility.

Intentionally providing false information on the SF-86 is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. § 1001, punishable by up to five years in federal prison.⁶ Fines can reach $250,000 under the general federal sentencing statute for felonies.⁷ Prosecution for SF-86 fraud is not theoretical; cases do get referred. In practice, most honest mistakes lead to more investigation rather than criminal charges. Investigators draw the line between someone who genuinely forgot an uncle’s address and someone who deliberately concealed a parent living in a country of concern. Say what you know, and be transparent about what you do not.

1
Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency. DCSA SF-86 Guide
2
U.S. Office of Personnel Management. SF 86 – Questionnaire for National Security Positions
3
U.S. Department of State. How to Replace or Amend a Consular Report of Birth Abroad
4
Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Security Executive Agent Directive 4 – National Security Adjudicative Guidelines
5
Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Security Executive Agent Directive 3 – Reporting Requirements
6
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 1001 – Statements or Entries Generally
7
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 US Code 3571 – Sentence of Fine