NBI Form No. 5 is the official Philippine government application form required for first-time NBI clearance applicants. It is issued by the Philippine Consulate or Embassy. Where we’re able, we help first-time clients obtain one as a courtesy, subject to availability.
What is NBI Form No. 5?
NBI Form No. 5 is the standardized application form issued by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) of the Philippines for applicants applying for an NBI clearance for the first time, applicants whose last clearance was issued before 2014, and applicants whose name, citizenship, date of birth or gender has changed since their last clearance. The form captures the applicant’s personal information and contains a designated section for ink fingerprints, which must accompany the completed form when it is submitted to NBI Manila.
Form No. 5 is a controlled government document available only from the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) or the Philippine Embassy. It is not downloadable online, and submissions to NBI Manila must use the official form.
Who needs NBI Form No. 5?
- First-time applicants — anyone who has never had an NBI clearance issued.
- Applicants with a name change — for example, a married woman who now uses her husband’s surname as her family name, or a change after an annulment or a legal name correction since the last clearance.
- Applicants whose citizenship, date of birth or gender has changed since the last clearance.
- Applicants whose last clearance was issued before 2014 — old fingerprints may not be on file in the modern NBI system.
If your last NBI clearance was issued in 2014 or later and your name, citizenship, date of birth and gender have not changed, you do not need Form No. 5 — you can renew online using your existing NBI record. A change in civil status alone (for example, single to married) does not count, and neither does a new address. A married woman who keeps her maiden family name and adds her husband’s surname in the Husband’s Surname field can also renew.
We check your documents and tell you whether you need Form No. 5 before you pay. The NBI makes the final decision once your application reaches it; section 10 of our Terms explains what happens if it decides differently.
Form No. 5 in our first-time service
Our first-time application service is designed to keep things simple for you:
- Apply online at nbirenewal.ca/apply — complete the form from home in a few minutes.
- Form No. 5 — courtesy assistance where we’re able, subject to availability (or obtain it yourself from a Philippine Consulate or Embassy).
- Fingerprinting at an RCMP-accredited provider in Canada or via mail-in fingerprint kit (separate cost).
- Submission to NBI Manila and follow-up on processing managed by our team.
- Status updates throughout the process.
- Canada-wide delivery available to your address (separate fee, varies by province).
Form No. 5 itself is always issued by the Philippine government — we are not the issuer. It can be picked up at our Toronto office at no cost, or couriered to you for a separate tracked-shipping fee.
Important — RCMP-accredited stamp required: Your NBI Form No. 5 (the blue form) must be fingerprinted and carry a formal stamp from an RCMP Accredited Fingerprinting Agency. A blue form that does not bear this stamp cannot be processed and will be placed on hold until a properly stamped form is provided.
Pricing for First-Time Applicants
Our First-Time Application service is $149 + HST, and covers application coordination, all NBI government fees, and submission and shipping of your completed Form No. 5 to NBI Manila. See our full pricing page for details.
- Form No. 5 courtesy assistance, subject to availability
- Application coordination and submission to NBI Manila
- All NBI government fees included
- Canada-wide delivery available (separate fee, varies by province)
- Status updates throughout the process
Fingerprinting (RCMP-accredited provider or mail-in kit) and Canada-wide delivery are each priced separately and are not included in the $149 + HST base service fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I download NBI Form No. 5 online?
No. NBI Form No. 5 is a controlled government document and is only issued by the Philippine Consulate or Embassy. NBI does not publish a downloadable version, and any “Form 5” found on unofficial websites is not accepted by NBI Manila.
Do I have to visit the Philippine Consulate to get Form No. 5?
You may obtain it yourself directly from a Philippine Consulate or Embassy. Where we’re able, we can help arrange it for you as a courtesy — free to pick up at our Toronto office, or shipped to you for a separate fee. The form itself is always issued by the Philippine government.
Do renewal applicants need Form No. 5?
No. If you had an NBI clearance issued in 2014 or later and your name, citizenship, date of birth and gender have not changed, your fingerprints are already on file with NBI. A change in civil status alone does not count. You can renew online without Form No. 5 or new fingerprints.
What if my name or other details have changed since my last clearance?
If your name, citizenship, date of birth or gender is different from your last clearance, you will normally need Form No. 5 and new fingerprints, and we quote your application as first-time. A change in civil status alone is not a change: if you keep your maiden family name and add your husband’s surname in the Husband’s Surname field, you can renew. If you now use your husband’s surname as your family name, that is a name change. Send us supporting documents (e.g., marriage certificate, court order) and we will tell you which applies before you pay. If your application is first-time only because a detail has changed and you asked us to help arrange Form No. 5, we ship it only once the NBI confirms it needs one. The NBI has the final say; section 10 of our Terms explains what happens if it decides differently.
Where can I get fingerprinted in Canada?
You can use any RCMP-accredited fingerprinting provider, or use a mail-in fingerprint kit. See our fingerprinting guide for accredited providers across Canada.
How long does first-time NBI clearance take?
Our typical processing time for first-time applications is 15–20 Philippine working days on Regular service, or 5–10 Philippine business days on Express, counted from when your Blue Form (NBI Form No. 5) arrives at NBI Manila and we have your full payment. These times run to the release of your clearance, which we email to you as a digital copy. Your paper original then comes from Manila to our Toronto office with our scheduled courier shipments; we do not give a time estimate for it. If you need your clearance for IRCC, note that IRCC requires the paper version and does not accept the digital/online version.