NBI Clearance Headaches – the expat route

Since I’ve been in the country for more than six months, one of my Visa requirements for the Bureau of Immigration was to get an NBI Clearance.

Not knowing what an NBI Clearance was and how to obtain it, I decided to google it in hopes of finding the government website.

My search for “NBI Clearance” brought me to website https://www.nbi-clearance.com. I was quite concerned that this wasn’t a “.gov.ph” site. Further investigation revealed this is a legit NBI site for online application and there are guides available with step by step processes on how to fill in the online form (note: for locals).

As a Foreigner, I can still use the online application form, but there is one CRUCIAL detail missing if you’ve come straight to this form. All foreigners must process their application at the main processing centre located on United Nations Ave in Manila. 

Wouldn’t it be great to know this before going through Manila traffic in the opposite direction to reach the nearest processing centre only to find out after crazy queues that they can’t do anything for you? *sigh*

What I should have done first was google “NBI” instead of “NBI Clearance”, which would have taken me to the government site: https://nbi.gov.ph. (Note: the search result http://www.nbi.gov.ph doesn’t actually work or go anywhere. Which adds to the confusion since the gov.ph site was difficult for me to find).

On the home page under announcement, is a note that foreigners need to complete their applications at the main processing centre. Below it is a link that takes you to the online application form/website.

Now that we’re clear on having to do this at the main processing centre, let me give you a quick step by step on how this worked out for me.

1. Fill out the online application.
2. Payment options: I tried to do the online payment option. Sounds convenient right? Not if you’re a first timer. First you need to enrol online with your bank, which requires you to fill in a form, then go to the bank branch and submit the form where they would then enrol it online (after 2 days) before you can access it in your internet banking and pay online. Defeats the purpose doesn’t it? *sigh*
3. Other payment options: Pay at the bank branch or queue up at the clearance office with reference number handy and pay at the payment counters (this latter step is what I ultimately did since the banks were closed).
4. Once you have your official receipt, proceed to level 3 imaging and processing. (I was pregnant when doing this so I ended up on the express queue on level 4 instead). They’ll check your application and fix any errors here.
5. Once imaging is completed, head to the “Alien/Foreigner” counter on level 2. They will give you a card to fill out (both sides) and take your fingerprints. (You’ll need to bring something to wipe off the ink. There’s no soap in the toilets to help you here).
6. Return in a few days to pick up clearance at the releasing counter (or send a representative with the appropriate approvals).

Notes:

1. Make sure you bring an original and copy of your ID. In this case they wanted the photo page of my passport which I submitted with the card at the “Alien/Foreigner” counter.
2. To enter the complex, you’ll need to have your reference number handy to show security.
3. For females, they don’t allow you in if you’re wearing a sleeveless dress/top. Luckily I had my shawl in my bag so they let me in, but just keep it in mind they do maintain a dress code, though it’s not specified what that may be (I’d assume short shorts were a no no too. I was wearing long pants and a maternity dress that only exposed my shoulders and they stopped me. Flip-flops are acceptable footwear).

 

babymama.ph – Are they any good?

If you’re a new mum in the Philippines and have spent time trawling the internet for stockists of recommended brands/products for babies, you’ll probably have some difficulty. They’re either unavailable here or are being sold at exorbitant prices.

My options were to get a relative flying over to purchase the item and bring it back for me, or annoy a new found expat friend who wouldn’t mind going out of their itinerary just to pick up something on the way – which I usually avoid since I hate inconveniencing other people.

Step in babymama.ph. As all things online in this country go, I was pretty skeptical. How legit could this website be? But after looking around for alternatives and finding none that worked, I decided to give it a shot.

Ordering from them was extremely straight forward. Just add items to the cart and hit checkout. They’ll ask for basic information such as name and address (which a check-box option to create an account), and then direct you to their payment options. As usual, I went the PayPal route.

Delivery was one day around Metro Manila (for orders placed during business hours) and around three days outside of that. I paid, received email confirmation of purchase and since I’d ordered outside of business hours, I didn’t receive my shipping confirmation until the next day.

Delivery arrived the following day after, straight to my door in a bubble-wrapped package as per below.

My products were in great condition, well packaged and they even included a thank you note with return information and another with instructions on using their breast pumps (which was the reason they set up shop in the first place – to bring better quality breast pumps to new mums without the super hefty price tags).

Overall it was an easy, problem free transaction.

