What to Do If Your Online Police Clearance Application is Rejected
Whether you are a Filipino national, expat, or student, you need to get a police clearance certificate to get a job, apply for immigration, obtain a visa, or study abroad. You can submit your application for a National Police Clearance online on the official online portal.
If you submit all the required documents correctly and verify your payments, you get the clearance certificate. However, if it gets rejected for any reason, you have to find out the reason for the rejection, except if it is due to your criminal record or a system error, you have to contact the police clearance office for further assistance.
Why Was Your Police Clearance Application Rejected?
If your application is rejected, there’s nothing to fret about. I have described a few common reasons for clearance certificate rejection in the section below.
Eligibility Issues
If you don’t fulfill the eligibility criteria but still apply for a clearance certificate, then the system will automatically reject your application. Additionally, some local Filipino offices have special rules, and even if you qualify in general, you can still be rejected for not fulfilling those rules.
Incorrect Personal Data
While filling out the application form, if you mistakenly enter personal information, such as your name or date of birth, that doesn’t match the details on your submitted documents, your application may be rejected by the PNP.
Missing or Invalid Documents
To complete the application process, you need to provide two valid IDs from an official list of accepted documents. The IDs should meet the following conditions:
These are general instructions to ensure that the documents you submit are legitimate and correctly represent you for the police clearance application.
Fee Not Paid
When you apply online for a police clearance in the Philippines then you have to pay the required fee right after you schedule your appointment for fingerprinting and taking your photo.
Missed Police Station Appointment
After you book your appointment and pay the fee, you must go to the police station on your scheduled date for fingerprinting, photo-taking, and to show your original documents.
If you can’t go, you should reschedule at least one day before your appointment.
But if you don’t visit on the due date and don’t reschedule, the police will reject your application, and you won’t get a refund.
Criminal Offense
If you’ve had a criminal record in the past, the Philippine Police will still give you a police clearance, but it will have a “Hit” on it. That means your past record will be mentioned in the certificate. If the crime you were involved in was not too serious, you can still get the clearance.
But if you have been involved in serious crimes, and the police find those in their records, your application will be rejected. Because of the seriousness of your case, the police won’t give you a police clearance.
Internet Connectivity Issues
Another uncommon reason for application rejection is internet connectivity problems. Normally, the online portal for police clearance works smoothly, but if the internet connection drops during your application process, it may cause the application to stop processing and result in rejection.
What to Do If Your Online Police Clearance Application is Rejected
If your application is rejected, you have to resubmit it after fixing all the issues mentioned in the rejection notice emailed to you.
When your application is rejected, the Philippine National Police will send a notification to your registered email address. Read this email thoroughly to understand the reason for the rejection.
If you don’t get the rejection reason, contact the issuing authority for clarification. This will help you address the issue and avoid making the same mistakes at the time of resubmitting your application.
Correct Your Personal Information
If your application is rejected because of a mistake in your personal information, like your name or birthdate, go to the PNP Clearance website and edit your profile, not the application itself, because once you submit the application then you cannot edit it.
Change or Update Your Documents
If your documents are rejected like an invalid ID, you should replace them. For example, if your driver’s license isn’t accepted, you can use another valid ID like your PhilHealth ID.
Submit a New Application
Once you’ve corrected your personal details and documents then you will submit a new police clearance application. You cannot change a submitted application.
Pay the Fee Again
If your application gets rejected after paying, you won’t get a refund. Also, for every new application, you have to pay the fee again.
If the problem was due to a payment error, just apply again, book another appointment, and pay properly.
Finish the Process at the Police Station
After applying and paying online, you need to go to the police station you selected. Bring:
At the station, they will take your fingerprints, photo, and check your documents. Then they will give you your police clearance certificate.
If You Have a Criminal Record
If you have serious criminal cases, the police won’t give you a clearance. In this case, it’s better to talk to a lawyer to fix your legal issues first. Once everything is settled, you can apply again.
Need Help?
If you’re confused or need help, call the PNP Clearance Helpline or visit your nearest police station.
Helpline Number:
📞 (02) 723-0401 local 7663
OR
📞 (02) 8723-0401 local 7663
Seek Clarification from Authorities
If you are unable to find out the exact rejection reason, then reach out to the police clearance office or the relevant authority to understand the point of rejection and to seek guidance on how to address the issue.
Tips To Avoid Application Rejection in the Future
Here are some points that you should keep in mind while submitting your application to avoid any rejection in the future
Double-Check Your Information
Before submitting your application, make sure all your personal details are correct:
Use Clear and Good-Quality Documents
All the documents that you upload must be clear and easy to read:
Keep Updated
Keep updated with the latest required details so that you can apply after meeting all the requirements.
Conclusion
You can apply for a PNP clearance certificate either online or by physically visiting their office. The application will be rejected if you enter the wrong information, if you have not submitted all the required documents, or if you have a criminal record, or have not paid the application fee.
If your application is rejected, then the reason will be mentioned in the rejection notice emailed to you by the authorities. Read the notice and remove those objections, and again submit a fresh application.
