If an employer, immigration officer, consulate, or Philippine bank has asked you for an “NBI clearance,” this page explains what NBI is, what the clearance certifies, and how to obtain one if you are living in Canada. Whether you are renewing or applying for the first time, the document and the agency behind it are the same — only the path to getting it changes when you are abroad.
On this page
- What is NBI?
- What is an NBI clearance?
- What does NBI stand for?
- What is an NBI clearance used for?
- Who needs an NBI clearance?
- NBI vs. police clearance, PNP, CIDG, FBI
- NBI Clearance vs. NBI HIT — what is the difference?
- How to get an NBI clearance from Canada
- Frequently asked questions
What is NBI?
The NBI is the Philippines’ National Bureau of Investigation, a national investigative and intelligence service agency under the Philippine Department of Justice. It was established on October 4, 1947 through Republic Act No. 94, originally founded as the Division of Investigation in 1936 and modeled on the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). It is headquartered in Manila and operates regional and district offices across the country.
NBI’s roles include criminal investigation, forensic analysis, intelligence work, and — most relevant to the millions of Filipinos asking about it abroad — the issuance and maintenance of the country’s central criminal-records database. When someone applies for an “NBI clearance,” they are requesting a certificate from that database confirming whether or not their name is linked to any criminal record in the Philippines.
What is an NBI clearance?
An NBI clearance is an official document issued by the National Bureau of Investigation that certifies whether or not the named person has a criminal record in the Philippines. It is the Philippine equivalent of a police clearance certificate (PCC) or a national-level background check.
A standard NBI clearance shows:
- The applicant’s full name, date of birth, and photograph
- The purpose for which it was requested (e.g., “Local Employment,” “Travel Abroad,” “Immigration”)
- A statement of the record search result — typically “NO DEROGATORY RECORD” for a clean clearance, or “HIT” with adjudication notes if a record or namesake match was found
- The date of issuance, an embossed seal, and a QR-style barcode for verification
An NBI clearance is widely accepted as a valid government-issued identification within the Philippines (banks, telcos, government counters), and as a Philippine police certificate by foreign governments, embassies, and employers worldwide. For a complete walkthrough of how the document is obtained, see our NBI clearance guide.
What does NBI stand for?
NBI is the acronym for National Bureau of Investigation. In Filipino-Tagalog, the agency is also referred to as Pambansang Kawanihan ng Pagsisiyasat. The acronym is used consistently in both official communication and everyday speech — Filipinos rarely spell out the full name in conversation.
The phrase “NBI clearance” is shorthand for “NBI clearance certificate.” You may also see it written as “NBI Clearance,” “NBI Cert,” or “NBI Background Check.” These all refer to the same document. The term should not be confused with the U.S. FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) or other agencies that use similar acronyms — see NBI vs. PNP, CIDG, and FBI for the differences.
What is an NBI clearance used for?
Inside the Philippines
- Employment — most Philippine employers require an NBI clearance as part of pre-hire background screening. It is one of the standard documents new hires submit on day one.
- Business and professional licensing — frequently requested in connection with business registration, professional regulatory filings, and certain government applications.
- Government identification — recognized as a valid primary or secondary government ID for banking, telco SIM registration, and other counter transactions.
- Firearms licensing, security work, and travel documentation — required for permits issued by the Philippine National Police and the Bureau of Immigration.
For Filipinos abroad
- Canadian immigration (IRCC) — required as a Philippine police certificate if you lived in the Philippines for six months or more since age 18. Used for permanent residence, citizenship, work permits, and study permits. See our validity guide for IRCC’s six-month freshness rule.
- U.S., Australian, U.K., and other foreign visa applications — most countries’ immigration authorities require a police certificate from each country the applicant has lived in for a significant period.
- Canadian employer background checks — common in healthcare (registered nurses, PSWs, long-term care), education, financial services, government, and security roles.
- Credential evaluation (WES, ICAS, IQAS, ICES) — some Canadian credential-evaluation services request a police certificate as part of identity verification, though this is application-specific.
- Philippine consular services and transactions — needed for dual citizenship petitions under RA 9225, certain property transactions, and powers of attorney involving criminal-record affirmations.
Who needs an NBI clearance?
Three groups most commonly need one:
- Filipino citizens or former citizens living abroad who are asked for a Philippine police certificate by a host-country immigration office, employer, or regulator.
- Foreign nationals who have lived in the Philippines for six months or more and are applying for Canadian permanent residence, citizenship, or other immigration benefits. IRCC requires a police certificate from every country in which the applicant has accumulated six or more consecutive months of residence since age 18.
- Filipinos inside the Philippines applying for jobs, business permits, firearms licenses, or any transaction requiring proof of a clean record.
