I hadn’t needed a current and valid NBI Clearance for a couple of years now. Happy to say that the Philippine’s National Bureau of Investigation has simplified the process further and has done away with the silliness of making different Clearances for different Purposes.
It used to be that you had to specify whether the Clearance you wanted was for the purpose of Employment (Local) or for Travel (Abroad) or for Visa Seaman. Now it’s just one Multi-purpose clearance. 👍
Also, the procedure is simpler with only two queues to deal with. I chose to have my NBI Renewal appointment at their Quezon City Hall office.
☝ For more information and to start your application, visit the official page for NBI Clearance at https://clearance.nbi.gov.ph.
Easy peasy steps…
Step 1: The first queue is literally at the door. The purpose here is for someone to check that you already have your Reference Number (which is to say that you’ve completed the online application), that you have a valid government ID with you, and that you’ve already Paid. If you haven’t paid before coming to the NBI then you will simply have one more queue to do before the final step.
N.B.: The first queue is to the door of the NBI Office inside the building, not the queue to the main entrance of the building. If you see a long queue outside leading up to the entrance of the building, skip that — those people are queuing to get their Police Clearance which has nothing to do with the NBI — and head straight inside where you’ll see a much shorter queue to the NBI’s door.
Extra Step: If you haven’t prepaid elsewhere before coming for your appointment, then you will queue for Payment before the final step. If you do this minor inconvenience instead of prepaying, then you will only pay 130 pesos versus the 155 pesos paid by those who prepaid elsewhere. The 25-peso difference is for using third party collectors. For more information, visit their official webpage https://clearance.nbi.gov.ph.
Step 2: This is where you give them your Reference Number so they can pull up your information on their computer. Then they’ll get your biometrics and signature, take your photo, and tell you when you can pick up your NBI Clearance — either immediately after or after a couple of weeks.
Overall, it was a painless process.
I got to the building around 12:40. Got through door at 12:50. They had a very comfy waiting area, and some very alert and efficient staff directing us. By 13:30 I was done and out the door. 😉
I’ll just have to return in two weeks to pick up my Clearance. C’est la vie. 😎