A HIT means your name matched a record in the NBI’s database, usually a case or complaint involving someone with the same or a similar name. It does not mean you have a criminal record. The NBI holds your clearance while staff check the match by hand, and gives you a return date, usually 5 to 10 working days later.
You don’t pay anything extra. Keep your receipt with the return date, come back on that day with a valid ID, and in most cases you’ll leave with a normal clearance.
| What it is | Your name matched a record, so a person has to check it |
| Does it mean you have a record? | No. Most HITs are someone else with a similar name |
| Waiting time | Usually 5–10 working days; longer if the record turns out to be yours |
| Extra fee | None |
| On your return date | Bring the receipt with the return date and a valid ID; you may be asked a few questions |
| If the record is yours | You’ll need court or prosecutor documents showing how the case ended |
We are not the NBI. This is an independent guide, not legal advice. If a HIT involves a real case against you, talk to a lawyer.
Jump to:
What a HIT on your NBI clearance actually means
When your details are entered at the branch, the NBI system compares your name against its nationwide records: criminal cases, complaints and warrants filed anywhere in the country. If your name is the same as, or close to, a name in those records, the system flags it. That flag is the HIT.
The system can’t tell two people with the same name apart, so a person has to. A verifier compares the record with your birth date, birthplace, parents’ names and other details. If the record belongs to someone else, your clearance is released as normal. Nothing about the HIT appears on it.
Why you got a HIT
- A common name. The more people share your name, the more likely one of them appears in the records. This is the usual reason.
- A similar name. A match doesn’t have to be exact. A shared surname and first name can be enough.
- A past case of your own, even one that was dismissed or ended in acquittal. The record stays in the database until the NBI updates it with how the case ended.
- A record that is still open. Less often, the record is a pending case or warrant, either yours or a namesake’s.
You usually can’t tell which applies until your return date. Most people find out it was a namesake.
What happens at the branch when you get a HIT
- You’re told you have a HIT, usually after your photo and fingerprints are taken.
- You get a return date. It’s usually written or stamped on your receipt, which becomes your claim stub. Don’t lose it.
- Confirm the date and ask what to bring. Most people only need the claim stub and a valid ID. If staff already know the record may be yours, they’ll tell you which documents to bring.
- You leave without the clearance. Nothing else is needed from you until the return date.
There’s nothing you can do to speed up the check. Calling or visiting before your return date won’t bring it forward.
How long a HIT takes
| What the check finds | Typical wait | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| The record belongs to a namesake | Usually 5–10 working days | Come back on the date on your receipt |
| The record is a closed case of yours | Longer, until you submit the documents | Get certified court or prosecutor documents showing the case ended |
| The record is an open case or warrant | Until the case is resolved | Get legal advice before you go back |
If you need the clearance by a deadline and have a common name, apply two to three weeks early. That’s the simplest way to absorb a HIT without missing a job start or visa appointment.
Going back on your return date
Go back to the same branch on the date you were given, with your claim stub and a valid ID. At the verification or quality control window, you may be asked a few questions about your birth details, your parents’ names and your address, so staff can confirm you aren’t the person in the record. Answer plainly and truthfully.
If you’re asked to come back for a longer interview, our guide to the NBI quality control interview explains what they check and what to bring.
Can’t go back yourself? Some branches release a cleared clearance to a representative who brings an authorization letter to claim your NBI clearance and your ID, but others insist on seeing you. Call the branch before you send someone.
If the record really is yours
Sometimes the check shows the record is about you, for example an old complaint that was dismissed. The NBI then needs proof of how the case ended before it can release your clearance.
- Find out which case it is. Ask for the case number and the court or prosecutor’s office that handled it.
- Get certified documents from that office. For a court case, that’s a certified true copy of the decision or dismissal order and a certificate of finality. For a complaint dismissed by the prosecutor, get the resolution and a certification that it has become final.
- Submit them to the NBI on your return date, or when staff tell you to, and keep copies.
Our guide to a HIT on a dismissed case goes through each type of case in more detail. If the record isn’t yours but staff want it in writing, you may be asked to sign an affidavit of denial, a sworn statement that you aren’t the person named.
If the record is an open case or an active warrant, don’t ignore it. Get legal advice before your return date.
Check the remarks on your clearance
Once your clearance is released, look at the remarks printed on it. This matters most if it’s for a visa or immigration.
| Remark | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| No Record on File | Clean. This is what employers and embassies want to see |
| No Derogatory Record | Also clean. It can appear when the NBI already has a past clearance of yours on file |
| No Criminal Record, No Pending Case, or Record as Stated | There’s a record, even if it didn’t lead to a conviction. Immigration offices often ask for an explanation |
If your clearance carries one of the remarks in the last row and it’s for immigration, ask the NBI for a written explanation of the record. Keep your certified court or prosecutor documents with it, because some immigration offices ask for all three: the clearance, the NBI’s explanation and the court papers.
Will you get a HIT again next time?
Possibly. If your name matched a record once, the same record can match again when you renew. Some people with common names get a HIT almost every time. Plan for it: apply early, keep a copy of your old clearance, and don’t book a renewal the week you need it.
Online renewal checks your name too, so it can still be held up. If you need a clearance in a hurry, compare the ways to renew in our NBI clearance renewal guide.
FAQs: NBI clearance HIT
No. It means your name matched a record, and most of the time the record belongs to someone else with a similar name.
No. Coming back for your clearance after a HIT costs nothing extra.
No. The check is done by NBI staff, and the return date on your receipt is when it’s expected to be ready.
No. If the record belonged to someone else, you get a normal clearance, and nothing on it shows there was a HIT.
Go as soon as you can after that date, bringing your claim stub and ID. If someone else will collect it, call the branch first to ask whether it releases clearances to representatives.
Add Comment