You can’t pay for an NBI clearance with PayPal directly. The NBI’s payment options are GCash, Maya, online banking, 7-Eleven and Bayad Center. The easiest workaround is to move your PayPal money to GCash first: link PayPal in GCash under Cash In → Global Banks and Partners → PayPal, cash in a little more than your NBI total, then pay the NBI in GCash under Bills → Government → NBI.
GCash charges 1% of the amount you cash in from PayPal, so moving ₱200 costs about ₱2. If your PayPal balance is in US dollars, convert it to pesos first, and expect PayPal’s exchange rate to include a margin of about 3%.
| Pay the NBI with PayPal? | Not directly. PayPal isn’t one of the NBI’s payment options |
| Easiest route | PayPal → GCash → pay the NBI in GCash |
| GCash cash-in fee | 1% of the amount you cash in from PayPal |
| To link PayPal to GCash | A fully verified GCash account and a verified, Philippine-based PayPal account |
| Speed | Usually instant, but it can take 24–48 hours |
| Other routes | Your Maya card, or withdraw to your bank and pay by online banking |
| NBI total | Usually ₱155–₱160 for a new application or branch renewal |
We are not the NBI, PayPal or GCash. This is an independent guide. Move money only between your own accounts, and pay the NBI only through the channels its portal lists. Anyone who asks you to send them PayPal money to “pay” for your clearance is not official.
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Why you can’t pay with PayPal
The NBI’s clearance portal only takes payments through the channels it lists: GCash, Maya, online banking, 7-Eleven and Bayad Center. PayPal isn’t among them, so your PayPal money has to land in one of those first.
If you’re renewing an existing clearance, there’s one more option. The eGovPH app accepts Visa and Mastercard cards for renewals, which helps if you have a card but no e-wallet; here’s how to renew your NBI clearance on eGovPH.
Three ways to use your PayPal money
| Route | Cost | Speed | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| PayPal → GCash | 1% GCash cash-in fee, plus PayPal’s conversion margin if you convert dollars | Usually instant; sometimes 24–48 hours | Most people |
| PayPal → Maya card | Check the fee PayPal shows before you withdraw | Can take a few days | Maya users with an upgraded account |
| PayPal → bank → online banking | ₱50 PayPal fee for withdrawals under ₱7,000; free above that | A few working days | People who don’t use e-wallets |
GCash is the quickest and cheapest for an amount this small, so it’s covered first.
How to pay with PayPal funds through GCash
Step 1 — Convert your PayPal balance to pesos
GCash cash-ins from PayPal are in pesos, so convert any US dollar balance in PayPal first. PayPal’s conversion rate for balance conversions includes a margin of about 3% above the base exchange rate. If you already receive payments in pesos, skip this step.
Step 2 — Link PayPal to GCash
You only do this once. In GCash, tap Cash In, choose Global Banks and Partners, then PayPal. Log in to PayPal when asked and approve the link.
What you need to link
- A fully verified GCash account. A Basic account can pay bills, but it can’t link PayPal.
- A verified, Philippine-based PayPal account.
- One PayPal account per GCash account.
- On Android, Google Chrome set as your default browser, which GCash recommends for the PayPal login.
Step 3 — Cash in a little more than your NBI total
Tap Cash In → Global Banks and Partners → PayPal, type the amount, tap Next and confirm. Cash in slightly more than the NBI total, for example ₱200 for a ₱160 total, so the 1% fee doesn’t leave you short.
The money usually arrives straight away, but GCash says it can take 24–48 hours. Do this before you book your slot, or at least a day before your appointment.
Step 4 — Book on the NBI portal and choose GCash
Log in at clearance.nbi.gov.ph, apply and book your slot, then choose GCash as your payment option. Screenshot the reference number and the total. If you lose them, here’s where to find your NBI reference number.
Step 5 — Pay in GCash under Bills → Government → NBI
Enter your reference number and the exact total, check the summary and pay. For every screen and what to do if the payment doesn’t show up, see our guide on how to pay for your NBI clearance with GCash.
Step 6 — Check that it says Paid
Log back in at clearance.nbi.gov.ph and open Transactions. Your application changes from Pending to Paid once GCash’s payment is posted.
Using Maya instead
With Maya, you don’t link PayPal inside the Maya app. Instead, you add your Maya card to PayPal and withdraw to it.
Link your Maya card to PayPal
- Upgrade your Maya account, if you haven’t already.
- Add at least ₱100 to your Maya account.
- Get and activate your free virtual card in the Maya app’s Cards tab.
- In PayPal, go to Wallet, choose Link Card and enter your Maya card details.
Withdraw and pay
Withdraw from PayPal to your linked Maya card and check the fee PayPal shows before you confirm. Transfers can take a few days, so start early. Once the money is in Maya, you can pay for your NBI clearance with Maya under Bills → Government → NBI.
Withdrawing to your bank instead
You can also withdraw your PayPal balance to a Philippine bank account and pay the NBI through online banking, one of the portal’s payment options. PayPal charges ₱50 for withdrawals under ₱7,000 and nothing above that, and the transfer takes a few working days. It’s slower, but it suits people who don’t use e-wallets. Our guide to every NBI clearance payment method explains how online banking works on the portal.
What it costs, with an example
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| NBI clearance, new application or branch renewal | ₱155–₱160 |
| GCash fee for cashing in ₱200 from PayPal | ₱2 (1%) |
| PayPal currency conversion, only if your balance is in dollars | About 3% above the base exchange rate |
| Extra cost of using PayPal through GCash | About ₱2, plus the conversion margin if you convert dollars |
Renewing online with delivery costs more than a branch visit; see how much an NBI clearance costs for every case.
Problems and how to fix them
GCash won’t let you link PayPal
Check the requirements in Step 2: a fully verified GCash account, and a verified PayPal account based in the Philippines. Names and details that don’t match between the two can also cause trouble. Fix those in PayPal itself, since GCash can’t change your PayPal details.
The PayPal cash-in hasn’t arrived
Give it up to 48 hours, and check your PayPal activity to confirm the transfer left. If it still hasn’t arrived, open the cash-in in your GCash transaction history and tap Get Help. Don’t pay the NBI until the money is actually in your wallet.
Your PayPal balance is in dollars
Convert it to pesos in PayPal first, as in Step 1. GCash’s PayPal cash-in works with peso balances.
You’re abroad
GCash Overseas lets Filipinos abroad use GCash with a foreign mobile number, and PayPal is one of its cash-in options. That makes it practical to renew your NBI clearance online from abroad and have it delivered to an address in the Philippines.
FAQs: paying for your NBI clearance with PayPal
No. PayPal isn’t one of the NBI’s payment options. Move your PayPal money to GCash, Maya or your bank first, then pay through one of the channels the portal lists.
Cashing in to GCash. GCash charges 1% of the amount, so ₱200 costs about ₱2. Converting dollars to pesos in PayPal adds a margin of about 3%.
Usually a few moments, but GCash says it can take 24–48 hours. Move the money at least a day before your appointment.
Yes, to link PayPal. A Basic GCash account can pay bills, but it can’t link a PayPal account.
Not on the regular NBI portal. If you’re renewing in the eGovPH app, you can pay with a Visa or Mastercard card there.
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