When do I need an NBI clearance?

[angeljolie 188]

I went to NBI to apply for a clearance last month but was told by the staff that I cannot request for one that has an AKA. I told him it's for IV application purposes and the USEM requires it. He asked me for a letter from the USEM stating the same, which I didn't have and still don't have as of now. My case is currently at NVC and I have just submitted the DS 260 on CEAC. I opened the civil documents requirements and I am required to upload a police clearance. 

 

What should I do?

[flicks1998 1,044]

Why did they say you can’t have an AKA?  That’s the biggest mistake people make in the Philippines is not getting the AKA NBI clearance and causing visa issuance delays. The number 1 mistake. 

[user555 196]

1 hour ago, angeljolie said:

I went to NBI to apply for a clearance last month but was told by the staff that I cannot request for one that has an AKA. I told him it's for IV application purposes and the USEM requires it. He asked me for a letter from the USEM stating the same, which I didn't have and still don't have as of now. My case is currently at NVC and I have just submitted the DS 260 on CEAC. I opened the civil documents requirements and I am required to upload a police clearance. 

 

What should I do?

Try to do it online. My wife requested one on their website on Dec 1 and it was delivered to our door on Dec 5 with an AKA. It sounds like that staff member was incompetent. 

[angeljolie 188]

1 hour ago, flicks1998 said:

Why did they say you can’t have an AKA?  That’s the biggest mistake people make in the Philippines is not getting the AKA NBI clearance and causing visa issuance delays. The number 1 mistake. 

The guy said it's going to have my maiden and married names but there wasn't going to be an explicit "AKA" written on the document. 

 

1 hour ago, user555 said:

Try to do it online. My wife requested one on their website on Dec 1 and it was delivered to our door on Dec 5 with an AKA. It sounds like that staff member was incompetent. 

She didn't have to appear? I guess she had one recent clearance that she renewed? And does this new clearance has an explicit "AKA" marking?

 

Thank you for your responses. So, I actually need an NBI clearance now for uploading to CEAC, right?  What the guy at the NBI told me led me to believe I can only secure an NBI clearance with an AKA upon receipt of the interview letter from the NVC or the USEM.

[Hank_ 9,174]

21 minutes ago, angeljolie said:

The guy said it's going to have my maiden and married names but there wasn't going to be an explicit "AKA" written on the document. 

 

She didn't have to appear? I guess she had one recent clearance that she renewed? And does this new clearance has an explicit "AKA" marking?

 

Thank you for your responses. So, I actually need an NBI clearance now for uploading to CEAC, right?  What the guy at the NBI told me led me to believe I can only secure an NBI clearance with an AKA upon receipt of the interview letter from the NVC or the USEM.

  ^^ That is an AKA^^   Doesn't need the "AKA" printed on the document, just "all other names used" need to be listed.    

 

If you only used your maiden name and married name all is good.

 

And yes you need to send a copy to NVC

Edited December 8, 2020 by Hank_

[angeljolie 188]

^Thank you so much! 

 

Another question. I wasn't married to my daughter's father when she was born and on her birth certificate her surname was mine. A year later, her surname was changed to her father's thru  RA 9255 which is indicated on her birth certificate as an annotation. In her DS 260, I ticked "yes" to the question "have you ever used any other names?" and wrote her birth certificate name. Is there a way for her NBI clearance to show this? 

[user555 196]

3 hours ago, angeljolie said:

The guy said it's going to have my maiden and married names but there wasn't going to be an explicit "AKA" written on the document. 

Yes, she went there earlier in the year, but we needed to get a new one. The embassy only allows it to be 6 months old, although they never state this anywhere! No AKA on the document, but you can fill in the AKA field on the form when you submit it to NBI. Check out Manilaraf's photo. 

 

 

 

[seekingthetruth 1,246]

Do the AKA names also include middle names?  One of my wife's AKA was because her birth certificate had the initial "O." instead of her full middle name that begins with O.  Her parents didn't bother to fix it but she fixed it a few years ago.

[payxibka 10,045]

5 hours ago, angeljolie said:

^Thank you so much! 

 

Another question. I wasn't married to my daughter's father when she was born and on her birth certificate her surname was mine. A year later, her surname was changed to her father's thru  RA 9255 which is indicated on her birth certificate as an annotation. In her DS 260, I ticked "yes" to the question "have you ever used any other names?" and wrote her birth certificate name. Is there a way for her NBI clearance to show this? 

How old is your daughter?

[PWB 213]

AKA NBI was our original downfall.  The embassy is rather secretive about if you have been previously married you need AKA NBI.  Original document screening at our interview we were told NBI was correct.  Then we received 221-g saying they  needed AKA NBI.  When we tried to have one issued they refused to issue until we showed 221-g from embassy.  Then they issued NBI showing all previous marriages.  Believe me if an AKA NBI is required the embassy will not issue visa until you provide AKA NBI.  What really makes this a catch 22 is the folks issuing NBI's will not issue one without being required to do so by USEM.   Happiness is USEM out of our lives. 

[flicks1998 1,044]

5 hours ago, PWB said:

AKA NBI was our original downfall.  The embassy is rather secretive about if you have been previously married you need AKA NBI.  Original document screening at our interview we were told NBI was correct.  Then we received 221-g saying they  needed AKA NBI.  When we tried to have one issued they refused to issue until we showed 221-g from embassy.  Then they issued NBI showing all previous marriages.  Believe me if an AKA NBI is required the embassy will not issue visa until you provide AKA NBI.  What really makes this a catch 22 is the folks issuing NBI's will not issue one without being required to do so by USEM.   Happiness is USEM out of our lives. 

