In April 2019, President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Republic Act No. 11261 or the First Time Job Seekers Assistance Act¹, a law that waives the fees for government documents required for employment.

Although it was already signed, it took a while before the NBI received the official memo, so the law wasn’t in full swing until an official update appeared on the NBI clearance website, announcing that first-time job seekers can now apply for free.

Aside from NBI clearance, the law also mentions other crucial government documents that first-time job seekers can get at no cost. These include police clearance, birth certificate, barangay clearance, tax identification number (TIN), medical certificate, marriage certificate, and UMID, among others.

However, note that applicants can only avail of this privilege ONCE. The NBI and other government agencies will keep a record of first-time job seekers who have already availed of this benefit to prevent fresh graduates from abusing the system.

In this guide, you’ll learn more about the free NBI clearance for first time job seekers and how you can avail of one.

Who Are Qualified To Avail of the Free NBI Clearance for First Time Job Seekers?

Beneficiaries of the Republic Act No. 11261 must be Filipino citizens, a resident of his/her barangay for at least six (6) months, currently looking for employment, and first-time job seekers.

A first-time jobseeker is any Filipino citizen actively seeking employment locally or abroad and can be one of the following²:

• A fresh graduate with a bachelor’s degree from any college or university; a technical-vocational course from any learning institution in the Philippines; or secondary education through the K-12 program (i.e., high school graduates).
• An early school leaver or out-of-school youth (OSY).
• A person who has never been employed, not presently employed, or engaged in education or training, was not previously enrolled in any educational institution or has not finished secondary education.
• A student taking a leave of absence from an institution offering college or tertiary education or a technical-vocational course.
• Any person intending to work while enrolled in any school, college, university, or learning institution offering technical and vocational courses.

NBI Clearance Requirements for First-Time Jobseekers

1. Two (2) valid IDs

First-time job seekers must present two valid IDs on the day of their appointments. Click here to see the complete list of valid IDs accepted for the NBI clearance application.

You can submit your PSA Birth Certificate plus one of the valid IDs accepted by the NBI Clearance office. Or, you can present your Philippine passport instead of the birth certificate and one of the valid IDs listed in the above link. However, you can’t submit the PSA Birth Certificate and Philippine passport together as NBI Clearance offices, particularly the main office in U.N. Avenue, consider them technically the same.

2. Original and photocopy of Barangay Certificate and Oath of Undertaking

These must be issued not more than 1 year before the NBI clearance application. The Barangay Certification issued by the barangay must certify that you’ve been a barangay resident for at least 6 months and that you’re a first-time job seeker. Meanwhile, the Oath of Undertaking must be accomplished by the first-time jobseeker and executed before the Barangay Captain or the latter’s authorized officer.

Both documents can be obtained from the Barangay Hall.

However, note that NBI Clearance offices, particularly the main branch in U.N. Avenue, strictly require all first-time jobseekers to follow specific templates when creating the Barangay Certification and Oath of Undertaking. Failure to comply will result in the rejection of your application.

Here are the templates accepted by the NBI Clearance offices as of 2021:

a. Barangay Certification Template

Click here to download an editable Barangay Certification template in a Word document (Note: Follow the instructions indicated in the image above, and don’t forget to insert Barangay letterhead at the top to ensure compliance)

b. Oath of Undertaking Template

Click here to download an editable Oath of Undertaking template in a Word document. (Note: Follow the instructions indicated in the image above, and don’t forget to insert Barangay letterhead at the top to ensure compliance)

3. Reference Number

You can obtain this number after securing an appointment online (more on this later).

How To Get NBI Clearance for Free if You’re a First-Time Jobseeker: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Go to the NBI Clearance Online Services website

Look for the yellow section dedicated to first-time job seekers. Click the hyperlinked text that says Click Here.

A notification box will appear on the screen to give you a reminder as well as the requirement/s needed to avail of the free NBI clearance:

• You can only avail of this privilege ONCE and for only ONE copy of the NBI clearance
• First-time jobseekers must present a valid Barangay Certificate (issued not more than a year before the date of NBI clearance application). It should come from the applicant’s place of residence and must state that he/she has been a resident for at least 6 months and is a first-time jobseeker

2. Register as a First Time Jobseeker

Fill out the registration form with your gender, civil status, birthday, complete name, email address, password, etc. Once you’re done, read and accept the Terms of Services, tick the captcha box, and click Sign Up.

You’ll receive a 6-digit one-time password (OTP) via your registered mobile number. Fill out the field provided on the screen with this OTP. Click Submit.

3. Sign in to complete the ‘Applicant Information’ form

Sign in using the email address and password you provided during registration.

You’ll then be directed to the Applicant Information page, where you’ll fill in all the missing information like your address, height, weight, educational attainment, religion, etc.

When you’re done, click Save Information.

Review all the information you’ve provided and check for spelling mistakes or any inaccuracies. If you’re sure all the information is correct and complete, click Submit.

4. Secure an appointment with the NBI

Click Apply for Clearance on the upper right corner of the screen (if you’re using a computer) or the top of the screen (if you’re using a mobile).

Enter the name and number of the valid ID you’ll bring and present on the day of your appointment. Take note that this is separate from the Barangay Certificate, which all first-time job seekers are required to bring for verification purposes.

Click I Agree.

Select your preferred NBI clearance center that will process your application. You can choose from several Manila and provincial branches as well as PHILPOST offices.

Then, select the time and date you prefer to process and receive your NBI clearance from the available slots. You can choose either AM or PM. The schedules/slots shaded in blue are available, while those in red are already full.

Click Save to Get Reference Number to proceed.

5. Copy or Save the Reference Number Appearing on the Screen

After securing your appointment, a confirmation box will appear on the screen containing the Reference Number you need to save or copy.

The Reference Number will serve as your gate pass on your appointment date. Don’t forget to bring it along with your valid IDs and Barangay Certificate.

Since fresh graduates will be applying for free, the security personnels will be more strict when dealing with applicants like you with incomplete requirements. In other words, no or incomplete requirements means no entry.

Go back to the main article: How to Get NBI Clearance Online in the Philippines: An Ultimate Guide

References

1. Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act (2018).
2. Business Mirror. Memorandum Circular No. SC-2019-02 (2019).