NBI Record Verification Without a Clearance Application in the Philippines
(all information current to 29 April 2025; for general guidance only and not a substitute for personalised legal advice)

1. What an “NBI record” actually is

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) maintains a central Criminal Records Information System (CRIS) that consolidates:

criminal complaints and indictments filed with prosecutors’ offices;
arrest bookings transmitted by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other law-enforcement bodies;
court dispositions (convictions, acquittals, dismissals, archived cases); and
executive clemency data forwarded by the Board of Pardons and Parole.

These data are gathered under the NBI’s charter (Rep. Act No. 157, as amended by RA 10867) and its 2017 Revised Manual on the Handling of Records.

A person may therefore appear in CRIS even if:

the case was later dismissed,
he or she was merely a witness, or
a namesake was involved (“namesake hit”).

2. “Record verification” vs “NBI Clearance”

	Record Verification	NBI Clearance
Purpose	To confirm or negate the existence of any entry under a subject’s biographic data. No certificate is issued.	To obtain a formal Certificate of Clearance stating “No Criminal Record” or detailing any hit that was later cleared.
Typical requestors	Government agencies, employers (domestic/foreign), banks, courts, foreign embassies, researchers, or the data subject.	Any individual who needs an official certificate for work, travel, visa, adoption, gun licence, etc.
Legal test	Legitimate purpose + data-subject consent (if private entity)	None required beyond standard application prescripts
Output	Written or electronic confirmation addressed to the requester; may state “No derogatory record” or enumerate docket numbers only (no facts of the case).	Digitally signed Clearance with QR code, coloured photo and control number.
Fees (2025)	₱ 200 flat, payable through e-payment portal or NBI cashier	₱ 130–180 (online appointment) + e-payment service fee

3. Statutory and regulatory bases

Instrument	Key points for record-verification
RA 10867 (NBI Reorganisation Act)	§7(g): NBI may “undertake verification of criminal records upon request of any person for any legitimate purpose, subject to payment of fees.”
Data Privacy Act (RA 10173) & its IRR	Processing must rest on §12(a) consent or §12(f) legitimate interest; disclosure limited to “minimum necessary” data.
DOJ Dept. Circular 70-2017	Designates the NBI Information & Communications Technology Division (ICTD) as the clearing house for electronic verification.
Executive Order No. 2 (2016) (FOI)	Filipino citizens may request personal data but must prove identity; third-party requests require notarised authority.
Rule on Cybercrime Warrants (A.M. 17-11-13-SC)	Courts may direct the NBI to verify a suspect’s digital and criminal footprint without a clearance application.

4. Who may request record verification without filing a clearance application

The data subject (you) – usually to check if a HIT exists before paying for a clearance appointment.
Government units – CSC, DFA, DSWD, BI, LGUs for licensing, deportation, or adoption cases.
Foreign missions & visa centres – through the DFA-Office of Consular Affairs (“Diplomatic Third-Person Note” route).
Private employers, banks, and schools – with signed consent/authorization.
Courts and quasi-judicial bodies – via subpoena duces tecum or order.
Researchers/press – only aggregate or anonymised data; no personally identifiable records released.

5. Four recognised modes of verification (2025)

Mode	How it works	Turn-around time
A. Online NBI Record Verification Portal (NRVP)	Create an account → enter subject’s details → upload PDF authority & IDs → pay fee via e-payment partners → PDF result emailed + downloadable on dashboard.	1 – 2 working days
B. Walk-in ICTD counter (NBI Main, UN Ave., Manila)	Submit letter request, authority, IDs; pay cashier; claim result over-the-counter.	Same day if filed before 12 nn
C. Inter-agency request (official letterhead)	Agency sends e-mail with scanned request endorsed by its data-privacy officer. Originals follow by messenger.	3–5 working days
D. FOI e-Portal	File under “Personal and Criminal Record Verification”; attach e-signature; pay FOI fee (₱ 200).	15 working days max. under FOI rules

All four modes dispense with the usual NBI Clearance online appointment queue and biometric capture.

6. Documentary requirements

Applicant type	Required documents
Individual (self-check)	(a) Accomplished Verification Form; (b) 1 primary ID or 2 secondary IDs; (c) proof of payment.
Authorized representative	Items above plus notarised Special Power of Attorney and photocopy of your ID.
Employer / Agency	(a) Company request letter citing purpose; (b) notarised data-subject consent; (c) authorised representative’s ID; (d) proof of payment.
Court	Original subpoena/order signed by judge or clerk of court.
FOI-based	FOI request form, e-signature, 2 valid IDs.

