Online processing of NBI e-clearance starts Wednesday, April 1

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is no longer giving application forms to walk-in applicants for an NBI clearance, as the bureau starts processing e-clearance via online processing. 

 

"Starting April 1, the NBI will be fully implementing the online registration, electronic payment and appointment system as part of its campaign of offering fast and convenient service," bureau noted in an advisory.

 

The NBI encouraged applicants to visit the NBI website at www.nbi.gov.ph or clearance.gov.ph for "Clearance Online Registration, Appointment, and e-Payment" before personally going to any of the 70 NBI clearance centers.

 

"Giving out of NBI application form for walk-in applicants will be discouraged," the NBI noted.

 

After registering at the NBI clearance website, an applicant will be given a registration code or reference number, which will serve as the gate pass to NBI clearance centers.

 

"To avoid inconvenience and long lines, please pay your NBI clearance fee using your reference number at the selected payment option," the advisory read. 

 

The options include bank payments on the Internet or over the counter, mobile payments or through Bayad Center.
 

 

 

Bottleneck

However, paying for an NBI clearance may still be done over the counter using the unpaid reference number for auto-encoding.

 

The NBI actually launched the e-clearance system last year, albeit in stages. The bureau did a dry run in July, the e-Registration component in September, the e-Payment in November, and a soft launch last January.

 

Before launching the e-clearance system, the bureau put up satellite offices where people can have their clearance applications processed.

 

"(Dahil sa...) e-payment, eh di lalong ma-cut down at ma-re-reduce iyong time. Kita niyo naman kanina, talagang mabilis," Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said when the e-Payment was launched during the NBI's 78th anniversary celebration in its Manila headquarters last November.

 

One of the reasons for the long lines at the NBI last July was the expiration of the contract of Mega Data Corp., the previous technology partner of the agency for clearance processing.

 

Mega Data Corp., which did the data processing for the NBI for over 30 years, supposedly pulled out all its software and hardware equipment after their contract with the agency expired, causing a bottleneck in processing clearance applications.

 

Due to the high number of people applying at the NBI Clearance Center in Manila, the bureau had to convert its gymnasium into a clearance processing center. – Mark Merueñas/VS, GMA News