NBI Clearance Online Registration: Easy Step by Step Guide for 2024

You are 21-70 years old

You are a Filipino citizen

You have a valid government ID

In order to apply for a new job, travel or perform any other activity that requires a background check, a Filipino needs to obtain an NBI Clearance. While a few years ago, one had to wait in long lines at issuing offices to get the document, the entire process has now moved online.

However, despite the noticeable simplification of the document obtaining procedure, there are nuances that must be paid attention to. In this article, we will tell you how to apply for an NBI Clearance online.

What Is an NBI Clearance?

It is a document issued by the National Bureau of Investigation (1) and required to certify that the citizen has not committed any misdemeanor or felony within the Philippines.

This paper is issued for one year and may be required in a variety of situations:

• For employment with local companies and organizations. Before a job applicant is finally hired, the human resources department must do a thorough background check on the applicant. The clearance will help them find out if the person has been involved in serious crimes or violated Philippine laws.
• For international travel. If a Filipino citizen decides to find a job in another country, they will not be given a work visa without the clearance at the embassy.
• For proof of identity. While this document is not a valid ID card, it can be used as a proof of identity in some organizations. For example, you may need the clearance to get an installment plan for a home appliance or motorcycle. It is useful for those who need to correct errors in existing government documents, including birth certificates.

This certificate should not be confused with a police clearance. (2) This document also certifies the absence of criminal convictions or other offenses. However, it is only valid in the city or region where the recipient resides.

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Learn more:
✦ All About Police Clearance in the Philippines
✦ How to Get Police Clearance Online: Step by Step Procedure

NBI Clearance Online Application

To get the document, you need to submit an online application to the National Bureau of Investigation. However, some people are confused by the many steps to go through to finally get the document. In fact, there is nothing complicated about this procedure. And to get it right the first time without any difficulties, we offer you a detailed description of each step.

👉 Create an NBI Website Account

To begin with, you need to complete online registration on the official website of the National Bureau of Investigation. This step is necessary for those who are getting the clearance for the first time. If you already have the document, then below we will tell you how to renew it. Now the information is for those who don’t have the clearance yet.

So, for registration, go to this link clearance.nbi.gov.ph. Then tick “no” next to the question “Do you have any NBI Clearance issued from 2014 to present?”.

After that, proceed to create an account: enter your basic details (first name, last name, mobile number, date of birth, and others), login (email address), and password and indicate that you are not a robot. Then click the “Register” button.

Please, note that the National Bureau of Investigation has a “one e-mail address, one user” policy. Therefore, you will not be able to create an account using someone else’s email address.

Once you have successfully completed the process of creating an account on NBI, you just need to log in again using the email address and password that you have provided on the website. After that, you can proceed to fill in the details about yourself in your profile. Be careful.

Once the details have been entered, click “Save Information”. If you find an error, you can use the “Edit Information” button. If everything is correct, click “Submit”.

This is how your information is entered into the National Bureau of Investigation database. The next step is to apply online for the certificate.

👉 Submit the NBI Clearance Online Application Form

On the page that appears after passing the first step, find the “Apply for a permit” button. It is located in the upper right corner of the screen. Click on it and start the online application process for an NBI Clearance.

Prepare in advance the two documents that you are going to use for your identity verification. Their names will be specified in the pop-up window. Normally, Philipinos are required to provide their passport and driver’s license (or UMID, or PhilHealth ID).

Then click the “I agree” button, which will confirm that the data you have entered is correct.

👉 Make the NBI Clearance Appointment

The next step is to make an appointment. To do this, you will be prompted to select a convenient branch of the National Bureau of Investigation Processing Center and choose a date and time for your visit. The blue boxes in the calendar that appear in front of you indicate free time.

Decide on the time of your visit right away. The point is that once the fee is paid (we will talk about this stage below), you will not be able to reschedule the NBI Clearance online appointment to another time or to another branch. However, the procedure for obtaining the document implies that those who could not come at the specified time are given 15 days to come to the selected branch and collect the document.

👉 Make the Payment

Once you have selected a convenient branch and time to receive your certificate, you will be asked to pay the document fee. There are several ways to do this on the website.

One of which you will have to choose:

• Online bank payment — BPI, UnionBank, etc
• Over-the-counter bank payment — Chinabank, Metrobank, UnionBank, LANDBANK, RCBC, Security Bank, etc
• 7-Eleven
• ECPay
• Visa/Mastercard
• Maya
• DragonPay
• ShopeePay
• Cash

Choose the payment method that best suits you and click “Continue”.

The next payment steps will depend on the chosen method. Thus, if you have selected an online bank, you will be redirected to the portal of the credit institution, where you will be asked to make the transfer. Follow the instructions on the website and make the payment.

Then save (write down or take a screenshot of the screen) the reference number. You will need it for visiting the National Bureau of Investigation office.

The fee for this document is the same for all citizens, but its size depends on the method of payment. It is currently Php 130.00 if you pay in cash at a department office. If you pay online, you will have to pay more — Php 160.00 (Php 130.00 for the clearance itself and another Php 30.00 as a transaction fee).

👉 Get the Clearance

On the appointed date and time, you have to come to the selected branch of the NBI Processing Center. Don’t forget your registration number and the two documents you have provided in the online application form on the website.

