Is it necessary to report a foreign contact if they are a citizen but there is no communication effort from your side?

Reporting a foreign contact is indeed dependent on the circumstances surrounding the interaction. If there has been no communication effort initiated by you, then it is not typically necessary to report merely the existence of a foreign national, particularly if there are no indications of potential risks or threats. The requirement to report is generally aimed at documented interactions, especially if they could lead to risks involving Sensitive Compartmented Information or other security concerns.

In situations where you are approached or engaged in any dialogue that pertains to classified materials or sensitive information, those factors would warrant a report. However, if you have no communication effort and the contact is merely a passive occurrence without any engagement or inquiry, there is no obligation to report that contact. This reinforces the importance of understanding the context of interactions with foreign nationals and acting according to established guidelines for reporting, which focus on significant and relevant communications.