Security Clearance Chinese American

Hey guys - what are my chances of getting a security / top secret security clearance if I’m an American citizen (grew up here) with American citizen parents who are immigrants from China. Both parents work in the US defense industry. I am staunchly pro American and highly patriotic, and have always been super interested in the A&D sector (advanced technology, smart people, large projects). Currently in PE but thinking about potentially transitioning to industry long term in a business role. Thanks!

Region
5 Comments
 

Relevant here would be (among others) 32 CFR 147.4

It makes a difference whether you only have access to classified information or whether you would actively work in certain roles within the government.
Fill out the form for this and see what they say after running their checks.

Nobody here on WSO would be able to answer the question, it is a highly individual situation.

 

I don't see how there would be a problem. They will ask to fill out the foreign disclosure form where you would have to list any potential contact, business, or ownership. The interesting part is that their citizenship isn't the deciding factor.

Cornell has a good source
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/32/147.4

Problems may come up if...
- you hold multiple citizenships
- foreign military service or more
- you are dating/married to/being exposed to certain contacts
- you own companies, shares, or similar in certain regions
- you or family have worked for certain governments before
 

this is often in relation to Russia, majority islamic countries, China, communist nations, etc

 

Thanks again! My concern was that the FBI (or whoever is in charge of granting clearances) would apply the rules in a way that is partial against those of my type of background, given the geopolitical sensitivity (which I understand from a risk mitigation standpoint). So was concerned that the way the decision is made in practice differs from the letter of the law.

 
Most Helpful

Et molestiae magnam velit consequatur nihil dolore. Voluptas voluptatem voluptatem qui odio ea. Ea rem rerum dolores ea. Iste et pariatur deleniti at consequatur.

Corrupti aspernatur impedit officia sunt. Maiores ut iste harum eius ea laboriosam labore voluptatum. Soluta aliquid molestiae explicabo eum. Labore quidem distinctio molestiae autem molestiae vero. Laborum possimus tenetur excepturi sapiente ipsa labore animi voluptatem. Quo non beatae nihil natus nostrum. Id esse vero autem.

Voluptatem nobis provident ullam minima velit rerum. Quo doloribus enim mollitia. Dolorem eos dolores inventore inventore. Aliquid molestiae et illo cumque voluptatem eos.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.2%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.2%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.6%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.2%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (43) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (75) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (66) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
numi's picture
numi
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”