How to Get an NBI Clearance While Abroad: A Simple Guide for Filipinos Living Overseas

Get an NBI Clearance While Abroad

Getting an NBI clearance while abroad is difficult for you, especially if you are far from home. But it’s not as complicated as it might seem. You need an NBI certificate whether you’re applying for a job, renewing a visa, or needing it for other legal reasons.

So, how do you get an NBI clearance while you’re abroad? Here, we provide a complete guide for the people who are abroad or who want to get knowledge about it. You can get it through the nearest Philippine Embassy or Consulate or by having a trusted person (with proper authorization) do it for you in the Philippines.

Who Needs an NBI Clearance Abroad?

If you are Filipino and work In other country (OFW), you will need an NBI clearance for different tasks Like applying for a job, renewal your visa or for immigration purposes in the country where you are living in. But it is not just OFWs. It is also for dual citizens, and even students who are applying for residency in another country, work visas, or other legal matters abroad may also be asked to provide your NBI Clearance.

Basically, if you are living outside the Philippines and doing anything that involves background checks, you will need this clearance.

NBI Clearance Abroad

What Documents Do You Need to Apply?

NBI Clearance for aboard documentation is different from Local NBI Clearance. Here we provide a list of requirements of NBI Clearance for abroad:

  • A Valid Philippine Passport – you need a Philippine Passport to get an NBI certificate. It is proof of your identity and nationality that you are a Philippine citizen.
  • NBI Form No. 5 – You need NBI Form No. 5, which is an application form you need to fill out. You can get this from the Philippine Embassy or Consulate.
  • Fingerprint Card Form – you need to have your fingerprints taken.
  • Passport-Sized Photos – You need almost 2 passport-size photos because Some embassies or consulates might ask for photos.
  • Special Power of Attorney (SPA) – If someone you know lives in the Philippines and can apply on your behalf, you’ll need to sign a power of attorney document to authorize them.

These are the important documents you need to apply for NBI Clearance from abroad.

Step-by-Step Process to Get NBI Clearance Abroad

NBI clearance while abroad is not difficult. Just follow these steps to get your clearance.

Step 1: Visit the Philippine Embassy

Visit the Philippine Embassy in the country where you currently Live. Here, you get the application form (NBI Form No. 5) and the fingerprint card form for your fingerprint.

Step 2: Fill the Forms No.5

You need to fill out NBI Form No. 5. On the form, you fill in your basic information, such as your name, address, date of birth, and other details.

NBI Forms No.5

Step 3: Get Your Fingerprints Taken

You need to take your fingerprints on your fingerprint card. You can also do this at the Philippine Embassy or your local police station.

Step 4: Send Your Documents to the NBI Office in the Philippines

you will need to send everything to the NBI office in the Philippines through a courier service (like DHL or FedEx) or by having a representative in the Philippines submit them for you.

NBI Office in the Philippines

Step 5: Wait for the Processing and Delivery

After NBI receives your documents, they will process your NBI clearance. it takes 3 to 5 weeks. Once it is ready, it will be delivered to your given address.

How Much Does NBI Cost Overseas, and How much time Does It Take?

The NBI Clearance Fee for overseas is PHP 200 to PHP 400. If you use any courier to send your documents, The courier fee will be additional. It is from PHP 1,000 to PHP 2,500, depending on the service you choose.

The NBI Clearance process takes 3 to 5 weeks from when the NBI receives your documents.

What If You Can’t Go to the Embassy?

You can always have someone in the Philippines who apply for the clearance on your behalf. The steps are given below:

  1. You must Prepare the Special Power of Attorney (SPA) document to authorize someone in the Philippines.
  2. Send all your required documents to them, like a copy of your passport and the completed NBI Form No. 5.
  3. Your representative submits everything to the NBI office for processing.

FAQs

Can I renew my NBI clearance online while I am abroad?

No you cannot apply online if you are in abroad You need to sending documents physical.

What if I have a “hit” on my NBI clearance?

A “hit” means your name might be matched with someone in their criminal database.

How often should I renew my NBI clearance?

An NBI clearance is usually valid for one year. After a year, you need to renew your NBI clearance.

Final Thoughts

Getting an NBI clearance while you are abroad is not difficult; you need to follow the steps we gave in this article for clearance. You need someone who submits your NBI Documents on your behalf. The person needs a SPA document to submit your documents.

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