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How To Get NBI Clearance From Canada (In Less Bucks And Time)

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If you made it here to this post straight from search engine (if not, just pretend you did) then nothing should hold me back in saying:

“You’re one step closer.”

Yes you are.

And for a little bit of formality I will have to quote this crucial event from Citizenship Immigration Canada:

Do I need to provide a police certificate when applying for permanent residence? Yes.

There you have it. After a congratulatory opening I know you are eager to know how to get NBI clearance from Canada. Definitely it’s possible. You don’t have to go anywhere. (Another yes for that. Three in total.)

Get NBI Clearance from Canada

But before we move on I want to share a few important tips people tend to skip but shouldn’t dare.

Things You Have to Use Wisely (and Creatively) In Applying for the NBI Clearance Certificate:

  1. Time is on your side. That is if you know how to wield it according to your wishes. Create a timeline of when you will apply for permanent residency in Canada. Consider all the requirements including the renewal of Philippine passport in Canada or in the Philippines. Choose the date and mark it on your calendar hanging on your wall or set a reminder on the calendar app in your mobile phone.
  2. Charm is more than luck. You have to work for it. You’ll need help from relatives or friends so let them know ahead of time. (Already drafting a timeline?) Don’t be demanding. They also have a schedule and agendas they wouldn’t want to let you know so as not to send the signal of turning down a favor.

No they wouldn’t—if you ask nicely. Don’t forget to show your appreciation. I’ll leave this up to you; colorful ideas in different sizes (how about yellow shoes?) are endless.

So before you ask a favor, I’ll grant one for you.

Steps on How to Get NBI Clearance from Canada

Step 1: Get NBI Form No.5. You can do this in different ways:

  • Ask a relative or friend from the Philippines to get one for you. Provide an authorization letter and send the scanned document via email. Your representative can mail the form or better yet ask a favor to someone going back to Canada to take it with them.
  • Ask a relative or friend from Canada to get one for you if they are about to go to any Philippine consulates and embassy or they happen to live nearby.
  • Ask a copy through a letter of request with self-addressed prepaid return envelope to Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver, Toronto, and Philippine Embassy in Ottawa.
  • You can go to the PCG and embassy mentioned above to get the form and have your fingerprint impression if you’re close in the area. ($28.75 is the consularization fee.) Check the website for the requirements. To ensure the availability of NBI Form No.5 don’t forget to call prior to your visit.

Step 2: Fill up the form. Because the NBI clearance certificate is one of the requirements for application of permanent resident in Canada you can write in the purpose: “immigration requirement.”

Step 3: Have your fingerprints impressed. Take the accomplished NBI Form No.5 to the nearest Philippine embassy or consulate or police agency (RCMP), or fingerprinting agency.

Step 4: Attach a 2×2 photograph (with white background) to the form. The photograph must be taken within three months before the application of NBI clearance certificate in Canada.

Step 5: Send the NBI form to your authorized representative for filling at the NBI in the Philippines. The cost of the NBI clearance certificate is Php 115.00; you can check the website of National Bureau of Investigation for any changes.

Related Post:


Tip: When you apply to become a permanent resident in Canada, you will also need a Canadian criminal record check (police certificate). To save time it is best to apply for NBI clearance certificate and police certificate at the same time in a police agency.

Those are just short procedures, you might say.

By now for sure you want to know how long it will take to get the NBI clearance certificate in Canada. Don’t forget to consider the journey the form has to go through before it arrives in the Philippines and back in Canada.

The right question is when are you going to apply for permanent residence. From that point you can find out when to get a police certificate.

Go on. You already know how to get NBI clearance from Canada.

You can start making the timeline and scouting for the right representative you can ask for favor that will determine your future—a permanent one.

With all the tips what’s the fastest way are you considering in getting the NBI certificate?

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Comments

  1. Hi I’m Angie, just want to ask about my NBI I applied for my NBI June 2018 and it will expired in April 2019. I will apply my PR in December 2018; is there any problem about my NBI if my NBI will expired soon? Or do I need to apply again? Or can I still use the NBI that I have now? Any thoughts pls…

    • Angie, I’m not sure what category are you applying for PR. Are you a caregiver? You may want to have a look at the Instruction Guide that comes with the application, the document checklist doesn’t have the information relevant to NBI Clearance other than a police clearance is required which is equivalent to the NBI Clearance.

  2. Thanks for sharing this. As a foreigner who stayed in the philippines, this was confusing since there’s not really a clear instruction provided by the official. I have one question to bother you though. When assigning a 3rd party to get the NBI for me at the UN ave, do I need to schedule a meeting online on their website? or can they just walk in and hand them the form #5 with the authorization letter? – Thanks!