7. Sequence of processing (walk-in example)

Triaging desk screens papers and checks that the purpose is “verification only.”
Cashier receives ₱ 200 fee and issues Official Receipt with barcode.
ICTD operator inputs name, birth date, alias details.
Automated search returns “No Record” or “Name Hit.”
Quality Control Officer reviews hit to exclude namesakes using birthmarks, biometrics and court docket cross-matching.
Verification Letter (signed e-copy) is printed and released; PDF also uploaded to your NRVP account (if any).

8. Possible outcomes

“No derogatory record” – no entry found.
“Name hit under verification” – a provisional match; you may be asked to appear for interview or submit fingerprints.
“Record exists” – letter lists docket/case numbers only; it does not narrate facts.
“Pending manual verification” – usually when local court databases are down.

9. Handling HITs without filing a clearance

If the letter shows a HIT and you believe it is a namesake:

Attach the Verification Letter to an e-mail addressed to records@nbi.gov.ph, subject “Request for Identity Exclusion – [Name]”.
Include scanned passport, PSA birth certificate, and an affidavit of denial.
The General Assignment Section re-runs fingerprints against archived booking sheets.
Once cleared, you receive an “Entry marked as namesake” endorsement.
Future clearance applications will now auto-skip the HIT.

If the record is yours but was dismissed/settled, attach the certified true copy of the order of dismissal; the NBI annotates “case dismissed on [date]” but the docket still appears. Expungement is available only after an acquittal that carries a pronouncement of “no administrative liability” (People v. Go, G.R. 219687, 26 Jul 2022).

10. Data-privacy and liability notes

The “least-intrusive-data” rule applies: the NBI releases only status (“with/without record”) and docket numbers, never the narrative or complainant.
Unauthorised disclosure by recipients is punishable under §33(b) of the Data Privacy Act (imprisonment + ₱ 500,000–2,000,000 fine).
Submission of forged authorisations is estafa/forgery plus §18 RA 10867.
NBI personnel leaking raw records may face dismissal under the 2017 Rules on Administrative Cases in Civil Service.

11. Validity, retention and re-use

A Verification Letter states “valid on date of issuance only.” Employers usually accept it for 3–6 months.
Your query is logged for two (2) years under §12 of the NBI Data Retention Policy (2024).
A new letter is needed every time you need fresh confirmation; you cannot “renew” one.

12. Apostille or overseas use

A Verification Letter cannot be apostilled by the DFA because it is not a public document under the Consular Law (E.O. 292 Book IV-B). If an embassy insists on authentication, you must obtain a regular NBI Clearance and have that apostilled.

13. Recent (2023-2025) developments

Integration with PhilSys – Since September 2024, NRVP accepts e-PhilID QR scans in lieu of physical IDs.
e-Verification API Pilot – NBI and the Bureau of Immigration launched a sandbox allowing real-time CRIS look-ups (House Bill 7720, pending in Senate).
Fee digitalisation – From January 2025, all verification fees are payable via PalengkePay and Maya; cash counters in regional offices will be phased out by end-2025.

14. Relationship to Police Clearance

	NBI Record Verification	PNP Nat’l Police Clearance
Coverage	National repository of cases across all law-enforcement bodies and courts	Primarily blotter entries and arrest data recorded by the PNP
Biometrics	Stored centrally since 2014 AFIS upgrade	Separate database; not yet fully interoperable
Preferred for	Overseas employment, immigration, adoption, high-security licences	Local employment, barangay clearance, low-risk jobs

15. Frequently asked questions

Can I do a record check for someone without telling them?
No. Private entities need the person’s explicit, preferably notarised, consent.
Is the ₱ 200 fee refundable if no record is found?
No. The fee covers the database search service.
Will a dismissed case disappear?
Dismissed or acquitted docket numbers remain but are marked “dismissed/acquitted.” Only an executive pardon deletes the entry.
I am abroad—can I request verification online?
Yes, provided you upload a selfie with your passport. Results are e-mailed.
What if I receive a Fake NBI Verification Letter?
E-mail helpdesk@nbi.gov.ph attaching the letter; the QR code (since 2023) instantly shows authenticity when scanned.

16. Best-practice tips

Run a self-verification a week before scheduling any clearance appointment to avoid surprise hits and wasted travel.
Employers: adopt a two-step check—initial NBI verification (cheaper, faster), then full clearance once an applicant is shortlisted.
Maintain a paper trail (receipts, e-mail acknowledgments) to defend against privacy-breach allegations.
Always redact docket numbers when forwarding the letter to third parties who do not need them.

17. Conclusion

NBI Record Verification without a Clearance Application is a lawful, streamlined mechanism for confirming whether an individual is in the national criminal-records database without the cost and delay of the full clearance procedure. Properly used—with due regard to consent, minimal disclosure principles, and statutory safeguards—it balances public-safety objectives with the constitutional right to informational privacy.

Prepared 29 April 2025. For questions about your specific situation, consult a Philippine lawyer or the NBI Information & Communications Technology Division.