Quick answer

Apply through the official NBI Clearance portal, complete your profile exactly as shown on your supporting documents, choose a branch and appointment, pay using the generated reference number, and appear personally for identity verification, photograph, fingerprints, and electronic signature.

If any information is wrong, correct it before the clearance is printed whenever possible. If the clearance has already been issued, contact the issuing branch or the NBI Clearance Center and request correction or reissuance, bringing the incorrect clearance and documents proving the correct information. A wrong entry in an NBI clearance is different from a “HIT”: a HIT requires record verification and cannot be removed merely by editing the applicant’s profile.

How to obtain a new NBI clearance

1. Register through the official portal

Use only the government’s NBI Clearance Application Portal. Register with an active email address and mobile number because the system may require a one-time password.

Complete all required personal, family, education, and employment information. Match the spelling, order, suffix, birth date, birthplace, and other details appearing on your valid identification and civil-registry documents. Review the profile before saving it.

Avoid unofficial websites, social-media agents, and “fixers.” The official NBI website links directly to the authorized portal.

2. Apply, select a branch, and schedule an appointment

After saving the profile:

Select Apply for Clearance.
Identify the government-issued ID you will present.
Choose an available NBI branch and appointment slot.
Select a payment method.
Save the generated reference number.
Pay only through the selected authorized channel.
Confirm that the transaction appears as PAID before visiting the branch.

The NBI currently states that the basic clearance fee is ₱130, plus an electronic-payment service charge that is commonly about ₱25 to ₱30. The actual total displayed by the official portal and payment channel controls.

The NBI also states that a paid transaction typically has a 15-day grace period if the applicant misses the target appointment window. Because branch and system rules can change, follow the date and instructions shown in your account or confirm with the branch before relying on that allowance.

3. Bring the required documents

The NBI’s current guidance requires:

The reference number or QR code, printed or displayed on your device
Proof of payment or receipt
Two original, unexpired government-issued IDs or other documents accepted by the NBI

The NBI lists examples such as a passport, driver’s license, National ID, UMID, Postal ID, and PSA birth certificate. Acceptance can depend on the document’s condition and whether its information is sufficient to establish identity, so bring your strongest available documents and check the NBI’s current application guidance before the appointment.

4. Appear for biometrics and data verification

At the branch, the NBI will capture your:

Photograph
Fingerprints
Electronic signature

The operator should allow you to verify the encoded information before printing. Read every field carefully. Pay particular attention to:

Complete name and suffix
Birth date and birthplace
Sex and civil status
Address
Parents’ names
Distinguishing marks, if listed

Tell the operator immediately if anything is wrong. Do not assume a small spelling error will be harmless to an employer, embassy, licensing body, or other recipient.

5. Wait for database verification

If the result is No HIT, the clearance can ordinarily proceed to printing.

If the result is With HIT, the NBI will conduct additional verification. A HIT may arise because the applicant has a name similar or identical to a person associated with a case or record. It does not, by itself, establish that the applicant is that person.

Follow the return or release date given by the branch. The NBI’s general guidance describes an additional verification period commonly lasting about five to ten working days, but the specific date issued to you controls. Some cases may require a quality-control interview or supporting court records.

Free clearance for qualified first-time jobseekers

Under the First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act, Republic Act No. 11261, a qualified first-time jobseeker may obtain an NBI clearance without paying the government fee. The statutory benefit may be used only once and is subject to proof of eligibility.

Use the dedicated NBI First-Time Jobseekers portal rather than the regular application route. The NBI currently requires:

An original barangay certification stating that the applicant is a first-time jobseeker
A signed oath of undertaking
Two valid government-issued IDs or acceptable certificates

The barangay certification should comply with the NBI’s current requirements, including the appropriate barangay letterhead, seal, and authorized signature. The NBI Citizen’s Charter for first-time jobseekers provides the agency’s current checklist and processing steps.

The fee waiver does not automatically apply to an ordinary renewal or to a person who has already used the benefit.

Renewing an existing clearance

The NBI’s current guidance allows online renewal for eligible clearances issued from 2014 onward when the applicant’s personal information has not changed. Eligible verified users may also retrieve, renew, or access a digital clearance through the eGovPH Super App, following the NBI’s 2026 eClearance announcement.

