The Philippine National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) provides ‘clearance certificates’ which are issued to those individuals that do not possess a criminal record (or have only relatively minor convictions recorded against them).
Before a Filipino worker is issued with an entry visa to the UK, they must be in possession of a valid UK work permit. In order for a Filipino to receive a work permit the individual must be issued with a certificate from the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA). The proper procedure for being issued with a POEA certificate includes the need for the individual to present an NBI clearance certificate to the POEA authorities.
The application procedure depends on from where the application is made.
Applicants should go in person to the Headquarters of the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Manila, the NBI Clearance Centre, Carriedo St, Santa Cruz, Manila, NBI satellite offices in City or Municipal Halls, or any NBI District/Provincial Office.
UK residents who have spent a period of residence in the Philippines can apply for NBI Clearance Certificates via the Embassy of the Philippines in London. It is possible to telephone the Embassy to request an application form (which takes the form of a fingerprint card) and guidance notes.
The contact details of the Philippine Embassy are as follows:
Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines
9A Palace Green
London
W8 4QE
Tel: Consular services: 020 7 937 1600 ext 235
Fax: 020 7 937 2925
Email: embassy@philemb.demon.co.uk
In addition to the personal details specified in the NBI guidance notes, applicants are also required to provide:
Once applicants have filled in all the details on the application and had their fingerprints taken, then the completed application (including photo) should be posted to:
Identification and Records Division
National Bureau of Investigation
NBI Compound
Taft Avenue
Manila
Republic of the Philippines
The NBI charges 135 Pesos for each clearance certificate.
Applications sent from the UK should contain an International cheque/postal order to the sum of $4.00 or PHP200.00 payable to "Director, National Bureau of Investigation".
There is no provision in Philippine law allowing for criminal offences to be deleted from a record, nor is there legislation equivalent to the UK Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.
NBI clearance certificates will either specify that there is "no record on file" or will give remarks relating to an individual's criminal record if a record is found to exist.
The NBI clearance certificate contains a scanned photograph of the applicant, along with the right thumb print and a barcode that enable future certificates to be produced without the need to submit another set of fingerprints.
Requests for clearance certificates made in person at the NBI headquarters are dealt within 24 hours if the details given by the applicant do not result in a match to a criminal record.
No timing was given for overseas applications.