There are two ways to get an NBI clearance online: a new application booked at clearance.nbi.gov.ph with a short branch visit for photo and fingerprints, or a fully online renewal with courier delivery. If you hold an NBI clearance issued on or after October 16, 2016 and your name, civil status and birth details have not changed, renew online: you pay ₱155 plus about ₱200 delivery in Metro Manila and the clearance reaches you in roughly 3 to 7 days without a queue. Everyone else, including first-time applicants and anyone who married and changed surname, books an appointment, pays the same ₱155 and brings two valid IDs. The branch route costs less because there is no delivery fee and, without a hit, you leave with the printed clearance the same day, but it takes half a day and a hit adds 5 to 10 working days. If this is your first job, ask your barangay for a first-time jobseeker certification before you pay: under Republic Act No. 11261 the clearance is then free.

NBI Clearance Requirements

• Two valid government IDs, originals: PhilID or ePhilID, passport, driver’s license, UMID, PRC ID, postal ID or voter’s ID. Barangay and police clearances are not accepted as IDs.
• Reference number and QR code from your online application, printed or on your phone.
• Proof of payment showing the status “Paid”.
• PSA marriage certificate for married women using the husband’s surname, so the name matches the IDs.
• Barangay first-time jobseeker certification if you claim the free clearance under RA 11261.

Type your name exactly as it appears on your PSA birth certificate. A missing middle name or a different spelling is the most common reason for a re-encoding at the branch, and every correction means another queue.

How to Apply for NBI Clearance Online: Step by Step

1. Open the official portal clearance.nbi.gov.ph and register with your email and mobile number. Ignore look-alike sites that ask for extra “processing fees”.
2. Confirm the one-time password, log in and complete the personal information form: full name, birth details, address, parents’ names, height and weight.
3. Click Apply for Clearance, choose the purpose and select the two IDs you will bring.
4. Pick the NBI clearance center, date and time slot. Mall branches fill up first on Mondays and after holidays.
5. Choose a payment channel and pay ₱155 through GCash, Maya, 7-Eleven, Bayad Center or a debit or credit card. Save the reference number.
6. Wait until the transaction shows “Paid”, then print or screenshot the reference number with the QR code.
7. Arrive 15 minutes early, present the QR code and IDs, and go through photo and fingerprint capture.
8. If there is no hit, collect the printed clearance at the release counter. If there is a hit, keep the receipt with your return date.

How Many Days to Get NBI Clearance

The answer depends on the route and on whether the system finds a name match. Plan with this table before an employer or embassy deadline:

NBI Clearance Online Renewal

The online renewal works only if your previous clearance was issued on or after October 16, 2016 and none of your personal details changed. On the portal, choose the renewal option, enter the old NBI ID number printed on your clearance, your mobile number, full name and birthday, then verify your identity through your mother’s details, mobile number or email. Pay ₱155, choose courier delivery or pick-up, and pay the delivery fee if you want it at home. Renewal is also available in the eGovPH app. If the system cannot verify you or flags a hit, you are sent back to the regular route with a branch visit.

Claiming NBI Clearance for Someone Else

A relative or friend can claim a clearance that is already processed, for example after a hit, when you cannot go back to the branch. The applicant must have finished photo and fingerprint capture personally; nobody can do that part for you. The representative brings:

• an authorization letter signed by you, addressed to the officer-in-charge of the branch;
• your valid ID, original and photocopy;
• his or her own valid ID, original and photocopy;
• the official receipt or payment reference number.

If you are abroad, many branches ask for a Special Power of Attorney apostilled or consularized in the country where you live instead of a simple letter.

Three Typical Cases

• BPO applicant with a common name. Maria booked a Monday slot four days before her start date and got a hit because of a name match. The return date was eight working days later, so she had to ask HR for an extension. With a common surname, apply at least two weeks before the deadline.
• Renewal that went to the branch anyway. Joel tried the online renewal with a 2015 clearance. The portal rejected the old NBI ID number because only clearances from October 16, 2016 onward qualify, so he booked a regular appointment and paid ₱155 again.
• Nurse leaving for work abroad. Ana finished her biometrics, got a hit and flew out before the return date. Her sister claimed the clearance with a signed authorization letter, both IDs and the receipt, and couriered it to her.

Applying for your first job? Pair your clearance with a strong application letter; see our cover letter samples for the Philippines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources: NBI Clearance online portal; Globe: NBI clearance application guide; FilipiKnow: NBI clearance renewal and delivery fees; Republic Act No. 11261, First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act. Fees and procedures as of November 2026; NBI rules and branch instructions prevail. This article is for information only and is not legal advice.