If you are applying for a US visa from the Philippines — a K-1 fiancé visa, a CR-1 or IR-1 spouse/immigrant visa, or another immigrant visa — you will be required to submit a Philippine NBI Clearance as your police certificate. This guide explains when it is required, the all-important question of timing for slow-moving immigrant visa cases, whether you need an apostille, what happens with a HIT, and how to obtain the clearance even if you are already living in the US.
US immigrant and fiancé visa processing requires every applicant aged 16 and older to provide a police certificate from each country where they have lived for a qualifying period (generally six months or more, depending on the category and age). For applicants who have lived in the Philippines, that police certificate is the NBI Clearance.
The clearance is presented at the consular interview at the US Embassy in Manila, alongside your other civil documents. Unlike non-immigrant tourist (B-2) visas, which usually do not require a police certificate, the immigrant and fiancé categories make it a firm requirement. Missing or expired clearances are one of the most common reasons interviews are delayed.
For the foreign fiancé(e) of a US citizen, to enter the US and marry within 90 days. The Filipino applicant needs an NBI Clearance for the embassy interview. K-1 processing is generally faster than immigrant visas, so the timing window is tighter — obtain the clearance once the interview notice arrives.
For the spouse of a US citizen (IR-1 if married over two years, CR-1 if under two years). These are immigrant visas with longer processing — often 12 to 24 months through USCIS and the National Visa Center. The NBI Clearance is needed at the interview stage, which makes timing critical: a clearance obtained at petition filing will likely expire before the interview.
Family-preference categories (F1–F4) and employment-based immigrant visas also require the NBI Clearance for Filipino applicants. Family-preference categories can have very long waits due to visa bulletin priority dates, making clearance timing especially important — only obtain it when the case is actually moving toward an interview.
For US immigrant visas, getting the timing right matters more than anything else. The NBI Clearance is valid for exactly one year from its issue date, and the consular officer needs it to be valid on the day of your interview.
| Visa type | When to obtain the NBI Clearance |
|---|---|
| K-1 fiancé | When the interview notice is received; submit at the interview |
| CR-1 / IR-1 spouse | At the NVC document stage or when the interview is scheduled — not at petition filing |
| F-category (family preference) | Only once your priority date is current and the case advances to interview |
| Employment-based immigrant | At the document submission / interview stage |
The classic mistake is obtaining the clearance too early — at the moment the I-130 or I-129F petition is filed — only to have it expire during the long USCIS and NVC wait. If that happens, you simply renew the NBI Clearance closer to the interview. Renewal is straightforward and can be done online from abroad.
Interview scheduled? Get your NBI Clearance obtained and delivered in time.
Ask about timing for your case →For consular processing at the US Embassy in Manila, the NBI Clearance is generally accepted without a DFA apostille. The embassy authenticates the document as part of the visa process, so a separate apostille is usually unnecessary for the interview itself.
An apostille is more often relevant for documents you will use inside the US — for example, certain civil documents for adjustment of status or for state-level processes. If your specific instructions (from the NVC, the embassy, or your attorney) call for an apostille, our apostille guide explains how to add a DFA apostille to the clearance. When in doubt, follow your official case instructions and confirm with your attorney or the embassy.
A HIT happens when the NBI database finds a record with a name matching yours — almost always a coincidence with another person who has a case on file. It is not a finding against you, but it triggers a secondary identity verification that can add one to several weeks to processing.
Because US visa interview dates are fixed and hard to reschedule, a HIT discovered at the last minute can put your interview at risk. The safest approach is to obtain the clearance with buffer time — ideally having it in hand two to four weeks before the interview, while still keeping it within its one-year validity. A procurement service handles the HIT affidavit and verification on your behalf, which speeds resolution.
Many Filipino applicants have already moved to the US (for example, while adjusting status or after entering on another visa) but still need an NBI Clearance covering their prior residence in the Philippines. You do not need to fly back.
For immigrant visas (CR-1, IR-1, F-series, K-3), after USCIS approves the petition, the case is transferred to the National Visa Center (NVC) in the United States, which collects the required civil documents online via the CEAC (Consular Electronic Application Center) before scheduling the consular interview at the US Embassy in Manila:
NVC processing typically takes several months between USCIS approval and the consular interview. Start the NBI Clearance process after USCIS approves the petition, and renew it if it expires before your interview date.
Yes, for immigrant and fiancé categories (K-1, CR-1, IR-1, and other immigrant visas). Every applicant 16 and older must submit a police certificate from each country of qualifying residence; for the Philippines that is the NBI Clearance, presented at the Manila embassy interview.
Generally no for the consular interview — the US Embassy in Manila accepts the clearance and authenticates it as part of the process. Apostilles are more commonly needed for documents used domestically in the US. Follow your specific case instructions.
Near your interview, not at petition filing. The clearance is valid one year, and immigrant visa cases can take 12–24 months. Obtain or renew it at the NVC document stage or once the interview is scheduled so it is still valid on interview day.
If you previously lived in the Philippines for the qualifying period, yes. It can be renewed online and delivered to your US address through a representative or service — no need to return to the Philippines.
A HIT adds a secondary identity review of one to several weeks. Because interview dates are fixed, obtain the clearance with buffer time. A service handles the HIT affidavit and verification to speed resolution.
Yes. With a previous NBI record, renewal is done online and shipped internationally. If you have never applied, biometric registration may be needed — a service can advise. Most applicants complete it without returning home.
No. The United States is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. US immigration — whether via USCIS, NVC, or the US Embassy in Manila — does not require a DFA apostille on the NBI Clearance. Submit the NBI Clearance as issued. Ordering an apostille for US visa applications is unnecessary and does not affect the outcome positively.
For NVC, the NBI Clearance is uploaded electronically via CEAC along with the DS-260, civil documents (PSA birth certificate, marriage certificate), and passport photo. The original NBI Clearance is presented at the consular interview in Manila. For K-1 petitions, the NBI Clearance is submitted at the visa interview stage — confirm the current document checklist on the US Embassy Manila website as requirements can change.
Renew the NBI Clearance before your consular interview. NVC processing and USCIS backlogs can extend the wait to 1–3 years or more. It is normal for the clearance to expire during this period — simply renew it and bring the new one to the interview. If you are outside the Philippines, a representative or service handles the renewal and ships the original to you. Do not attend the interview with an expired NBI Clearance.
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