Some notes:

Stock runs out fast and I’m not sure how long it takes for them to restock, but there was a cream I wanted that ended up being sold out. My second choice of cream also went out of stock right after, so it does sell fast. It’s been a month and they haven’t restocked on either product yet. You can leave your email so they can contact you when stock comes in.

Pricing after factoring in convenience and delivery and currency conversions were decent for some of the items. Like all things, take time to research the different options before purchasing. An example is the milk band I bought. It’s cheaper overseas by a few dollars, but I’d need to get someone to either purchase and post to me, or fly it over. It was better just to pay a few extra dollars to purchase from babymama.ph

Delivery is based on weight and added just before payment, so you won’t see how much delivery is until you’re at the checkout.

They do have a bricks and mortar store, and appear at the baby expos, but I haven’t visited them at either of these places so I can’t comment on how they are.

Fish Balls and Baby Showers

If you remember my earlier post Baby Showers – Is there such a thing in Manila, I mentioned my church friends planning a joint one for me and another girl due around the same time.

I went in not quite sure what to expect and was met with a beautiful hybrid of Philippines and a western influence (or at least things I’m familiar with).

For starters, we had our own fishball vendor. If you’ve been in the Manila, you’d recognise these street vendors with their carts along the kerb, always surrounded by people eating skewered fishballs cooked in hot oil and dipped in a dripping glazed sauce.

It’s quite an experience, and here we had our very own to enjoy at our leisure, without the usual fast-paced ‘here’s your stick of fishballs, move aside for the next guy’, and worry of needing an iron stomach to handle it.

We also had taho (tofu with sago and sugar syrup), which is another common treat found along the streets of Manila.

Decorations, games (including one incorporating a pretend kangaroo pouch to celebrate my Aussie home), cakes and cookies (lots of sugary goodness) were all the things that were familiar and reminded me of baby showers back in Australia.

There was also pasta and I’m pretty sure you can’t go to a filipino celebration without being served pasta.

All in all, it was a beautiful and fun day. I felt really blessed, especially for someone new to the country. It made me feel more at home, and knowing I’m surrounded by such lovely people makes settling in a lot easier.

My takeaway from this experience for other expats?

Get connected.

I know it’s hard to make new friends (especially the older we get). Being the new one in a group, you find you don’t understand the inside jokes, the conversations, maybe there is language and cultural barriers, but people are patient and understanding. It’s okay to ask questions and look silly sometimes. Take the time to learn, listen and get involved. At some point, that sense of being “in the out” or being “isolated” or “the new guy” will fade.

It might not be the same as mates back home, but remember, those friendships back home probably took years to develop. It wasn’t overnight. You spent time learning and understanding each other, experiencing good and bad times (and maybe even embarrassing times) for it to become what it is now.

Don’t neglect the friendships back home, but really put in your best effort to create new ones in your new home. It makes a difference to how you experience life abroad.

Easter – Where all the Eggs gone?

Back in Australia, I’m always well aware Easter is on the way when the colourful supermarket displays start cropping up. Easter Eggs! Melt-in-your-mouth chocolatey goodness of all types, brands, and flavours. Gooey caramel centres? Solid chocolate? Milk, white, dark, marble? It’s all there.

And who can forget delicious freshly-baked ‘Hot Cross Buns’? Piping hot from the oven, with butter melting on top. Oh, the calories!

This was my first Easter in Manila and to be honest I didn’t even know it was Easter until someone said they were on holiday for Holy Week. What?

Being a country with almost 80% of the population professing the Catholic faith, it’s not surprising the focus is on Jesus and his death and resurrection. There’s different ways people choose to approach this as well. There are places where people follow strict rituals, including being whipped and carrying heavy crosses down their local streets. In other places it means feasting, pageants and celebration.

Down in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), they had an artistic and interactive version of the stations of the cross, where people were able to read information about each stage of Jesus’ trial and crucifixion, had the opportunity to carry their own wooden crosses along a footpath and back, listen to live Christian music, and have their own mini-pilgrimage down the length of High Street.

All in all the focus is on Jesus Christ and not the trimmings surrounding it, although they’re nice as well (kinda like Christmas and presents). They focus on the reason why there is a Holy Week for so many people worldwide.

Don’t get me wrong. I love the Jesus focus, but I still can’t help but feel like I missed out on something here. Maybe it would’ve been nice to have one little bunny to nibble the ears off – to get lost in the world of colourful foil wrappings, and post-calorie regret after reflecting and gaining the revelation that it is indeed finished.