Where to Get a Good Conduct Certificate in the Philippines

Which document the phrase actually refers to

Direct answer: in a Philippine context it usually means the national bureau's clearance, but two other documents travel under the same phrase.

The NBI clearance is issued by the National Bureau of Investigation, covers national records, and is what most employers, visa processes and banks name. A police clearance is issued by local police with a different coverage and use. A barangay clearance comes from the community level and is different again — see barangay clearance for foreigners.

The differences are set out in how the three certificates differ. Settle which document is wanted before asking where to get it.

Where it is obtained in the Philippines

Direct answer: not by queueing at a building, but by booking and paying on the official portal, then attending a chosen site for fingerprints and a photograph.

So "where" has two layers. Online, it is the official clearance portal, and there is a cluster of look-alike domains to avoid — see which site is official. In person, there are sites nationwide including main offices and mall-based satellites, listed as described in where to apply.

The full online sequence is in booking an appointment online. Foreigners may apply, generally on a passport, and may also be asked for residence documents.

If you are unsure which document or which site → let Yixing match it to the recipient's requirement

The certificate your home country wants is not issued here

Direct answer: the Philippine document covers Philippine records only. It does not replace a criminal record certificate from your own country, and the reverse is equally true.

If what is wanted is your home-country record, apply to the relevant authority there, under whatever its current rules are, which may involve authorisation and notarisation if you are abroad. This gets reversed constantly and is the most expensive error on this line.

If instead you are taking the Philippine document home, two further steps follow — authentication and translation, in the order set out in using the certificate abroad. If you have already left, see applying from overseas.

Three questions to ask whoever requested it

Direct answer: do not act on the phrase alone. Convert it into a specific document first.

Which authority must issue it — the Philippine national bureau, local police, or an authority in your home country? Which purpose band should the certificate show? And is authentication or a translation required, and in which country? If the answer to the last one is yes, the whole timeline changes.

When the requester cannot answer, ask what the previous applicant submitted. The full comparison of document types is in types of clearance and their conditions.

Yixing (SEC registration CS202009551, BI accreditation CA-202624381-1) always starts by converting the phrase into a specific document the recipient will actually accept.

Convert the phrase into a document before spending anything → ask Yixing to confirm type, purpose and next steps