Security Clearances

Security clearances ensure your people meet the same standards as NZDF personnel. Your people include you, your staff and any of your subcontractors. To apply for a security clearance, a person must meet the citizenship or residence criteria for the level of security clearance they need.

To get a security clearance, they must be vetted by either the New Zealand Police or the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS). The depth of this background check depends on the level of security clearance they need. The Clean Slate scheme does not apply to anyone seeking a security clearance to work with the NZDF. You should explain this to your people before you put them forward for a security clearance.

Security clearances for your people are part of your accreditation to the Defence Industry Security Programme (DISP). You may be able to start work with the NZDF before your people receive their security clearances, but you will not be able to work with classified information, assets or locations until your people are cleared.

Security clearance and security classification levels

There are different levels of security classification for:

• Information – any form of information, whether in a physical, digital, verbal or other form.

• Assets – anything the NZDF works with, for instance equipment, vehicles, weapons or any other items.

• Locations – any NZDF camps, bases, offices or other facilities.

There are different levels of security clearance. The level of security clearance that a person needs is based on the level of classified information, assets or locations they need to work with. It is not based on their status or length of service.

Defence Site Clearance (DSC)

Your people must be able to get and hold a Defence Site Clearance (DSC) if they need access to information, assets or locations classified up to RESTRICTED level. They must be vetted by the New Zealand Police and they must apply for vetting through the NZDF.

A Ministry of Justice criminal record check will not be accepted. The information the New Zealand Police provide to the NZDF is more extensive. As well as detailing any criminal conviction history, it can also include any traffic conviction history or information on any contact a person has had with the police. The Clean Slate scheme does not apply to anyone applying for a Defence Site Clearance.

Applying for a Defence Site Clearance

To apply to be vetted by the New Zealand Police for a Defence Site Clearance, a person must:

• Have lived in New Zealand for at least six months.

• Give their written consent.

• Complete a short form giving their name, address, birth date and place, date of arrival in New Zealand if not born here, nationality, and two forms of proof of identity such as a copy of a driver licence and passport.

It can take some weeks to vet a person for a Defence Site Clearance. The vetting process will be slowed if the form is not complete and correct.

Holding a Defence Site Clearance

A Defence Site Clearance needs constant maintenance. To hold it, a person must:

• Report any new criminal or traffic convictions or charges, and any new disciplinary proceedings or findings.

• Report security incidents – including any incident that can or has put NZDF people, information, assets or locations at risk, and any other event or discovery that you feel is suspicious or could indicate the compromise of classified information, assets or locations.

• Minimise risks from your social media – for instance you must not say you have a security clearance, or post any information about the work you do for the NZDF to any business or personal platform unless you have prior written approval from our Defence and International Industrial Security (DIIS) team.

• Understand and comply with legislation – the Crimes Act 1961 means you must not use or allow access to official information in any way that puts the security or defence of New Zealand at risk, or use or disclose it to benefit yourselves or others financially, and you can be prosecuted and jailed if you do not comply.

• Meet your obligations when you leave – you have a lifelong obligation to be discreet about your work with the NZDF and about any information, assets or locations you access in the course of it.

National Security Clearance (NSC)

Your people must be able to get and hold a National Security Clearance (NSC) if they will need to work with information, assets or locations classified as CONFIDENTIAL, SECRET or TOP SECRET.

They must be vetted by the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service. The Clean Slate scheme does not apply to anyone seeking a National Security Clearance.

The higher the security clearance level a person needs, the more in-depth the background checks are. The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service looks for evidence that the person is loyal, honest and trustworthy, will respect their responsibilities, and will use good judgement in their decisions about classified information, assets and locations, free from any inappropriate influence.

There are four levels of New Zealand Government National Security Clearance. In most cases, the person applying for one of these clearance levels must have a background that is checkable for a required period. If the person is younger, the required period does not extend back before the age of 18.

People who have lived in New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States or Canada during the required period have a checkable background. You should talk to us about people who have lived elsewhere during the required period.

Applying for a National Security Clearance

 To apply to be vetted by the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service for a National Security Clearance, a person must:

• Be a New Zealand citizen, a permanent resident or a residence class visa holder, in most cases.

• Give their written consent.

• Have a background that is checkable for the required period, in most cases.

• Complete:

  • An online application form to check they are eligible to apply, and if so

  • A detailed online questionnaire about their personal and professional life including information about current and past residences, employment, travel, relationships and extended family; and, if required, the details of personal and professional referees, who will then be asked to fill out an online questionnaire.

  • If required, an interview with the New Zealand Security and Intelligence Service.

If a person holds a foreign government’s security clearance, it may be transferable, depending on the country.

Use this self-check tool to find out if you or someone else might be eligible to apply for a National Security Clearance.

The time it takes to vet a person depends on a range of factors, but it can take some months. The process will be slowed if the form is not complete and correct, or if referees are unavailable or do not meet the criteria. It can take time to gather the information needed so if you know your people will need a National Security Clearance you may want to suggest they start early.

Holding a National Security Clearance

 A National Security Clearance needs constant maintenance. To hold it, a person must:

• Report changes in personal circumstances – including events such as marriage, divorce, bankruptcy, criminal or traffic convictions or charges, disciplinary processes or findings, and substance dependency.

• Report security incidents – including any incident that can or has put NZDF people, information, assets or locations at risk, and any other event or discovery that you feel is suspicious or could indicate the compromise of classified information, assets or locations.

• Report all international travel – to any other country, whether visiting or just transiting, and whether business or personal.

• Minimise risks from your social media – for instance you must not say you have a National Security Clearance or post any information about the work you do for the NZDF to any business or personal platform unless you have prior written approval from our Defence and International Industrial Security (DIIS) team.

• Understand and comply with legislation – the Crimes Act 1961 means you must not use or allow access to official information in any way that puts the security or defence of New Zealand at risk, or use or disclose it to benefit yourselves or others financially, and you can be prosecuted and jailed if you do not comply.

• Meet your obligations when you leave – you have a lifelong obligation to be discreet about your work with NZDF and to protect classified information, assets or locations.