IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING INTERNATIONAL CLEARANCE FOR PLAYERS REGARDLESS OF LEVEL OF PLAY:
We encourage all members to visit the INTERNATIONAL CLEARANCE OVERVIEW section of the U.S. Soccer website for detailed information regarding& the international clearance process, required documents, and submission guidelines for efficient processing.
UPDATES TO INTERNATIONAL CLEARANCE FORMS
Please use the updated forms found on the website and adhere to submission guidelines. Applications submitted using forms prior to the JULY 2021 update will be rejected. All current forms available at the links below
U.S. Soccer is continually looking at ways of streamlining the international clearance process, updating members of new changes in FIFA requirements and improving the user experiences for all. See below current updates scheduled for DECEMBER 2021:
- To MINOR EXEMPTION forms – Adding section requesting pro affiliation status of the club. To be completed solely by a club/team representative.
- To MINOR EXEMPTION forms - Adding option to indicate if clearance is a First Registration or International Clearance.
- 5 YEAR MINOR EXEMPTION – FIFA has only been accepting school records as proof of residence of a minor applying for the 5-year exception in the United States.
PROCESSING TIMES AND STATUS UPDATES
In an effort to help applicants track the progress of submitted applications, we continue to issue status updates throughout the process at the same point and frequency previously established. Below are examples of status updates sent by the Player Status Department:
- Incomplete Application – Application Rejected
- Failure to respond to U.S. Soccer request - Case closed
- Application has been sent to FIFA for confirmation
- FIFA requesting additional documentation
- ITC has been requested from releasing Federation
- First Registration is confirmed and player is eligible to play
- ITC – has been received and eligible to play
- Prior Clearance on File
- Player will require Amateur Reinstatement
- Pro affiliation status of the club required
When applicants do not receive a status update after the initial automatic reply, the application is in the queue to be processed. As a reminder, players (and parents or representatives of players) should not contact U.S. Soccer and/or FIFA directly – this will only delay the process. Player Status will not respond to status requests sent to the general box nor to personal emails of department members.