Even if your spouse was never married they may still need the AKA NBI clearance if they were born illegitimate and then the parents legitimised the birth.  
 

BTW before COVID, this illegitimate and legitimate designation was in Congress to be eliminated as they have finally realised the discrimination with it. It may still be a few years before it’s done away with but that time is coming. 

[angeljolie 188]

20 hours ago, user555 said:

Yes, she went there earlier in the year, but we needed to get a new one. The embassy only allows it to be 6 months old, although they never state this anywhere! No AKA on the document, but you can fill in the AKA field on the form when you submit it to NBI. Check out Manilaraf's photo. 

That unwritten rule of 6 months validity also irks me. I just hope they'd be more direct about it. Thank you so much for the links you provided.

 

20 hours ago, seekingthetruth said:

Do the AKA names also include middle names?  One of my wife's AKA was because her birth certificate had the initial "O." instead of her full middle name that begins with O.  Her parents didn't bother to fix it but she fixed it a few years ago.

Yes, every name that appears on her birth certificate. AKA name can be written as full name so you can use "Jackie O Kennedy" for example, as the AKA.

 

17 hours ago, payxibka said:

How old is your daughter?

She's 17.

 

8 hours ago, PWB said:

AKA NBI was our original downfall.  The embassy is rather secretive about if you been previously married you need AKA NBI.  Original document screening at our interview we were told NBI was correct.  Then we received 221-g saying they  needed AKA NBI.  When we tried to have one issued they refused to issue until we showed 221-g from embassy.  Then they issued NBI showing all previous marriages.  Believe me if an AKA NBI is required the embassy will not issue visa until you provide AKA NBI.  What really makes this a catch 22 is the folks issuing NBI's will not issue one without being required to do so by USEM.   Happiness is USEM out of our lives. 

So frustrating, right? They have been doing this for soooo long and yet none of them seem to know what to do.

 

Thank you so much everyone! You have all been very helpful! We just got back from the NBI and secured our clearances with AKAs. The documents do have the term "AKA" explicitly written on them. I almost had a meltdown because I had to go back and forth the 3rd floor (biometrics) and 1st floor (releasing) because they didn't know what to do with my daughter's clearance. We already secured one for her last month but didn't have the AKA. So, I had to redo the request (i.e., pay again) then she did the biometrics again. The guy at the biometrics asked us to go to the releasing section to have the revised printed. At the releasing, the lady told me it's not yet ready and it has to be tagged. She said she didn't know who should tag it so she asked me to go back to the biometrics section. At the biometrics section, the guy FINALLY gave clear instructions. At the releasing, I had to go to the courtesy lane first to have it tagged. I was asked to wait 5 minutes and was then instructed to go to the releasing window to have it printed. What astounded me was the lady at the releasing window didn't know that tagging is done at the section about 30 feet away from her own!

 

That was quite a workout! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[VicDEH 5]

9 hours ago, PWB said:

AKA NBI was our original downfall.  The embassy is rather secretive about if you have been previously married you need AKA NBI.  Original document screening at our interview we were told NBI was correct.  Then we received 221-g saying they  needed AKA NBI.  When we tried to have one issued they refused to issue until we showed 221-g from embassy.  Then they issued NBI showing all previous marriages.  Believe me if an AKA NBI is required the embassy will not issue visa until you provide AKA NBI.  What really makes this a catch 22 is the folks issuing NBI's will not issue one without being required to do so by USEM.   Happiness is USEM out of our lives. 

This kind of scares me now. My wife also just finished getting her NBI and they refused to do an AKA.  Although she insisted they told her the multipurpose NBI would be all that they would do for her.  We accepted that and hoped that the embassy would accept it.  However, after reading here it seems that this is not the case.  I guess we need to prepare for a 221-g on this one.

[angeljolie 188]

24 minutes ago, VicDEH said:

This kind of scares me now. My wife also just finished getting her NBI and they refused to do an AKA.  Although she insisted they told her the multipurpose NBI would be all that they would do for her.  We accepted that and hoped that the embassy would accept it.  However, after reading here it seems that this is not the case.  I guess we need to prepare for a 221-g on this one.

Don't even think about 221g! It's very easy to get a new NBI clearance with an AKA.

1. Register here: https://clearance.nbi.gov.ph/
2. After registration, you will be taken to the information page. Make sure to type on the AKA names field when you fill it out.
3. Create request for clearance. Select the branch and the appointment date. I highly suggest getting this done at the NBI Clearance Center in Manila because once paid, you can come anytime regardless of when your appointment is scheduled. (I selected Robinsons Metro East branch for Dec 10, but went to the NBI Clearance Center today, 9 Dec).
4. Pay the fee (I used GCash, very convenient. But there are other options like online banking, over the counter in banks, etc).
5. Go to the NBI Clearance Center and get the clearance.

Please follow the instructions in chronological order. You have to enter the AKA names in the information page BEFORE you create a request for clearance.  Also, please double check the info on the screen that they will show you at the biometrics section. Ask the staff twice, thrice, or 4 times just to be sure that the AKA is included.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 9, 2020 by angeljolie

[payxibka 10,045]

2 hours ago, angeljolie said:

That unwritten rule of 6 months validity also irks me. I just hope they'd be more direct about it. Thank you so much for the links you provided.

What unwritten rule?  My wife's NBI was 11 months old at time of interview