An employee of the Processing Center will check your documents, take your biometric data and your photo. This takes only a few minutes. It will take the same amount of time to wait for a certificate.

If the document issuance procedure is delayed, it means there are some problems. For example, your name matches someone with a criminal record or offense marks. In this case, it will take several days to recheck all the data. You will be offered another date to visit the Processing Center.

How to Get NBI Clearance for Free If You Are a First Time Jobseeker

For those who are getting a job for the first time, this certificate is free of charge under the First Time Job Seekers Assistance Act (3) and Republic Act 11261 (4). But to get it, a Barangay Certificate must be submitted.

It must state that the recipient is a first-time job seeker and has been residing at the current address for more than six months. In this case, the procedure for obtaining a document is slightly different from the one presented above:

Step 1: Go to the NBI website and click on the button in the yellow tab for first time job seekers.

Step 2: After that, you will see the requirements that must be met for a free clearance on the screen:

• The privilege can only be used once and for one permit only.
• A valid Barangay Certificate is required, which must show that you have been residing at the specified address for more than six months and are a first time job seeker.
• The certificate must be issued not more than 12 months prior to the date of completing the application.

Step 3: Enter your personal data in the registration form: gender, civil status, full name, date of birth, telephone number, email address (this will be your login for further visits to the site), and password. Accept the terms and conditions of the Office and click on the “Register” button.

Step 4: Receive a one-time password of six digits, which will be sent to the phone number you specified. Enter the digits in the special box and press “Send”.

Step 5: Log in again and fill the online application form for an NBI Clearance by entering your personal details (address, education, height, weight, and other). Save the information by clicking the corresponding button. Double-check the data, edit it if necessary. If everything is in order, click on “Submit”.

Step 6: Make an appointment with the NBI. Enter the number of the documents that you will bring to the Clearance Center and select the office and time of visit that is convenient for you. Click “Save” and save the number that appears on the screen.

Step 7:  Visit the Clearance Center office at the time of your choice. Remember to bring the two identity documents and a Barangay Certificate.

Learn more: How to Get
✦ Barangay Clearance
✦ Barangay ID

NBI Clearance Renewal Online

You can renew the existing document online. For this, you need to go to clearance.nbi.gov.ph and log in to your account. If you do not have it yet, you will have to go through the registration procedure. The procedure in this case will be slightly different from what we have mentioned in the previous sections.

Those who need to extend the existing certificate should follow the algorithm below:

• Open the homepage of the NBI website and click on the yellow NBI Clearance Renewal tab.

• Next, on the page that opens, fill in the boxes that appear: existing clearance number, phone number, full name, date of birth. Click “Verify”.
• On the next page, select your preferred delivery method: pickup or door delivery.
• If you have chosen personal pickup, decide on the NBI branch that will process your application and the time when it will be convenient for you to visit it. Then pay Php 160.00 using the most convenient way for you.
• If you opted for door-to-door delivery, you will have to pay Php 369.00. This amount includes the processing fee for the certificate itself and the shipping cost. However, this is not the final amount. It may vary depending on the place where the document is to be delivered. The delivery itself takes 3–10 days and depends on the delivery region. For more details, visit the NBI website or check with the department’s hotline numbers. All the data can be found on the website of the authority.
• Whichever way to receive the document you choose, after payment, be sure to write down or photograph the reference number that appears. You will need to show it to the document delivery person or the specialist of the Clearance Center when you visit the office.

The clearance can be renewed only if the document issued not earlier than October 16, 2016 has expired. For earlier authorizations, you will have to go through the registration and registration procedure again.

NBI Clearance Requirements

To get the paper a valid identification document issued by the government agencies will be required. These can be:

• Passport
• UMID
• Driver’s license
• PhilHealth ID
• TIN ID
• Voter ID
• Postal ID
• PRC ID
• OFW ID
• Senior Citizen ID
• National ID
• PWD ID
• PSA Birth Certificate
• Police Clearance

It is not necessary to provide all the above mentioned IDs; only two are enough. The main thing is that they should be unexpired and contain correct information about the paper recipient. The photograph of the applicant must be clearly seen in the document. Also, no photocopy of the document is allowed. You must submit an original document.

It is important to note that the National Bureau of Investigation experts consider the Philippine Passport and the PSA Birth Certificate to be technically the same, so it is not a good idea to submit these two documents at the same time.

Conclusion

Without NBI Clearance, a Filipino citizen will not be able to get a job or visa to work abroad. To apply for the document, all you need to do is to submit an online application and pay the NBI Clearance fee. The documents are issued quickly, especially if there are no matches with other citizens.

Learn more: How to Get
✦ PhilSys National ID
✦ UMID Card
✦ Senior Citizen ID

Articles sources

• 1. National Bureau of Investigation (Philippines)
• 2. National Police Clearance System
• 3. First Time Job Seekers Assistance Act
• 4. REPUBLIC ACT No. 11261

Authors

Digido Financial Writers Team

Author pages:

Digido Financial Writers Team is a team of experts in the field of finance and credit, specializing in writing articles for Digido blogs.

Anna Kireeva

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Anna is a marketing communications professional who specializes in digital marketing strategies and long-form content.