Use a new application or ask the NBI for instructions instead of selecting a no-change renewal when:

Your name, civil status, address, birth information, or other material detail has changed
The previous clearance contains an error
Your identity documents no longer match the previous record
The portal says you are not eligible for renewal
The receiving institution requires fresh biometrics or a newly issued certificate

Check the validity information printed on the clearance and any separate recency requirement imposed by the employer, embassy, licensing agency, or other recipient.

How to correct an error

If the application has not yet been submitted or paid

Log in and use the available profile-editing function. Save the corrected information and review it again before applying.

If a protected field cannot be edited, do not create duplicate identities or submit conflicting applications merely to bypass the restriction. Contact the NBI for instructions.

If the appointment is already paid but the clearance is not yet printed

Bring the documents proving the correct information and tell the biometrics or encoding operator about the error before printing. Ask the operator to confirm the corrected entry on screen.

Do not discard the original reference number or pay for another transaction unless the NBI instructs you to do so. Whether an existing paid transaction can be corrected or must be replaced can depend on the field involved and the status of the application.

If the incorrect clearance has already been printed

Stop using the incorrect clearance and contact the issuing branch or the NBI Clearance Center promptly. Bring or provide:

The original incorrect clearance
Your application reference number
Proof of payment
The IDs used in the application
The strongest official document proving the correct information
A copy of any written correction request and the NBI’s reply

Ask the NBI to confirm whether it will correct the underlying profile, reprint the certificate, or require a new application. The NBI does not publish a single nationwide online checklist or fixed fee covering every post-issuance correction, so verify the exact requirements with the branch before paying again or traveling.

If your name or civil status changed

Use official supporting records. Depending on the facts, these may include:

A PSA birth certificate
A PSA marriage certificate
An annotated civil-registry record
A final court or administrative order
A passport or other government ID already reflecting the lawful change

A data-correction request cannot substitute for a civil-registry, administrative, or judicial process that the law requires. The National Privacy Commission expressly states that the right to rectification does not cover a correction that requires an order from a court or another government agency.

If the problem is a HIT or an apparently mistaken criminal-record match

Do not treat this as an ordinary spelling correction. Attend the quality-control interview or verification process and bring any documents the NBI requests.

If relevant, preserve certified court documents showing the actual status or disposition of a case, such as an order of dismissal, acquittal, archived-case order, or certification concerning the warrant or case. The proper document depends on the court record and procedural history. An NBI profile edit cannot alter a genuine judicial record.

Seek legal help promptly if the NBI attributes another person’s case to you, an outstanding warrant is alleged, your documents appear to have been used by someone else, or the court record itself is inaccurate.

Your right to correct personal data

Section 16 of the Data Privacy Act of 2012 generally allows a data subject to dispute inaccurate personal information and require the personal information controller to correct it, unless the request is vexatious or otherwise unreasonable. The National Privacy Commission’s rectification guidance explains that this right does not replace a separate official correction process required by law.

The right is also subject to statutory limitations, including limits relating to personal information gathered for investigations concerning criminal, administrative, or tax liability. For that reason, correcting applicant-supplied biographical information is not the same as demanding the deletion or alteration of an investigative or court record.

Make the request precise and evidence-based. Identify:

The exact incorrect field or statement
What the correct information should be
The document proving the correction
The application or clearance number involved
The action requested, such as profile correction and reissuance

If the correction could affect a previously submitted clearance, ask the NBI in writing how the corrected record can be issued or communicated.

Evidence to preserve

Keep secure copies of:

The profile page before and after any attempted edit
Appointment confirmation
Reference number and QR code
Payment receipt
Incorrect clearance
Valid IDs and supporting civil-registry documents
Branch-issued return or release slip
Emails, complaint numbers, and written replies
The date, branch, window, and name or position of the officer who assisted you
Court documents submitted during HIT verification

Redact sensitive information before sending documents through nonofficial channels. Never post a full clearance, QR code, ID number, birth certificate, or signature publicly.

