NBI Clearance Online Renewal Question

[Shol]

Hi there.

Have any of you fellers utilized this service.  Here in Manila for most things we (as foreigners) are pigeonholed into taking an expedition down to UN main office and experiencing 1970s style building, etc.  

It says that as long as you are 2016 and ahead you can renew online and have it couriered or pick up.   I am skeptical but cannot find anywhere to validate if foreigners can use this or still have to do head in person.   And the phone numbers for the NBI today seem to be having some sort of "malfunction".

Just wondering if anyone could offer some sort of experience with this if they had it or if I am going to be stuck heading down there, waiting days heading back.  It's not only expensive for me since I don't like to travel in anything but a "clean" car but a waste of time lol.   So if this works I'd like to give it a shot.

It seems like it would push through despite some nonsense with the payment thing being confusing just don't want to go through all that and just get told once its all booked and I have wasted time and get "sorry sir you need to go to UN".

Thanks!

[Snowy79]

The last time I did one I registered online and received a code, appointment and proof of payment.  I then had to attend to get fingerprints taken. 

[graham59]

The last time I got my NBI clearance (January this year), I started off on the online procedure.... which was a totally confusing mess, (so gave up) then took myself off to the NBI offices in my local city... Dagupan.

Outside the place were a group of dubious looking young folk with plastic seats and laptops ... supposedly doing the online application process for you, for p250, before (me) going inside the actual office, with application form and newly acquired registration number in hand. 

Told to come back after 14 days, to collect the certificate...which I duly did.  

 

Edited September 10, 2021 by graham59

[Shol]

Yeah it's a mess especially when they see a foreigner they seem to get excited.   Much nicer when it's just the girls but in reality, it's generally for all the same reasons :)

I am also reading that there are a ton of negative and poor experiences with the online delivery thing.  I just wanted to find out if its "possible" for a foreigner even before I consider it since going to UN is not only far and probably 1K PHP but also the building is horribly outdated and looks to be a covid breeding grounds...

[graham59]

Quite a pleasant view from the Dagupan NBI car park. 

...and only cost p400 return fare for the 20 mile round trip in bro-in-law's trike. 

.

 

[Clermont]

19 hours ago, Shol said:

It's not only expensive for me since I don't like to travel in anything but a "clean" car but a waste of time lol. 

When we are over there the step son rings us GRAB, can certainly vouch for there cleanliness and the fare is fixed before you hang up, try them. 

[Jollygoodfellow]

On 9/11/2021 at 12:30 PM, Clermont said:

When we are over there the step son rings us GRAB, can certainly vouch for there cleanliness and the fare is fixed before you hang up, try them. 

Although we are going off topic abit, why phone them as you put the app on your phones and just order from there without talking to anyone. Very easy. 

[Shol]

Hi there.  Very important great news for anyone who is going to have to "redo" their NBI Clearance for their permanent 13a visas.  (Which will be just about anyone since I was told that you would need it valid upon approval, not submission)

See the image below I just went and did this today.   You pretty much DO NOT login to renew, you simply follow the trail in the screenshot and input your old NBI registration code or number; all the directions are listed here.   Not sure how this would work in the provinces or if so, but it works golden in Manila for the main office.

As long as your original NBI is relatively recent (Oct 16, 2016 or later) this now functions and it works for foreigners! 

You follow the links and pay I used GCASH and then you check 24 hours later with a text and you can pick it up or arrange for delivery though I strayed away from that as it seems like there are a lot of complaints about missing and nonsense involved with setting up the couriers.

But this is amazing it saves you an entire trip going back/forth as well as time wasted/exposed in that horrible building.

I did the above and walked in today and handed them only a receipt in releasing and got my clearance printed in about 1.5 minutes.  WOW who woulda have thought that in the Philippines?
 

If you want any more information on my experience just let me know.

 

[Jollygoodfellow]

This is the link you need, https://clearance.nbi.gov.ph/

This has been the case since at least 2019 as the copyright of the website is that year. 

Added: It actually started in 2015 , https://www.rappler.com/nation/online-application-nbi-clearance

 

[Shol]

Yeah a lot of locals are still unaware and this was at least not functioning for a lot of the pandemic as I had actually tried to use it before when I applied to get it for my probationary 13A.   (It is horribly implemented on their website as a "side" way to apply since nothing you do in this will be reflected in your actual NBI account from that website.

I really wanted to highlight it works as of today in 2021, and for foreigners and make sure to save anyone some hassles.