Both clearances check your name against criminal records, but they come from different agencies. The NBI clearance is issued by the National Bureau of Investigation, and it’s the one visas, immigration and many employers ask for by name. The police clearance is issued by the Philippine National Police (PNP) through its National Police Clearance System at pnpclearance.ph.
Going abroad? Get the NBI clearance: the US State Department and Canadian immigration both name it as the Philippine police certificate. For jobs and permits in the Philippines, get whichever the office lists, and if a requirements list just says “clearance”, ask which one before you pay for either.
| NBI clearance | National Police Clearance | |
|---|---|---|
| Issued by | National Bureau of Investigation | Philippine National Police |
| Apply at | clearance.nbi.gov.ph | pnpclearance.ph |
| Fee | ₱130 plus an e-payment charge, ₱155–₱160 in total | ₱150 plus a convenience fee that depends on how you pay |
| IDs at your visit | Two valid IDs | One valid government-issued ID |
| Valid for | One year | Six months |
| Renewing without a visit | Online renewal with delivery, or the eGovPH app | Non-appearance renewal within three years of your last in-person clearance |
| First-time jobseekers | Free once under RA 11261 | Free once under RA 11261 |
| For visas and immigration | The one most embassies ask for | Not what embassies usually ask for |
We are not the NBI or the PNP. This is an independent guide. Apply only through clearance.nbi.gov.ph and pnpclearance.ph, and remember that the office asking for a clearance decides which one it accepts.
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Which one do you need?
| What it’s for | What to get |
|---|---|
| A US immigrant visa | NBI clearance |
| Canadian immigration | NBI clearance |
| Another visa, or work abroad | NBI clearance, unless the embassy or employer names something else |
| A job in the Philippines | Whatever the employer lists. Some ask for the NBI clearance, some for a police clearance, some for both |
| A local business permit or other LGU requirement | Often a police clearance; check with your city or municipal hall |
| The list just says “clearance” | Ask which one before you apply |
Why the NBI clearance is the one for going abroad
For US immigrant visas, the State Department lists the NBI clearance as the Philippine police certificate, and Philippine-born applicants aged 16 and over must provide one. Canada’s immigration department also asks for the NBI clearance; our guide to the NBI clearance for Canada covers its rules. A police clearance from the PNP isn’t what these offices ask for.
How they differ
Different agencies, different records: The NBI, under the Department of Justice, checks your name against its own records. The PNP’s National Police Clearance System checks police records from across the country in one database. The two overlap, but a record can show up in one and not the other, which is one reason some employers ask for both.
Cost: An NBI clearance costs ₱130 plus an e-payment charge, so ₱155–₱160 in total; here’s the full NBI clearance fee breakdown. A National Police Clearance costs ₱150 plus a convenience fee that depends on how you pay.
Validity: An NBI clearance is valid for one year from its issue date. A police clearance is valid for six months, so if you’ll need it for several applications over the year, the NBI clearance lasts longer.
What to bring: At the NBI branch, you show two valid IDs the NBI accepts plus your reference number. At the police station, the PNP asks for one valid government-issued ID, your proof of payment and your appointment reference number.
Renewing without a visit: If your last NBI clearance was issued after 2014 and nothing has changed, you can renew online with delivery or in the eGovPH app; our NBI clearance renewal guide compares the options. The PNP allows a non-appearance renewal if you had an in-person police clearance within the last three years: you use the same account, upload a 2×2 photo and a selfie holding a valid ID, and download the clearance from your account.
If your name matches a record: Both can return a HIT when your name matches a record. At the NBI, you’re usually asked to come back after 5–10 working days, with no extra fee; here’s what a HIT on your NBI clearance means. At the PNP, the station verifies the match before releasing your clearance.
National vs local police clearance
Besides the National Police Clearance, some city and municipal police stations still issue a local police clearance that covers only their area. Requirements and fees vary by town, and some ask for a barangay clearance and a cedula. If an office asks for a police clearance, check whether a local one is acceptable or whether it wants the National Police Clearance.
How to get each one
NBI clearance
Register at clearance.nbi.gov.ph, fill in your details, book a branch, date and time slot, then pay with the reference number the portal gives you. At the branch, staff take your photo and fingerprints, and if your name has no match, you get the clearance the same day. Our step-by-step NBI clearance guide covers every screen.
National Police Clearance
- Register at pnpclearance.ph, or log in if you already have an account.
- Complete your profile, choose the purpose, then pick a date and police station.
- Choose how you’ll pay. The system gives you a reference number.
- Pay through the Landbank ePayment portal, which also lets you pay through GCash, Maya, 7-Eleven or Bayad Center, and keep your proof of payment.
- On your appointment date, bring one valid government-issued ID, your proof of payment and your reference number. The station takes your biometrics, photo and signature.
If you can’t appear in person
The PNP offers a clearance certification for first-time applicants who can’t go to the station themselves: Filipinos working or living abroad, bedridden persons, petitioners for probation or bail, and deceased persons.
Checking a police clearance
Anyone can verify a National Police Clearance on pnpclearance.ph by entering the applicant’s last name and the clearance transaction number.
Free for first-time jobseekers
Under RA 11261, first-time jobseekers get both clearances free, once each. You need a first-time jobseeker certification from your barangay. The NBI’s version is applied for on its separate portal, firsttimejobseekers.nbi.gov.ph; here’s how to get the free NBI clearance for first-time jobseekers. For the police clearance, mark yourself as a first-time jobseeker in your profile and bring the certification and one valid ID.
Can one replace the other?
Not reliably. They come from different agencies, and the office asking decides what it accepts. An office that names the NBI clearance won’t usually take a police clearance instead, and the reverse is also true. If a checklist names both, get both.
Don’t count on a police clearance as one of your two IDs for the NBI, either. Bring it only as extra support, together with two IDs the NBI accepts, such as your passport, driver’s license or National ID.
FAQs: NBI clearance vs police clearance
Neither is better in general. For visas, immigration and work abroad, get the NBI clearance. For local jobs and permits, get whichever the office asks for.
The National Police Clearance from pnpclearance.ph is checked against the PNP’s nationwide system. A local police clearance from a town or city station covers only that area.
Six months. An NBI clearance is valid for one year.
Usually not. The US State Department and Canadian immigration both ask for the NBI clearance. Follow the embassy’s written requirements.
Only if the office asks for both. Check the written requirements before you apply for either.
₱150 plus a convenience fee that depends on how you pay. First-time jobseekers get it free once under RA 11261.
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