I don't think a tax return cuts it.
A tax return, for instance, isn't going to show if a candidate is actively seeking to influence foreign governments by promises of free penthouse suites.
Check please.
No seriously.
A Public Trust is the lowest security clearance. If you were applying for a Public Trust and simultaneously working with - for example - the Russian Government on a real estate deal in Russia, you would be required to disclose the relationship in your application.
Here are some example questions one must answer when applying even for this lowest level of clearance:
Section 19 - Foreign Contacts
A foreign national is defined as any person who is not a citizen or national of the U.S.
Do you have, or have you had, close and/or continuing contact with a foreign national within the last seven (7)
years with whom you, or your spouse, or cohabitant are bound by affection, influence, common interests, and/or
obligation? Include associates as well as relatives, not previously listed in Section 18.
Section 20A - Foreign Activities
Have you, your spouse, cohabitant, or dependent children EVER had any foreign financial interests (such as
stocks, property, investments, bank accounts, ownership of corporate entities, corporate interests or businesses)
in which you or they have direct control or direct ownership? (Exclude financial interests in companies or
diversified mutual funds that are publicly traded on a U.S. exchange.)
Foreign Financial Interests Controlled on Your Behalf
Have you, your spouse, cohabitant, or dependent children EVER had any foreign financial interests that someone
controlled on your behalf?
Foreign Financial Interests Real Estate
Have you, your spouse, cohabitant, or dependent children EVER owned, or do you anticipate owning, or plan to
purchase real estate in a foreign country?
Foreign Financial Interests - Foreign Benefit
As a U.S. citizen, have you, your spouse, cohabitant, or dependent children received in the past seven (7)
years, or are eligible to receive in the future, any educational, medical, retirement, social welfare, or other such
benefit from a foreign country?
Foreign Financial Interests - Foreign National Support
Have you EVER provided financial support for any foreign national?
Section 20B - Foreign Business, Professional Activities, and Foreign Government Contacts
Have you in the past seven (7) years provided advice or support to any individual associated with a foreign
business or other foreign organization that you have not previously listed as a former employer? (Answer 'No' if
all your advice or support was authorized pursuant to official U.S. Government business.)
Foreign Consulting
For this question, 'Immediate Family' means your spouse, parents, step-parents, siblings, half and step-siblings,
children, step-children, and cohabitant.
Have you, your spouse, cohabitant, or any member of your immediate family in the past seven (7) years been
asked to provide advice or serve as a consultant, even informally, by any foreign government official or agency?
(Answer 'No' if all the advice or support was authorized pursuant to official U.S. Government business.)
Other Foreign Business Ventures
Have you in the past seven (7) years been involved in any other type of business venture with a foreign national
not described above (own, co-own, serve as business consultant, provide financial support, etc.)?
Foreign Government Contact
For Section 20B, 'Immediate Family' means your spouse, parents, step-parents, siblings, half and step-siblings,
children, step-children, and cohabitant.
Have you or any member of your immediate family in the past seven (7) years had any contact with a foreign
government, its establishment (such as embassy, consulate, agency, military service, intelligence or security
service, etc.) or its representatives, whether inside or outside the U.S.? (Answer 'No' if the contact was for routine
visa applications and border crossings related to either official U.S. Government travel or foreign travel on a U.S.
passport.)
Section 20C - Foreign Travel
Have you traveled outside the U.S. in the last seven (7) years?
