Is NBI clearance required for passport application?

New Clearance Sample

There are actually 2 cases with respect to this question by Internet Philippines blog visitors. Most of them ask “Is NBI clearance required for a DFA passport application?“ There are also those who would ask “Is nbi clearance necessary in applying for a passport?“. I say it’s a case to case basis. Why? Read along in my research as it took me to answers I have also been looking for. From what I have mentioned, there are only 2 cases (as stated above) but after going through apply for my very own passport along with my husband and daughter, it turned out to us that there is another case. Let me reveal them to you so know it beforehand of experiencing the same situation when you apply for a passport (which by the way is considered as a primary ID here in the Philippines).

Case 1:

If you apply for a passport at the Department of Foreign Affairs and you took a good look at their official website (dfa.gov.ph), you will find out that among the documentary requirements included in their manifesto is the NBI clearance. However, it seems stated clearly that it will and may only serve as a supporting document. Meaning, if you have the basic requirement of having 2 valid government issued ID’s chances are you won’t need an NBI clearance at all.

Case 2:

There are actually 4 types of passport applicants in the DFA and they are categorized as either – New Applications, Passport Renewal, Lost Passports and Emergency Cases. You can read more about each of these categories whichever you fall under, here. I took a look at each of these aforementioned categories as the 3 of us when we applied for one was under new applicant category. It turned out that only 2 of these 4 categories in which case you will need a supporting document which can be the NBI clearance. These 2 cases includes if you are fall either in “new applications“ and the “lost passport“. If in case you fall under the category of “passport renewal“ and “emergency cases“, you will definitely not need a NBI clearance issued by the National Bureau of Investigation anymore. I hope to have made it clear to all regarding one of the most commonly asked / frequently asked questions regarding DFA passport application requirements. However, please see case #3 below for a bonus tip.

Case 3:

In case #3, I would just like to sort of tell the story of our experience with the customer service or front desk of the Department of Foreign Affairs upon applying for a new passport just last January 2012. We came with all our requirements / documents to the DFA as early as we could. That is after having our online reservation via their online appointment system confirmed and upon giving us 3 a set date where we can come over to submit our requirements. In short, we have our original (and photocopy) NSO SECPA birth certificate (each of us furnished an original copy), marriage certificate, 2 valid ID’s, in the case of our daughter, just the school ID and our appointment letter.

Old Clearance Sample

Upon submitting to the front desk our documents, the lady told me to fill up an application form so the 3 of us did but upon submission of the form, she asked us of 2 valid ID’s each and we were able to learn that the only 2 valid ID’s (based from our experience) they are accepting as valid are government issued IDs. Meaning, they could be, SSS ID, GSIS ID and the like. PhilHealth is not even considered as a primary valid ID as well as a TIN id which by the way is outdated and doesn’t have a picture.

For more information, you may visit the official NBI website at nbi.gov.ph or visit the nearest branch in your area. You may see our post for a complete list of NBI branches.

On the other hand, for the other NBI offices, you may also visit the main NBI address here - Taft Avenue, corner U.N. Avenue Manila near LRT UN Avenue station and EAC (Emilio Aguinaldo College). For the NBI hotline, you may try to call them here – 02 523 8231

Disclaimer:

The stated Case #3 situationer is based on our personal experience with the DFA customer help desk / front desk and receiving area. There may be other similar or different experience which may be attributed to someone else handling the service in the front desk.

With this matter on hand, we therefore declare that this situation might not be applicable in all cases or even on your particular case so there is no guarantee as to the absolute correctness of the details. You may use the information stated on this blog post at your own risk. Do not blame us for any inconsistencies of service of the DFA personnel in particular.

We are also not to be held liable in any case regarding this information which may be but not limited to legal, moral, intellectual, social and personal.

If you feel we made a mistake in the information provided here, contact the people or agency of the Philippine government involved, not us. On the other hand, please feel free to use our comments section below for any concerns.

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