It is no longer news that the NBI clearance is valid for one year after which it has to be constantly renewed. So, what do you do when you’re residing abroad yet need your NBI clearance renewed?
This article will guide you on the step-by-step process of how to renew NBI clearance abroad.
This guide covers:
General requirements for renewing NBI clearance abroad.
A copy of the previous NBI clearance document.
Copy of passport (data page).
2×2 photo taken in the last three (3) months.
Ways To Get Your NBI clearance renewed abroad.
With authorized representative
Without authorized representative
Table of Contents
General Requirements For NBI Clearance Renewal
You should know that renewal is only available for NBI clearance that was issued from 2014 to the present. If you have an NBI clearance dated from 2013 downwards then you would need to go through the application process for first-timers.
If you are still reading then I assume you meet the criteria above. These are the things you need to get ready for your NBI renewal abroad:
- The old copy of NBI clearance.
- Copy of passport (data page).
- 2×2 photo taken in the last three (3) months.
Old Copy Of NBI clearance
You will need to submit your previous clearance document so that the NBI can easily access your data. This document is essential as its absence will make you go through the process of getting your NBI clearance for the first time all over again.
Copy Of Your Passport (Data Page)
Another essential document to ease your NBI clearance renewal process is your valid passport. You are not required to send a copy of the whole passport but rather just the second page which is the data page.
2×2 Photo Taken In The Last Three Months
The NBI requires you to provide a recent photo that meets the following requirements.
- Taken with a white background.
- The photo should not be blurry.
- It must be a hard copy.
Only one photo is required but you may submit an additional one if you want.
Since you are outside the Philippines, the NBI accepts scanned versions of the above documents. The only exception is the 2×2 photo. Your representative would need to go to a photo studio or any place that offers rush I.D to get yours printed in photo paper.
How To Renew NBI Clearance Abroad
When outside the Philippines, you have two options for renewing your NBI clearance.
Firstly, as a general step, you have to log in to your NBI Clearance account on the NBI portal to get information, fill out the necessary details, or make payment.
You can also create a new NBI clearance account if you’ve lost access to the previous one. Just follow the easy online prompts to create yours.
The two ways to renew your NBI clearance abroad are:
- With an authorized representative.
- Without an authorized representative.
With An Authorized Representative
In this method, you will have a trusted friend or relative living in the Philippines to handle your NBI clearance renewal for you.
The steps to follow are:
- Get all the documents listed in the section above ready and add an authorization letter for your representative. Ensure to include all the necessary information on the letter and append your signature.
- Mail it to your representative via airmail or scan the documents to send by email. Make sure your representative takes your photo for a rush I.D before proceeding to the NBI center.
- Your representative will submit the documents at an NBI center and makes the payment for NBI clearance. There is no need to book an online appointment for NBI clearance renewal.
- The renewed NBI clearance will be ready for your representative to pick up within the range of the next working day to five days.
- Then they can mail it to you via any courier of your choice.
- Check for a dry seal mark of the NBI on the document once you receive it and put your fingerprint where there’s a space for it.
Note: Your representative must show his/her valid ID at the NBI center and dress properly.
Without An Authorized Representative
If you don’t have a trusted person back home that you can have as your representative then you can opt for this method.
These are the steps:
- Get the necessary documents listed in the first section. You can not scan your documents here because you would be mailing them to the NBI in the Philippines.
- Attach a bank draft of the payment made to the envelope. The payment varies but is most commonly PNP200, that is, PNP130 for the NBI services, and PNP70 for the courier device of PHLPost.
- Mail the correct documents to this address:
Ms. Sandra Sobida
Mailed Clearance Section3/F NBI Clearance BuildingUnited Nations Avenue, ErmitaManila, Philippines 1000
- You can track the status of your application at the NBI official website.
- As soon as your NBI clearance document is ready the bureau will mail it to you. This can take up to two months depending on your country of residence.
- As with the other method, confirm the authenticity of the document as soon as you get it and append your fingerprint.
Note: If you require the NBI clearance documents as a matter of urgency, you should mail the documents with a self-addressed envelope that has a tracking number. Indicate with a note that you would like a courier service to deliver your document.
This is your responsibility and not that of the NBI so make sure you book a courier service to pick up and ship the document to you as soon as you are informed of its availability.
In addition to that, attach a note with your email address in the documents to be mailed so that the NBI can inform you once your document is ready.
Conclusion
Gone are the days when you had to get in-person renewals for your NBI clearance whilst waiting in long queues regardless of whether you are abroad or not.
Now, the NBI offers a much more convenient approach which I have covered in this article. I hope that it has answered the lingering question of how to renew your NBI clearance abroad, let me know in the comment section below!