    • You have to make an appointment online Jason. Or you can ask your representative to do it and choose a convenient schedule.

  3. Hello, thank you for your posts, they have been most helpful! Regarding the NBI clearance, I will be sending mine to NBI directly since we no longer have any relatives there. Would you know what would happen just in case there’s a “hit”? My name is very common. Thank you.

    • I’m not really sure what will happen if there’s a “hit” on your renewal but I guess they will also based it on your last record of information. Let’s hope that it will go well.

    • Not sure what you meant Angel. Just make sure you fill up the form correctly especially the part asking for the purpose.

  5. Hello, If you authorize someone to process and claim your nbi clearance in the philippines, do they need to set an appointment or schedule to be able to submit the required papers that i’m going to mail?

    • Your representative can go get an NBI Clearance on your behalf anytime with the requirements and authorization letter from you. But of course it is also better to go early to avoid being caught up with other applicants.

  6. HI I applied for NBI CLEARANCE on June 2, 2017 but I haven’t received any form till now. (Got fingerprint at the Philippines embassy and mailed it to Manila) Since I don’t have any way to contact for updates about my paper, it is too stressful to wait without any information about the process because I have to submit NBI CLEARANCE to Immigration where I live before the deadline. Do you know if there is any way to contact for update? OR please let me know if you know how long the paper usually takes. I am thinking of re-mailing my fingerprint and payment to the Philippines 🙁

    • It is faster if you let a relative get the NBI clearance on your behalf. But since you submitted the application through mail, I don’t have an idea how long is the processing. I hope, Yennie, this information from PCG Vancouver can guide you.

  7. It is in the checklist form CT 0008 (9-2016) E, down to the “If this applies to you” part.

    • This is what I found in the form CT 0003:

      You must provide police certificates for each country where the child has been present for 183 days or
      more. If the child cannot get a police certificate from a country, provide an explanation in the box below.

      NBI clearance is for adults 18 years old and up. You can write an explanation about it. It might also help you to read the recent posts about the application for Canadian citizenship and free practice test.

    • It’s definitely possible Mark to get an NBI Clearance at satellite offices in Manila.

  9. Hi,
    Just for clarification, do they issue NBI Clearance to minors under 16 year old? I’m working on my Canadian citizenship with my 15 year old daughter, and since she stayed in Philippines when she was 14 year old, one of the requirements is Police Clearance. Otherwise, maybe I can explain that Phils is not issuing NBI Clearance to minors. And, I don’t have to spend extra $ and deal with these issues on securing NBI Clearance, which I believe useless in that matter. Philippines is not imposing criminal offense to minor offenders, so, in my belief, there should be no criminal record for minors under 18 year old, but, of course, with exemption to special cases. Am I right?

  10. i had my form hereand sign by console general in edmonton and i ask my representative in the philippines to get my nbi cert for me. wre from batangas city and they said that it only can process in nbi main office i mla, so my representativ went to manila to process it, butwhen she was there they said that my fingerprints have problems coz it seems my fingers are too small. how come i cant understand what they mean and at the end they asking that if i could pay 1500 it will be okay and can get it next day.is it true and we can only process thatin main office and how can they questioned my fingerprints? help to answer please.thanks

    • Hi, Jeannette. I had to ask my relatives and friends about your question. Since my relatives live in Manila, they are not quite sure if NBI clearance renewal is process only in NBI Clearance Center at UN Avenue, Ermita and other clearance centers in Manila.

      I checked the Official Gazette’s information about NBI clearance. The clearance center in Manila and provinces are listed; there is no indication or instruction that the renewal of clearance for OFW must be processed only in Manila.

      And about the additional pay for the service, you don`t have to pay through your representative the “extra charge.“ My sister only paid Php 115.00 and of course I didn’t forget the favor especially when Christmas was just around the corner. (I knew what she wants long before the request was made.)

      Lastly, Jeannette don’t forget about the authorization letter. Advice your representative to be more patient and ask for consideration about the size of your fingerprints. The urgency of the clearance and shower of kind words might soften the heart of the NBI staff. The processing of the immigration requirement is one of the ways the government can help our kababayan overseas.

