They took the kit

[JDDavao II]

about a month ago, I went to the NBI to get a clearance as a precursor to a 13A visa. There was nothing online at the NBI that said I'd need fingerprinting but, of course, I did. The nice screener man sent us over to wait at the fingerprinting desk.

After waiting for quite some time, my wife inquired about the fingerprint officer. A few minutes later, a bustling man came out and sat at the fingerprinting station. Could we come back another day? A body was found in the river and the NBI officers had taken the fingerprinting kit with them to aid in the investigation.

The kit. They took the kit.

Two days later, we returned and so had the fingerprinting kit (inquiries about the body were met with a shrug). I was ink fingerprinted and told to go to the window.

At the window, it was obvious I wasn't going to be able to understand what they were asking me to do so they motioned my wife and I inside to the PWD station where...they took my fingerprints electronically.

Huh. If they do that, why do they ink you up? Because: Philippines!

I still have a chuckle when I think about the NBI office in a city of 2 million+ having just one fingerprinting kit when these days you can buy a dongle that plugs into a smart phone that reads prints with an app. My turn to shrug. 

[graham59]

Please let us know how you progress through the 13A process.   It's something I need to sort out during the next few months.

I believe you don't need police clearance from your home country once you've resided here for more than 6 months ?

 

[Tommy T.]

43 minutes ago, JDDavao said:

Huh. If they do that, why do they ink you up? Because: Philippines!

I needed the NBI clearance also this year. When I went into - I assume it's the same office? - there was a guy standing by the entrance gate. I asked him where to go to get clearance. He clearly understood my question in English. He pointed to a desk across the room and said to go there. So I went over there and waited for 10 minutes while a fixer and her client had a nice yuckity yuck chat, already done with their business. The guy there looked up at me and I repeated that I needed to get a clearance. He also understood me and so directed me back to the guy by the gate... I returned to the gate and he was going to send me back again. I told him, sorry, no - he just sent me here to see you. He sighed and told me, "for a while." He yelled over to the desk guy, they had a brief, loud chat. Then he told me to go behind the desk to a bench and take a seat and I would be helped.... I had to wait for another guy to finish his lunch, but then finally things happened.

I had to go to a shop next door in order to fill out the request form then return to submit it... which I did... and they did the same fingerprint thing with ink and scan and took my photo too, then I paid their fee. Please come back in a month. And lo and behold...there it was! I was actually surprised. But their system here works...sortof...

Edited July 7, 2019 by Tommy T.

[Dave Hounddriver]

38 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

When I went into - I assume it's the same office

Did you go there between 12 and 1?  Many government offices have a "No Lunch Break . . we just mess with ya for an hour while we eat" policy.

[Tommy T.]

1 minute ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Did you go there between 12 and 1?  Many government offices have a "No Lunch Break . . we just mess with ya for an hour while we eat" policy.

You make a good point, but I don't remember exactly, but I know it was after 1 pm - maybe 1:30. It wasn't the lunch break that got to me, but being pointed from one guy to another like a pinball stuck between pins. And I had the same question about why the double finger printing. An aside... I had that same thing happen when I got my P.I. driver license - ink fingerprints, scan prints, a photo for the "biometrics" plus another photo with the computer camera for the license too. So much duplication and complication!

[Tommy T.]

Oh... and "the kit" was simply and ink pad with their "special" ink and a tissue to try to remove the ink from fingers.... unless you include the cards too?

[Jollygoodfellow]

2 hours ago, graham59 said:

I believe you don't need police clearance from your home country once you've resided here for more than 6 months ?

Correct 

[OnMyWay]

2 hours ago, JDDavao said:

Two days later, we returned and so had the fingerprinting kit (inquiries about the body were met with a shrug). I was ink fingerprinted and told to go to the window.

At the window, it was obvious I wasn't going to be able to understand what they were asking me to do so they motioned my wife and I inside to the PWD station where...they took my fingerprints electronically.

When I got my NBI clearance they did the electronic finger prints first and the last thing to do was the manual fingerprints.  Perhaps they are transitioning from manual to electronic and have to do both now.  Perhaps the transition period is 20 years?  

[Mike J]

When I applied for my 13A there was a "hit" on my name and I had to get ink prints.  Turned out the hit was on my name not the electronic prints.  There is, or was, another guy with the same name as myself who had about 6 charges filed against him and was also wanted for questioning in connection with a homicide.  That was one spooky/scary conversation with a detective.  After they were convinced I was not "that guy", I asked what happens now if I want to leave the country for a visit and need the NBI clearance.  Is this now all cleared up?  The answer was no, I would get flagged and have to go through the same routine again. 

[Jack Peterson]

48 minutes ago, Mike J said:

Is this now all cleared up?  The answer was no, I would get flagged and have to go through the same routine again. 

 In my experience and talking to the NBI, all foreigners get ink printed and most of us get a Hit anyway so Manila insist on Ink prints for Foreigners. In fact I don't think i have ever known of one of us that hasn't  Depending on the Expat numbers per Area I guess a major NBI unit with only 1 Kit is a bit silly