Getting an NBI Clearance

What the NBI Clearance Is For

Employers, embassies, schools and some government offices ask for an NBI Clearance to see whether you have a pending criminal case or record. It is issued by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and checks your name against records nationwide.

It is different from a Police Clearance from the Philippine National Police and from a Barangay Clearance. If you are not sure which one you need, ask the office that asked you for it.

Step 1: Apply Online and Book a Branch

1. Go to the NBI Clearance portal at clearance.nbi.gov.ph and register with an active mobile number and email. You will receive a one-time password to confirm.
2. Fill in the applicant information form: personal details, family background, and education or work. Type your name exactly as it appears on your IDs.
3. Click Apply for Clearance and choose the ID you will bring.
4. Pick a branch, a date and a morning or afternoon slot.
5. Choose how you will pay. The portal gives you a reference number. Screenshot or print it, because you use it to pay and to enter the branch.

If you miss your date, the NBI says you have a 15-day grace period to visit once your transaction shows as paid.

Step 2: Pay the Fee

The NBI's own guide states a basic fee of ₱130, plus an e-payment service charge of about ₱25 to ₱30 that depends on the channel. The channels it lists include GCash, Maya, 7-Eleven, Bayad Center and online banking. Pay using the reference number, then wait for the status to show PAID.

Check the portal for the current amount before you pay, since fees and channels can change.

First-time job seekers. Under the First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act (RA 11261), a first-time job seeker can get the clearance free. The NBI has a separate portal for this, and you bring a barangay certification that you are a first-time job seeker and a signed oath of undertaking (a written promise that what you said is true). Your barangay issues the certification. See Barangay Certificates.

Government fees can change. Always check the current amount with the office before you pay. Last checked October 8, 2026.

Step 3: Visit the Branch for Your Photo and Fingerprints

On your date, bring your reference number, your proof of payment and two original, unexpired government IDs. At the branch, staff take your photo, fingerprints and electronic signature. Check the details on the monitor before they print, because a wrong letter in your name means a wrong clearance.

The NBI asks applicants to dress neatly: no sando, tank top, shorts or slippers.

If You Get a "Hit"

A "hit" means your name matches, or is close to, the name of someone with a record or pending case. It is common, especially for common names, and it does not mean you have a record.

With a hit, the clearance is not printed the same day. The NBI says you will be asked to come back after about 5 to 10 working days while its reviewers check the match by hand. You do not pay again. If there is no hit, the clearance is usually printed within minutes.

Renewing, and Applying From Abroad

If you already have an NBI Clearance issued after 2014 and your personal details have not changed, the portal has an online renewal option. The NBI says the renewed clearance is delivered to your address by courier, so you do not need to visit a branch.

If you are abroad, the NBI has a separate process for clearances requested by mail, usually starting with fingerprints taken at a Philippine embassy or consulate. Follow the NBI's page for applicants abroad.

The clearance itself does not need notarizing. If an office abroad wants it apostilled, see apostille.