Form

Change of Personal Circumstances: Process

Updated 6 May 2025

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/change-of-personal-circumstances/change-of-personal-circumstances-process

If you hold a DV, SC, Level 1B or CTC security clearance and there is a significant change to your personal circumstances you should notify UKSV.

UKSV requires Change of Personal Circumstances (CPC) forms to be submitted via the NSVS portal. 

Click this link to access the CPC portal service via NSVS as a valid clearance holder.

In exceptional circumstances, please contact our UKSV Helpdesk for support completing the Change of Personal Circumstances (CPC) form manually. 

How to contact UKSV

Once we authorise this request for the CPC form, you will then receive an email from UKSV which provides the form for completion, along with a secure link to a file-sharing service called Egress. This is used to ensure that any information shared either by you or with you is done so in a secure and safe manner. Instructions on how to upload and download information to and from Egress will be provided along with the link.

1. When to inform UKSV of a change of personal circumstances

As a holder of national security clearance, you have a responsibility to report any change in your personal circumstances which could potentially affect your clearance, using the process set out above. You are required to report the following events:

  • Change of name (please note we do not automatically require a CPC if you get married to a current partner but if you change your name for any reason, including marriage, we will require a CPC - please see the guidance below)
  • Change of nationality
  • New partner. The definition of a partner, for security vetting purposes, is either your spouse, a cohabiting partner, someone with whom you are in an enduring sexual and/or romantic relationship, or someone with whom you see a committed or enduring future
  • Divorce, or dissolution of a Civil Partnership
  • Involvement with the Police (if you are arrested, refused bail, have received a police caution, reprimand or warning, or are convicted of an offence - other than minor road traffic offences)
  • SC/DV holders only; Significant change in financial circumstances (bankruptcy, receiving a large inheritance, suffering substantial financial impact due to divorce or the dissolution of a civil partnership)
  • DV holders only; Change of co-resident (lodger, housemate, au pair, live-in domestic staff).

If you have changed your gender, there is currently no need to update UKSV with this information, and we do not require a copy of your Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) as gender change is not a national security concern.

However, if you have changed your name for any reason, including marriage or gender change, then we will need to be informed of this.

UKSV requires a Change of Personal Circumstance form when someone has received a legal document confirming a change of name, such as:

  • marriage or civil partnership certificate
  • overseas marriage or civil partnership certificate
  • enrolled deed poll
  • unenrolled deed poll or change of name deed
  • statutory declaration or affidavit
  • baptismal or confirmation certificate (for first names only)
  • birth certificate
  • certificate of naturalisation or registration
  • adoption order/certificate
  • Application Form 24 (recording Changes of Forename(s) and Surname(s) in Scotland)

Whilst there is no requirement to update UKSV regarding a change in gender, if you;

  • Have changed your gender but you haven’t changed your name legally
  • Have changed your pronouns
  • Have not yet received your legal documents
  • Intend on keeping your name as it is legally but would like to add an alias

You are very welcome to use the NSVS portal to update us of this, using the change of name section and adding more detail. To reiterate, in these circumstances this is a personal choice, and your security clearance will not be impacted if you do not do this.

We would encourage all applicants that in any future interactions with us, such as a clearance renewal interview, you inform us of how you would like to be addressed, including name and pronouns, to ensure that any conversations with you are respectful and inclusive.

More information on your data and privacy can be found on this link.

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