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How to get an NBI Clearance

A paper from the NBI that says you have no criminal case or record in their national database. Almost every employer, agency and embassy in the Philippines asks for it.

NBI Clearance
Official NBI logo from the National Bureau of Investigation website (nbi.gov.ph)

The three ways to get it

Online

Partly

This is partial, not fully online. You book and pay online, but the fingerprints and photo can only be done in person.

The one exception is Quick Renewal: if your last clearance was issued from 16 October 2016 onward and none of your details changed, you can renew fully online and have it delivered, with no branch visit.

  1. Go to clearance.nbi.gov.ph and make an account using a working mobile number and email.
  2. Fill up your personal details. Spell your name exactly the same way as on your ID.
  3. Click Apply for Clearance and pick the NBI branch you want.
  4. Pick a date and time slot.
  5. Pay the fee through GCash, Maya, 7-Eleven, Bayad Center or online banking.
  6. Save your reference number and your receipt.
  7. Go to the branch on your date. You still have to be there in person for fingerprints and photo.
  8. Get your printed clearance the same day if there is no HIT.

Walk-in

Partly

Even a walk-in still goes through the online system, it is just encoded at the branch. Many busy branches now turn away people without an appointment, so booking first is safer.

Office hours at the main NBI Clearance Building on U.N. Avenue, Manila are Monday to Friday, 7:00am to 5:00pm.

  1. Go to an NBI clearance branch or satellite office.
  2. Use the free encoding computers at the office to fill up the same online form.
  3. Pay at the cashier counter.
  4. Go to the biometrics area for your fingerprints, photo and signature.
  5. Wait for the printing counter and get your clearance.

Representative

Not on its own

Plainly: No. The whole point of the clearance is that the fingerprints on it are yours.

Anyone offering to get an NBI clearance for you without you appearing is running a fixer scam.

  1. You cannot send anyone to do this for you. The fingerprints, photo and signature must be yours, taken in front of NBI staff.
  2. A Special Power of Attorney will not work for the biometrics step.
  3. If you are already abroad, use the NBI's mailed clearance or fingerprint card process for overseas Filipinos instead of sending a relative.
  4. If you have already been to the branch and only need to claim a released or reprinted copy, ask that branch if a representative with an authorization letter and both IDs is allowed. [unconfirmed: this is a branch by branch practice, not a published NBI rule.]

What to bring

  • Two valid IDs from the government, such as passport, driver's license, PhilSys National ID, UMID or Postal ID
  • Your appointment reference number or QR code from the online application
  • Your proof of payment (receipt or screenshot)
  • For first time job seekers: a barangay certificate saying you are a first time job seeker, plus one valid ID

The details

Who can apply

Any Filipino, and foreigners living in the Philippines, who can show two valid government IDs. There is no age limit written on the NBI site, but minors normally need a parent or guardian with them.

Cost

P130.00 clearance fee plus about P25.00 e-payment or service fee, so about P155.00 in total. The exact service fee changes with the payment channel you pick (GCash, Maya, 7-Eleven, Bayad Center, online banking).

First time job seekers get it free one time under Republic Act 11261. There is no rush or express fee.

If your name gets a HIT you wait longer but you do not pay again. Online Quick Renewal with door delivery adds a courier fee.

How long it takes

Same day if your name is clear. Biometrics and printing at the branch take only a few minutes once it is your turn.

If you get a HIT, you come back after 5 to 10 working days. Online Quick Renewal with delivery takes about 5 to 10 working days.

How long it lasts

One year from the date it was issued. Many employers still ask for one issued in the last 3 to 6 months.

Tips

  • A HIT does not mean you have a case. It means your name is close to someone else's name in the records. The NBI just checks it by hand, and you come back after 5 to 10 working days at no extra cost.
  • Type your name, middle name and birthday exactly as they appear on your ID. One wrong letter causes a mismatch that is slow to fix.
  • Write down your NBI ID number. You need it later for Quick Renewal, which is the only fully online path.
  • Book your slot early in the week. Morning slots and Metro Manila branches fill up fast.

Not verified

The research could not confirm these against an official 2026 source. Phone the office before you travel.

  • the NBI Citizen's Charter page on nbi.gov.ph still shows old amounts of P115.00, P165.00 and P415.00. The P130 plus service fee is what the NBI's own how-to-apply page and the live portal use in 2026.
  • exact courier amount is not published
  • NBI does not publish a fixed delivery time

Sources