      Jeanette, may you have the clearance before the year ends. That’s my Christmas wish to you. Be positive. Be merry. 🙂

  11. Hi i just want to share my experience in our beloved consulate office..i filed NBI last week sept.18, 2014 i have my photo copies and wet wipes, they ask me to pay $31.25…yesterday i got my NBI fingerfrint ,when i saw the receipt it says i paid $28.75, so i ask the lady why they ask me to pay $31.25? She told me for the photocopy ….why? I bring my own photo copies and my own wet wipes…she told me my photocopies are messy , i not buy their alibi…my photocopies are complete and good enough….i ask for the extra money i pay to give it back to me…so to make the story short ….she’s mad at me coz lot of people hear me inside the office complaining about this ….
    I just want them to be honest…dont bring Philippine government corruptions in here…we work hard for every cents that we earned…..they just should ask me for $2.50 as a donation for their f** **s…
    So to end up this starting corruption in our own beloved consulate office…we need to speak up…ask what you’re paying for….dont just say ok..ok…

  12. Hi. Is NBI clearance same as police certificate? Because immigration asked Philippines police certificate assap. Thank you.

    • Alice, the police certificate in Canada is equivalent to the NBI Clearance in the Philippines. We also have police clearance in the Philippines which is often mistaken as police certificate, one of the requirements in permanent residence in Canada.

      I too was confused at first. Fortunately, my friend were able to tell me the difference.

        • Hi Carolyn!
          I am a little bit confuse about the details on the website, I already have the form no.5 from the Philippines, do i need to go to Ottawa, Vancouver, or Toronto to authenticate the finger prints on my application form? one of my friend told me that i just need to go to any RCMP station here in Regina, SK and let them sign my application as a proof that it is authenticated in Canada. and after filling up the form, i need to include my authorization letter to the person who will process my NBI back home attached from the form with finger prints with 2×2 photo white backround, photo copy of my valid ID, and old NBI clearance. then send it back via secured mail. is my information right? please give me a little clarification about this. thank you!

          • Hi, Bela.

            Your friend was right. That’s what I did a year ago. It is faster and cheaper. And for comparison please do read the comment of Mariza Geca. She has given us invaluable tips. And please do share it to others.

            Also one more tip Bela, you may want to get a police certificate (for Canada) along with the fingerprinting of the NBI Form No. 5 to save time if you need one (as in the case of applying for permanent residence under the Live-in Caregiver Program.)

  13. I would just like to ask.. will I still pay $28.75 to the consulate if I have the NBI form No. 5? because it says on the consulate website that

    ” Fee is CAD$28.75 for notarization of the duly-accomplished NBI Form.”

    • Do you plan to send the NBI Form No.5 to your relatives in the Philippines so they can get an NBI Certificate in your behalf? I’m not quite sure since I had went to a fingerprinting company in Calgary and send the form to my relatives through a friend. All I spent for was the fingerprinting and Php 115.00 for the NBI Clearance. Guia, I hope you can share your experience by commenting for our kababayan who may have to deal with the same issue as yours.

      • Just a tip …you will still pay $28.75 even you have your own form if you ask for the consulate to sign it and do the fingerprinting…if they ask you to pay more …just ask ….photocopy your work permit ,passport ,and the page with entry in canada ….10 cents in library , bring some wet wipes with you too…so they dont have a reason to charge you $31.25 …you can get 2X2 picture in superstore for $12 …

        • Mariza thank you for sharing first-hand information to us.

          I’m sure all your tips will help our kababayan. I do agree that we all work hard and OFWs play a vital role in the Philippines economy. We deserve a fair service from the representative of our government in Canada and other countries.

          It is saddening to know, or worse, to witness that unpleasant schemes (I’m struggling not to elaborate) happening back home have made its way overseas. May all these be gone, instantly, or gradually. Let’s just get rid of it. (It helps to occasionally release tension.)

          Again, Mariza, I appreciate your concern and encouragement to ASK, to SPEAK UP.

  14. Hi, thank you so much for the heads up. Just a minor addition to save money, photocopy your passport – the first Page showing your photo and details, the Canadian immigration entry stamp – shows the date and time you entered Canada and your visa. AND wet wipes to clean yourself up. The lady from the embassy charged me an additional $3 (paid a total of $31.75), when I asked her what it is for she said “photocopy of your documents and the wipes of course!” She didn’t even bother to ask me if it was okay to charge me additional – and the wipes was handed to me I didn’t asked for them. I could have had them photocopied for $.10 in the library! Well there you go. I hope my comment helped others. Best of luck!

    • Thanks Anna!

      Your story and tips will definitely help our kababayan. I’ll edit my post to add your invaluable tips. And thank you for stopping by and taking the time to share your experience here in Lost In The Leaf City.

      If only the NBI would adapt digital fingerprinting, a technology use in applying for police certificate in Canada then the transaction would be faster and cleaner. In spite of some unfortunate events, we should still be grateful that we can renew our passport in PCG Vancouver or other Philippine Consulates and apply for NBI Clearance.

      For now, let’s just hope for favorable changes in the future . . . soon (perhaps).

      Salamat ulit Anna. And visit LINTLC any time . Your tips are more than welcome.