Staff occasionally undertake short-term assignments or collaboration visits at other MI5 offices within Europe. To maintain operational security and ensure smooth coordination, all visits — whether for a single meeting or a multi-week posting — must be pre-approved through M’s office via the Temporary Access Request process.
Requests should be submitted at least ten working days in advance, specifying travel dates, purpose of visit, host office, and required facility access. Once reviewed, an approval notice will be issued alongside a temporary badge authorisation. This document must be presented upon arrival and remains valid only for the approved duration.
Travel and accommodation bookings should be made through HQ Travel Operations, which ensures compliance with MI5’s approved transport routes and hotel partners. For international travel, ensure your diplomatic clearance and secure comms equipment are requested in parallel, as both require separate approval.
Upon arrival at the host office, visiting staff must check in with the Local Security Desk to collect their temporary access badge and receive a site briefing covering evacuation procedures, restricted zones, and emergency protocols. Equipment such as laptops or encrypted drives may be subject to local inspection and must comply with MI5 technical standards.
Visitors are expected to adhere to the same house rules, confidentiality standards, and operational discipline as permanent staff. Any change to your visit schedule — including early departure or extended stay — must be communicated immediately to both your home office and the host’s Security Liaison Officer.
At the conclusion of your assignment, all temporary access credentials must be returned in person before departure. A short post-visit debrief may be required if the visit involved classified collaboration or inter-agency contact.
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