HSEM facility security clearance (Spain)
The Spanish facility security clearance (Habilitación de Seguridad de Empresa), needed to handle classified information. How long it takes is not published.
At a glance
- Kind
- Security clearance
- Cost
- Not stated in the sources
- Time
- Not stated in the sources
- Needed for
- Handling classified information (Spain).
- Last reviewed
- Verification
- Verified: the page was fetched and the fact is in it.
What it is
In Spain the National Security Authority is the Oficina Nacional de Seguridad (ONS), which works under the Secretaria de Estado Directora del CNI as the delegated authority for the security of classified information of NATO, the EU and ESA. The facility clearance is called HSEM (Habilitación de Seguridad de Empresa); the ONS maps it to the international Facility Security Clearance Information Sheet (FSCIS).
Related clearances: HSES (Habilitación de Seguridad de Establecimiento) is for storing classified material on your own premises and requires HSEM first; HPS (Habilitación Personal de Seguridad) is the individual clearance.
How long an HSEM takes was not published and needs a direct enquiry to the ONS. Other countries have their own National Security Authority; the research behind this page has collected only Spain's.
Who issues it
- SpainOficina Nacional de Seguridad (ONS), under the Secretaria de Estado Directora del CNIEstablished in 1983. Portals: cni.es/oficina-nacional-de-seguridad, ons.cni.es, sede.cni.es. UNVERIFIED: processing times for the HSEM were not confirmed.Verified: the page was fetched and the fact is in it.
For a country that is not listed, the issuing body has not been collected. We list none rather than guess.
Which programmes ask for it
- Requirements that apply whichever route you take: Facility security clearance (Spain) (Only in some cases)To handle classified information a Spanish company needs the HSEM facility security clearance from the Oficina Nacional de Seguridad. How long it takes is not published.
Questions
- Who issues HSEM facility security clearance (Spain)?
- Spain: Oficina Nacional de Seguridad (ONS), under the Secretaria de Estado Directora del CNI. The body has not been collected for the countries not listed.
- How much does HSEM facility security clearance (Spain) cost?
- No cost is stated in the sources used.
- How long does HSEM facility security clearance (Spain) take?
- No duration is stated in the sources used.
- Who needs HSEM facility security clearance (Spain)?
- Handling classified information (Spain).
Source
Centro Nacional de Inteligencia, Oficina Nacional de Seguridad · Open the source
[DefenceGate technical appendix, Facility and personnel security clearance] Facility clearance is called HSEM (Habilitación de Seguridad de Empresa). ONS maps it directly to the international FSCIS (Facility Security Clearance Information Sheet).
Quoted from the DefenceGate research notes of 7 September 2026; the primary page was not re-read for this line. Last reviewed 2026-09-07.