PN Seal

Frequently Asked Questions

8 Phase 1: Account Details
▾
How do I verify my account using Email OTP and SMS OTP?
PNATS requires two-factor verification during registration: Enter the Email OTP sent to your registered email address and the SMS OTP sent to your registered mobile number. Both must be verified before your account becomes VERIFIED.
Why am I locked out or throttled when entering OTP?
To protect your account and prevent brute-force attacks, PNATS enforces attempt limits per OTP (wrong entries count against your attempts), resend cooldown timers, and rate limiting per IP/email/mobile number. Temporary lockouts occur after repeated failures; you must wait until the lockout time expires to try again.
What are the password requirements?
Password rules are enforced server-side and require minimum length and complexity (e.g., mix of characters). Commonly used or breached passwords are blocked, and password confirmation must match exactly.
Why do I need to accept the Data Privacy Policy and User Acceptance Terms?
PNATS collects personal information needed to process your application, and consent is required before activation. Consent is stored with a policy version and timestamp for audit purposes.
What are the registration phases and why are some steps locked?
Registration uses a gated flow: Phase 1 (Account & Consent), Phase 2 (Personal Info), Phase 3 (Education), Phase 4 (AFPSAT Verification), and Phase 5 (Review & Submit). Steps unlock only after the prior phase is successfully completed and your status transitions.
Will I receive notifications about OTP, status changes, and schedules?
Yes. Notifications are event-driven for OTP, status changes (e.g., VERIFIED, SUBMITTED), scheduling updates, and document issues. Notifications may be delivered via in-app inbox and optionally via Email/SMS depending on the event.
I entered correct details but still cannot proceed. What should I do?
Use the State Transitions & Gating Dashboard to check what is missing. If there is a validation failure, follow the guidance shown on screen; if you believe it is a system error, submit a support request.
How can I report a technical issue?
Use the support request form on the help page, providing clear details and attaching evidence (screenshots) if available.
13 Phase 2: Personal and Address
▾
Why is my Civil Status blocked?
PNATS enforces eligibility rules during registration; Civil Status must be Single. If you select other values, saving is blocked and a reason is shown.
What is the allowed age range?
Your age is auto-computed from your Birthdate; PNATS accepts applicants aged 18 to 28 only at the time of registration.
Why do I see “Name + Birthdate already exists”?
To prevent duplicate registrations, PNATS blocks new accounts that match an existing applicant record using Full Name + Birthdate.
Why is “City” or “Barangay” required?
City/Municipality and Barangay are mandatory for address verification and scheduling; PNATS will block completion if either is missing.
What happens if I select NCR?
If Region is NCR, Province is auto-set to Metro Manila. City and Barangay remain mandatory.
In rural areas, do I need a Street name?
Street may be optional for rural/non-NCR addresses, but Barangay and City/Municipality are still required. Use House/Building and Landmark fields to help locate your residence.
Why does PNATS ask for Tribe/Ethnic Group?
These fields are collected for official reporting and policy compliance and are protected under data privacy controls. They are not used for ranking or eligibility scoring.
Can I select “Prefer not to say” for Religion?
Yes, Religion supports “Prefer not to say” where provided in the controlled list. If “Other (Specify)” is chosen, a free-text field appears for clarification.
When do I receive in-app notifications?
You may see in-app notifications for Save Draft confirmation, Validation failures (e.g., missing barangay), and Phase completion (e.g., PROFILE-COMPLETE).
What is a “Notifications sent” ribbon?
It confirms that an in-app notification was created after your action. It is a UI feedback element and does not guarantee email/SMS delivery.
What if I do not receive OTP Email/SMS?
OTP delivery is part of Phase 1 verification; if you suspect delivery issues, verify your email/mobile number, check spam folders, and request a resend within allowed limits.
What information should I provide when requesting help?
Registered email address or mobile number, applicant reference, optional screenshot of the error, and the date/time the issue occurred.
Can I correct mistakes after Phase 2 is completed?
Some fields may be editable before submission. After submission, edits may require admin review and are subject to audit logging.
11 Phase 3: Education
▾
What fields are required?
Phase 3 requires Highest Educational Attainment, Complete Name of School, and Year Graduated / Last Attended (YYYY) before you can continue.
What year should I enter if I did not graduate yet?
If you are an undergraduate, enter the last attended year to support correct classification and record consistency.
Why does the system block invalid years?