Common mistakes to avoid

Entering a nickname instead of the name supported by official documents
Omitting or adding a suffix without checking the source records
Reversing the maternal middle name and surname
Paying before reviewing the profile
Using a renewal route despite changed personal information
Ignoring a mistake noticed during on-screen verification
Assuming a HIT means guilt or, conversely, ignoring a scheduled verification
Paying a fixer to “remove” a HIT
Submitting altered, falsified, or inconsistent documents
Discarding receipts, reference numbers, or the incorrect clearance
Sending identity documents to unofficial email addresses or social-media accounts

If the NBI does not resolve the issue

Start with the NBI and give it a reasonable opportunity to correct the record. The current official contact details for clearance concerns are:

Email: nbiclearance@nbi.gov.ph
Landline: (02) 8524-1277
Mobile: 0939 150 2880
NBI Clearance Center: UN Avenue, Ermita, Manila
Published operating hours: Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Confirm current details on the NBI contact page and locate other offices through the NBI Clearance Office Locator.

For an unresolved privacy-rights issue, send the NBI a written notice describing the error and requested correction. The National Privacy Commission’s complaint rules generally require proof that the respondent was first informed in writing and failed to take timely or appropriate action, or did not respond within 15 calendar days after receiving the notice. Review the NPC complaint mechanics before filing; a clearance dispute is not automatically a privacy violation, especially where investigative records or another legally prescribed correction process is involved.

Applicants who are abroad

New overseas applicants must follow the NBI’s Mailed Clearance procedure. The current instructions require NBI Form No. 5 obtained through a Philippine embassy or consular office, or through an authorized representative; properly witnessed rolled fingerprints; a recent 2×2 photograph with a white background; and a photocopy of the valid passport’s biographical page.

The completed application may be mailed or processed through a designated representative. The NBI states that overseas applications are processed only through its Mailed Clearance Section at the NBI Clearance Building on UN Avenue, Manila, with a published maximum processing period of five working days after receipt of complete documents. Mailing and delivery time are separate.

For an overseas correction, contact mailedclearance@nbi.gov.ph before sending the certificate or paying again. Explain whether the error is in the application form, the applicant profile, or the issued clearance and ask for the exact documentary and authorization requirements.

When help is urgent

Contact the NBI immediately—and consider consulting a Philippine lawyer—when:

A HIT or clearance entry is tied to a case or warrant that is not yours
An employer, embassy, or licensing deadline is close
The NBI and your civil-registry or court records conflict
Someone may have used your identity
The clearance shows a serious error after being submitted to another institution
You are being asked to pay an unofficial person to alter or expedite the result
A correction requires a court order or formal civil-registry proceeding

Tell the employer or other requesting institution that verification or correction is pending and provide only the NBI’s official receipt, appointment, or return slip if the institution agrees to accept it temporarily.

Frequently asked questions

Can I correct an NBI clearance entirely online?

A profile may be editable before submission, but the NBI does not publish a universal online procedure for every correction after payment or issuance. Protected fields, printed clearances, identity conflicts, and HIT records may require branch verification.

Do I need to pay again for a correction?

Not necessarily. It depends on whether the error can be corrected within the existing transaction or requires a new application or reissuance. Ask the NBI before making another payment. Payment-channel service charges may be separate from the government fee.

Can I use a clearance with a minor typo?

It is safer not to. Even a small discrepancy may cause rejection or additional verification. Request correction before submitting the clearance.

Does a HIT mean I have a criminal record?

Not necessarily. A HIT can result from a similar or identical name and triggers manual verification. Follow the branch’s instructions and return date.

Can the NBI correct my PSA birth or marriage record?

No. The proper civil registrar, PSA process, court, or other competent authority must first correct or annotate the source record when the law requires that process. The NBI can then evaluate the corrected official documents.

Can someone else obtain or correct my clearance?

Ordinary applications require personal biometrics. The NBI has a specific mailed-clearance and representative procedure for applicants abroad, but authorization requirements do not automatically apply to every local correction. Obtain written instructions from the NBI for your situation.

Is a first-time jobseeker clearance always free?

The statutory waiver is available only to a qualified first-time jobseeker who presents the required barangay certification and complies with the NBI process. The benefit may be used only once.

Which date determines whether my clearance is still acceptable?

Use the validity information printed on the clearance, but also check the requesting institution’s rules. An employer, embassy, or regulator may require a more recently issued document.

Official sources

This article provides general legal and procedural information, not legal advice. Requirements can depend on the applicant’s documents, the field being corrected, and any related court or investigative record. Official sources and procedures were checked as of August 25, 2026.