UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requires a police certificate from every country where a visa applicant has spent 12 months or more in the last 10 years. For Filipinos, that certificate is the NBI Clearance. This guide covers when it is needed for the Youth Mobility Scheme (the Philippines was added in 2024), Family visa (Appendix FM), Skilled Worker, and Settlement applications — along with apostille requirements and how to obtain the clearance from abroad.
Most UK immigration routes that lead to settlement or are assessed for character require the applicant to provide a police certificate from each country where they have lived for 12 months or more in the preceding 10 years. For applicants with qualifying residence in the Philippines, the NBI Clearance is the designated Philippine police certificate.
The NBI Clearance is issued in English by the National Bureau of Investigation, so no translation is needed for a UK submission.
The Philippines was added to the UK Youth Mobility Scheme in 2024. Eligible Filipino nationals aged 18–30 can apply for a 2-year YMS visa. A police certificate is part of the application; the NBI Clearance is the accepted document for Philippine residence. See the dedicated section below.
Spouse, fiancé(e), partner and dependent child visas all require police certificates from qualifying countries. The NBI Clearance is commonly requested at the time of application or during processing. If the clearance expires while the application is under review, renew it promptly if requested.
Skilled Worker visa applicants with qualifying Philippine residence must provide the NBI Clearance. The clearance is usually submitted at application or when additional documents are requested. Sponsor employers may also ask for it as part of pre-employment compliance.
ILR applications under various routes require police certificates from countries where you have lived for 12 months or more since the qualifying period began. An NBI Clearance may be required for the Philippines portion of that history.
The UK Government added the Philippines to the T5 Youth Mobility Scheme in 2024, making Filipinos aged 18–30 eligible to live and work in the UK for up to two years.
The YMS application checklist includes a police certificate from every country you have lived in for 12 months or more. For most Filipino applicants, that means the Philippines, requiring a current NBI Clearance. The clearance must be valid at the time of submission — obtain it close to your application date.
Because YMS allocations are issued in rounds and places are competitive, having your NBI Clearance ready before the application window opens avoids delays that could cost you a slot.
The UK is a member of the Apostille Convention. For most UKVI online submissions, the NBI Clearance is uploaded as a scan and an apostille is not required. However, some routes or specific instruction letters may request an apostilled document.
If your visa package requires an apostille, it is arranged at the DFA in Manila after the clearance is issued — see our apostille guide. Preparing the clearance with a DFA apostille from the start eliminates any risk of delay if authentication is later requested.
The NBI Clearance is valid for one year from its issue date. UK visa processing times vary by route.
| Visa route | When to obtain the NBI Clearance |
|---|---|
| Youth Mobility Scheme | Before the application window; must be valid at submission |
| Family (Appendix FM) | At application; renew if it expires during processing |
| Skilled Worker | At application; be ready to provide a fresh one if requested |
| ILR / Settlement | At application; validity at submission is the key requirement |
Need your NBI Clearance for a UK visa — Youth Mobility, Family or Skilled Worker?
Ask about your UK visa →A HIT occurs when the NBI database finds a name match with an existing case — almost always a coincidence with a different person. It triggers a secondary review that can add one to several weeks to the issuance timeline. If your YMS application window or visa appointment is fixed, obtain the clearance well in advance. A procurement service handles the HIT affidavit and NBI verification to resolve it as quickly as possible.
You do not need to fly back to the Philippines to get or renew your NBI Clearance:
If you have never registered with the NBI, biometric fingerprinting may be required — a service can advise on the available options for first-time applicants abroad.
The UK's Health and Care Worker visa is a sub-category of the Skilled Worker visa with reduced fees and faster processing, specifically for medical professionals taking NHS-eligible roles. It is one of the most important visa categories for Filipinos going to the UK:
Many Filipino nurses arrive in the UK through NHS recruitment campaigns or via POLO-registered healthcare recruitment agencies. Always confirm that the agency and the UK employer are on the UKVI Sponsor Register before proceeding.
A common point of confusion for Filipinos applying to work in the UK:
If you have lived in other countries for 12 months or more since age 18, UKVI may also require police certificates from those countries in addition to the NBI Clearance. Plan for this if you have lived in UAE, Japan, or other countries before the UK application.
Yes — UKVI requires a police certificate from each country you lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years. For the Philippines, that is the NBI Clearance, required for Family, Skilled Worker, and Settlement visas, and for the Youth Mobility Scheme.
Yes. The Philippines was added to the UK Youth Mobility Scheme in 2024. Filipino nationals aged 18–30 can apply for a 2-year YMS visa. An NBI Clearance is required as the police certificate for your Philippine residence.
The UK is an Apostille Convention member, but UKVI typically accepts online uploads of the NBI Clearance without an apostille. If your specific instructions require one, it is arranged at the DFA after the clearance is issued.
Yes. With a previous NBI record, the clearance can be renewed online and shipped to your UK address. A procurement service handles the NBI pickup and optional apostille. No return trip needed for most applicants.
Renew the NBI Clearance online from wherever you are and submit the updated document if UKVI requests it. Renewing proactively before the expiry date during a long-processing application is recommended.
UKVI does not mandate a DFA apostille for the NBI Clearance in most visa applications — the original English-language NBI Clearance is generally accepted. However, the NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council) and HCPC may have their own requirements. Check the specific instructions for your visa type and any professional registration body involved. If an apostille is required, it is arranged at the DFA after the clearance is issued.
The Health and Care Worker visa is a sub-category of the Skilled Worker visa specifically for NHS-eligible medical and social care roles. It offers reduced visa fees and exemption from the NHS surcharge. Eligible roles include nurses, midwives, doctors, pharmacists, allied health professionals, and social workers in NHS and regulated social care settings. NBI Clearance is required for both the UKVI character assessment and NMC/HCPC professional registration.
Yes, the same NBI Clearance satisfies both requirements. The NMC requires it as part of overseas nurse registration (character declaration process), while UKVI requires it as the Philippine police certificate for the visa character assessment. You may need to provide copies to both bodies. Obtain a valid NBI Clearance and ensure it remains within validity through both the NMC registration and visa submission stages.
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