NBI Apostille: Requirements, Fee & Process, Best Guide 2026
The NBI Clearance is intended as authorized evidence of a clean legal record not only in the Philippines but also for employment, permanent residence permit, foreign citizenship, business or legal processing permit abroad. In the Philippines, the standard NBI Clearance is functional as you collect it from the NBI Clearance center; however, overseas, you have to receive your NBI Clearance apostilled.
NBI apostille makes the NBI Clearance acceptable and functional for international use for a job, business, study abroad, or legal provisions. To proceed in all government or private processes, only an apostilled NBI Clearance is acceptable.
So, in this article, we will learn more about how to apostille NBI Clearance.
What is NBI Apostille?
After getting an NBI Clearance document from NBI (National Bureau of Investigation: a government authority in the Philippines), you have to get it apostilled. The DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) in the Philippine government is only responsible for the apostillation of NBI Clearances, like the notarization and authentication of other government and private documents.
The DFA in the Philippines validates the NBI Clearance; it normally takes a process of 1 to 7 days to apostille. The Hague Apostille Convention member countries (including 120 countries) recognize only the apostille-stamped documents. The NBI Clearance apostille passes the process of legalization of NBI from the embassies. The apostille indicates that the document is genuinely sealed.
NBI Apostille Requirements
Before applying at the DFA to NBI Clearance apostille, ensure you have the required documents in hand. The documents that are required for the NBI Clearance are required to represent in DFA for validation of information. The presence of all the basic documents accelerates the apostille procedure. These documents are listed as:
Valid NBI Clearance
DFA accepts only valid NBI Clearance which is not outdated. The original Clearance is required for apostille. This is to clarify that identification errors are prevented.
Valid ID
A valid and not expired government-issued ID is mandatory to submit along with NBI Clearance for cross-matching the information.
DFA Appointment Proof
Before you visit the DFA in person, you have to get an appointment for NBI apostille. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will issue you a confirmation letter, which you have to bring in printed form.
Authorization Letter
A letter of authorization with copies of valid IDs of the owner with signature is required if the owner of the documents cannot appear personally. Original valid ID with a photocopy of the representative is also required for identification.
How to Apostille NBI Clearance?
To get your apostille for NBI after booking an online appointment, you’ve to visit the DFA office in the Philippines on the scheduled date and time. DFA requires valid documents along with the original NBI Clearance to be apostilled. Here we’ll guide you on how to Clearance apostille from DFA:
NBI Clearance Apostille Fee
| Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Regular DFA Apostille | ₱100 |
| Expedited DFA Apostille | ₱200 |
Apostille NBI Time
| Type | Duration |
|---|---|
| Regular processing | 3-5 working days |
| Express processing | 1-2 working days |
Conclusion
NBI apostille, in short, is essential for the NBI Clearance of Filipinos, which has to be used outside the Philippines. The documents that are to be used internationally are mandatory to be apostilled. An apostille of NBI Clearance indicates that the document is genuine and sealed with real stamps by the government authority. Foreign countries acknowledge only documents in apostille condition.