NBI vs. police clearance, PNP, CIDG, FBI
The NBI clearance is one of several “clearance” documents in the Philippine system, and it is frequently confused with the others. Here is a quick orientation:
| Document | Issuing Agency | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| NBI Clearance | National Bureau of Investigation | National criminal-records database; accepted internationally |
| Police Clearance | Local Philippine National Police (PNP) station | City or municipal records only; limited international acceptance |
| PNP National Clearance | Philippine National Police (national level) | National records — a newer document, separate from NBI |
| CIDG Clearance | Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP) | CIDG-specific criminal records; rarely requested by foreign authorities |
| FBI Background Check | U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation | U.S. records only — completely separate jurisdiction |
For Filipinos in Canada, the document Canadian immigration and employers nearly always want is the NBI clearance — not the local PNP police clearance, not CIDG, and certainly not the FBI check. For a full side-by-side, see NBI vs. PNP, CIDG, and FBI and NBI vs. local police clearance.
NBI Clearance vs. NBI HIT — what is the difference?
An NBI clearance is the final certificate. An NBI HIT is an interim status that appears during processing when your name matches an existing record in the NBI database. A HIT is not a verdict — it is a flag triggering further review.
The most common cause of a HIT is a namesake match: another person with a similar or identical name has a record on file. Namesake HITs are resolved through an Affidavit of Denial process. A smaller share of HITs reflect actual records linked to the applicant (dismissed cases, resolved cases, or open cases), each handled differently. See our complete NBI HIT guide for the full resolution workflow.
How to get an NBI clearance from Canada
If you are in Canada and need an NBI clearance, the practical paths are:
- Renewal (if you held an NBI clearance issued in 2014 or later) — your biometrics are already on file in Manila, so a renewal does not require new fingerprints. The process is fully remote: we submit on your behalf and courier the printed clearance to your Canadian address. Typical processing time is two to three weeks.
- First-time application — you will need an ink-and-roll fingerprint card using NBI Form No. 5. We ship you the required NBI form; you have your fingerprints taken locally (most local police-services counters offer civil fingerprinting, or you can use a private fingerprinting provider); you return the completed card; we submit it to NBI in Manila. Processing is four to six weeks.
- Through a representative in the Philippines — a family member or other proxy applies on your behalf with a Special Power of Attorney. Slower than the direct paths and often more complicated when a HIT requires affidavit handling.
For a full step-by-step including current costs, document requirements, and delivery options, see the complete NBI clearance guide. If you are inside the Philippines and need to book a branch appointment, see the NBI appointment online guide.
Frequently asked questions
What does NBI mean?
NBI stands for National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine government agency under the Department of Justice that maintains the country’s central criminal-records database and issues the NBI clearance certificate.
What is an NBI clearance, in one sentence?
An NBI clearance is an official Philippine document certifying whether the named person has a criminal record in the Philippines, issued by the National Bureau of Investigation after a search of its central records database.
What does “no derogatory record” mean on an NBI clearance?
“No derogatory record” is the statement printed on a clean NBI clearance. It means that, as of the date of issuance, the NBI’s search of its central database returned no criminal records, no pending cases, and no adverse intelligence files linked to the applicant. It is the result everyone wants — and the result the vast majority of applicants receive. For the full explainer including the Tagalog explanation and what other clean-result phrasings you may see, read what “no derogatory record” means.
Is an NBI clearance the same as a criminal-record check?
Functionally yes — the NBI clearance is the Philippines’ national criminal-record check. It performs the same role for the Philippines that the RCMP certified criminal-record check performs for Canada, or the FBI Identity History Summary performs for the United States.
Can I get an NBI clearance without traveling to the Philippines?
Yes. Renewals are fully remote if you have a previous NBI clearance issued in 2014 or later. First-time applicants need to provide an ink-and-roll fingerprint card on NBI Form No. 5, which can be taken at most local police-services counters (civil fingerprinting service) or at a private fingerprinting provider in Canada. NBI Renewal Canada manages the Manila side end-to-end.
Is the NBI clearance the same as a Philippine police clearance?
No. A “police clearance” in the Philippines refers to a local document issued by the city or municipal PNP station where you reside — its scope is local records only. The NBI clearance is national and is the document Canadian immigration, foreign embassies, and most international employers accept.
How long is an NBI clearance valid?
NBI prints a one-year validity on the certificate. However, foreign agencies often apply their own shorter “freshness” rules — IRCC, for example, requires the police certificate for the country of current residence to be issued no more than six months before the application is submitted. For the full breakdown, see NBI clearance validity and expiration.
Ready to get your NBI clearance from Canada?
NBI Renewal Canada has processed thousands of NBI clearances for Filipinos across Canada and the U.S. We handle the Manila side end-to-end — renewal or first-time — and ship the printed clearance to your address. Renewals from $99 + HST; first-time applications from $149 + HST.