International Clearance

PLAYER CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS

In accordance with FIFA RSTP, the clearance process is required when a player over the age of 10 is attempting to register with an affiliated club/league in the United States, regardless of that player's soccer ability. It is the responsibility of the registering club to verify a player’s registration history in order to ascertain whether a clearance may be required. A determination is made by the registering club personnel on which type of clearance the player requires based on the below listed criteria:

  • INTERNATIONAL CLEARANCE TRANSFER (ITC) - Player (adult or minor) of any nationality who has previously been registered with a club affiliated to one federation and now wishes to be registered with a club affiliated to the United States.
  • FIRST REGISTRATION - Player (adult or minor) who has never previously been registered with a club and is not a national of the country in which they wish to be registered for the first time.
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  • ​**​FIFA requires a player born in a U.S. territory (Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, or the U.S. Virgin Islands) to be cleared before registering to play in the U.S. The territories have their own soccer federations and are viewed as foreign countries with regard to the international clearance process.

GUIDE TO CLEARANCE FORM TYPES

The below chart lists the seven (7) clearance form types and the criteria for each type. The information is outlined to assist the Member Association/Club in selecting the appropriate form based on the players’ circumstance at the time of clearance submission.  It is the responsibility of the Member Association/Club to determine which clearance is required for the player.

 

Each form can be downloaded and lists the specific required documents that must be submitted with the completed form. Association/Club representatives are required to complete the Club information section of the form.

 

 

How to submit 

Submit completed forms and all required document(s) in ONE (1) email

Each document added separately to the ONE email and no larger than 5MB or less.

All submitted documents must be in PDF format

Copy the required personnel, i.e. state registrar, league.

Subject line must indicate - Clearance type being requested /Player Name/Club Name

Information submitted is required to be accurate and complete

Partially completed forms and/or applications missing documents will not be processed.

 

MINOR CLEARANCE FORMS | PLAYER AGED 10 to 17

FORM

APPLICATION CRITERIA

P10 Registration

Any player nine (9) years of age and younger at the time of registration regardless of citizenship

First Registration
U.S. Citizen
  • U.S. citizens born outside the United States
  • Have never been registered at any level to play soccer with an affiliated* club/league in any other country.

(*Meaning | affiliated to the foreign Federation as members are affiliated to USSF)
Awaiting U.S. Citizenship
  • Does not currently hold physical proof of U.S. citizenship and is in the process of obtaining citizenship
  • Parents must hold physical proof of U.S. citizenship
  • Have never been registered at any level to play soccer with an affiliated* club/league in any other country.

(*Meaning | affiliated to the foreign Federation as members are affiliated to USSF)

 

FIFA MINOR EXCEPTIONS

FORM

APPLICATION CRITERIA

Club Statement Template
  • Club statement required for all below exception clearance types

Parent/Guardian Statement Template
  • Parent Statement ONLY required with Parent Move Exception

5 Year Exception
Exception: Art. 19 pars 3 and 4 of the RSTP
  • Player is registering for the first time
  • And has lived continuously for the last five years in the country of intended registration prior to this request

Parents Move Exception
Exception: Art. 19 par. 2 a) of the RSTP
  • The player’s parents have moved to the country where the player wants to register for reasons not linked to football
  • Includes United States citizens returning to the U.S. after studying abroad and/or playing abroad with an affiliated* club/league at any level.

(*Meaning | affiliated to the foreign Federation as members are affiliated to USSF)
Exception: Art. 19 par. 2 e) of the RSTP
  • The player is moving temporarily without their parent(s) for academic reasons in order to undertake an exchange program
  • Duration of the player’s registration will not exceed one year
  • Registering U.S. club is purely amateur and has no pro affiliation

Humanitarian Exception
Accompanied
Exception: Art. 19 par. 2 a) of the RSTP
  • The player is moving due to humanitarian reasons with their parent(s) and could not be expected to return to their country of origin
Unaccompanied
Exception: Art. 19 par. 2 d) of the RSTP
  • The player is moving due to humanitarian reasons without their parent(s) and could not be expected to return to their country of origin

 

ADULT CLEARANCE FORMS – PLAYER AGED 18 and older

FORM

APPLICANT REQUIREMENT

First Registration 18+
  • Player is aged 18 or older
  • Not born in the United States
  • Never registered with an affiliated* club/league at any level outside the United States

(*Meaning | affiliated to the foreign Federation as members are affiliated to USSF)

International Transfer Certificate (ITC)
  • Player is aged 18 or older
  • Regardless of citizenship
  • Previously registered and participated with an affiliated* club/league at any level outside the United States
  • And player is requesting to register with an affiliated* club based in the U.S.

(*Meaning | affiliated to the foreign Federation as members are affiliated to USSF)
Membership Services

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