Division 15

Requests for renewal shall be made in a timely manner taking account of the time required for security investigations. Nevertheless, where the relevant NSA or other competent national authority has received the relevant request for renewal and the corresponding personnel security questionnaire before a security clearance expires, and the necessary security investigation has not been completed, the competent national authority may, where admissible under national laws and regulations, extend the validity of the existing security clearance for a period of up to 12 months. If, at the end of this 12-month period, the security investigation has still not been completed, the individual shall be assigned to duties which do not require a security clearance.