Which Is Better- NBI Clearance or Police Clearance?

Many Filipinos are yet to differentiate between NBI Clearance and Police Clearance. Often, when reporting a criminal case, you may be asked to provide copies of the two documents. Or, substitute one document for another.  But what are their uses? Does the NBI Clearance serve the same purpose as Police Clearance?

In this article, we are going to look at the differences between the two documents. Read through to the last paragraph to know which is better than the other. 

What Is NBI Clearance

NBI Clearance is a clearance certificate issued by the National Bureau of Investigation as a proof of identity. It proves that the holder is clean and hasn’t committed any form of criminality in a span of one year while in the Philippines. It is also applicable to foreigners who wish to legitimize their stay in the Philippines. 

NBI Clearance certificate comes with a QR code that expires after one year. To extend its validity, holders are required to initiate renewal applications either online or off-the-counter.

What is Police Clearance?

Police Clearance is a certificate issued by the local governments in the Philippines as proof that the holder’ is not in the Philippine National Police (PNP) databases. It has a lifespan of six months. The certificates serve as proof that holder, in their six months stay in the country, hasn’t committed any criminal offense in the municipalities they have resided in. You can extend the validity of your Police Clearance through bi-annual renewals.

What are the differences between NBI Clearance and Police Clearance?

  1. NBI Clearance is issued by a criminal investigative agency formed under the National Government of the Philippines. Police Clearance, on the other hand, is issued by the Philippines National Police- an agency formed under the local government. 
  2. NBI Clearance has a validity period of one year. The Police Clearance is valid for only six months.
  3. NBI Clearance applies to both foreigners and native Filipinos, living either abroad or in the Philippines. The Police Clearance applies only to citizens living in the Philippines in their respective municipalities. 
  4. NBI Clearance is acceptable as a substitute for a National Identification Card. The same cannot be said about the Police Clearance. It is purposely for criminal identification.
  5. You can apply for and get NBI Clearance even with unsolved cases. The pending or on-going cases are highlighted in the certificate for purposes of identification. On the other hand, you cannot get the Police Clearance with unsolved cases. 
  6. You can only hold one NBI Clearance form at a specific time of the year. However, for Police Clearance, you can have up to three certificates, from the place of residence, place of work, and municipal where you previously worked. 

NBI Clearance and Police Clearance: Which Is Better?

In the context of functionality, NBI serves a wider scope as compared to the Police Clearance. It substitutes the national identification hence applicable for a cocktail of purposes. Some of the uses include; application of new job opportunities, correcting errors in other legal documents, application of immigration documents, registering new financial accounts, and a lot more. 

On the contrary, police clearance only applies to matters under the control of various local governments in the Philippines. It is a primary requirement for local job seekers. 

Which of the two is better? Of course- the NBI Clearance!