To prevent incorrect education records, PNATS blocks years that are not a valid 4-digit year or fall outside system-controlled allowed ranges.
What is “Application Type” and why does PNATS compute it?
PNATS auto-determines an Application Type (e.g., NOCC / SBC / MBC) based on your education data to support correct routing and downstream processing.
Will I see how my Application Type was computed?
You will see a preview of the computed Application Type. The detailed rule mapping is system-controlled and can be updated by administrators with audit logging.
What happens if my Application Type changes after I edit Education?
If your education edits change Application Type, PNATS should require confirmation and record the change in the audit trail.
Can I enter more than one education record?
Only if PNATS is configured with a separate applicant_education table (1-to-many); otherwise, it captures one education snapshot.
Which record is used to compute Application Type?
If multiple records are enabled, the record marked as Highest drives Application Type determination.
When do I receive in-app notifications in Phase 3?
You receive notifications for Save Draft confirmation, validation failures, Phase 3 completion, and if your Application Type changes.
What if I do not receive Email/SMS?
Email/SMS is used for verification and critical transitions; always check your in-app inbox for authoritative updates as delivery may depend on carrier filtering.
What information should I provide when requesting help?
Provide your registered email/mobile, applicant reference, the specific error message text, and the date/time of the issue.
20 Phase 4: AFPSAT Verification
▾
What is AFPSAT and what is an IRF?
AFPSAT is the qualifying examination, and the IRF (Individual Record Form) is the official proof of your AFPSAT result.
Do I still need to submit the original IRF?
Yes, the uploaded scan is for verification, but you may still be required to submit the original IRF as instructed by the recruitment office.
How long is AFPSAT valid?
AFPSAT results are valid only within the approved validity window (system enforced); verification will fail if the exam date is outside this window.
What file types are allowed?
Only PDF, JPG/JPEG, and PNG are allowed; other types are blocked.
What is the maximum file size?
Uploads are limited to 10MB per file.
Why is my upload rejected even if the file type is correct?
Rejection can occur if the image is too blurry/unreadable, cropped or missing fields (name, date), fails virus scan, or is corrupted.
What happens after I upload?
PNATS runs file checks (type, size, virus scan) and stores a file hash; if checks pass, your record enters the verification queue.
What does AFPSAT-PENDING mean?
Your IRF has been submitted and is waiting for verification.
What does AFPSAT-VERIFIED mean?
Your AFPSAT record matched and was validated; Phase 5 is unlocked.
What does AFPSAT-FAILED mean?
Verification could not be completed (e.g., unreadable IRF, date mismatch); check the Notification Center for next steps.
Can I re-upload my IRF after I’m verified?
Typically no; upload is disabled once verified unless the admin opens a controlled correction workflow.
Why is my score masked?
AFPSAT score is treated as Sensitive; display is restricted by policy and RBAC, and all access is audit-logged.
What are the passing thresholds?
PNATS enforces system-controlled thresholds (e.g., NOCC vs SBC/MBC) which can be updated per policy.
Where does Application Type come from?
It is determined in the Education phase and used in Phase 4 for routing and validation.
What events create in-app notifications in Phase 4?
IRF upload completion, upload rejection/validation failure, verification outcomes (PASS/FAILED), and status transitions.
Where can I see the history of notifications?
Open the in-app Notification Center to see read-only notifications with timestamps.
Is my IRF protected?
Yes, documents are stored with access control, encryption-at-rest, and audit logging for downloads/previews.
What is logged as audit evidence?
Upload timestamp, file hash, scan result, exam date corrections, verification outcome, status transitions, and document access events.
Will PNATS ask for my password or OTP?
No, official staff will not request your OTP or password.
What information should I include when filing a ticket?
Applicant ID, the exam date you entered, error message text, and optional screenshots.
4 Phase 5: Review and Submit
▾
What happens after I submit?
Your application is queued for the next recruitment steps, and you may receive instructions for scheduling (SWE/NP).
Why is Submit disabled?
It is disabled if attestations are unchecked, the typed confirmation is missing/incorrect, your status is not AFPSAT-VERIFIED, or final gate revalidation detects missing evidence.
What is the Notification Center for?
Use it to see submission outcomes, blocks, receipts, scheduling instructions, and admin messages.
Can I make corrections after submitting?
Once SUBMITTED, changes are restricted; corrections require admin action with documented evidence and audit logging.
Confirm Sign out
Are you sure you want to sign out?