Resources:
- Club Registrars – Start ITC
- Process for International Clearances can be found here.
- Click here for all forms.
ALL FOREIGN BORN PLAYERS: U.S. Soccer’s INTERNATIONAL TRANSFER CERTIFICATE (ITC) Requirement
- Are you a U.S. citizen who was born abroad?
- Are you a foreign-born player now living in the United States?
- If you answered ‘yes’ to either of these questions and have never completed the ITC process, WE HAVE SOME WORK TO DO!
The U.S. Soccer ITC approval process can take some time. Players are prohibited from participating until approval has been received.
U.S. Soccer, in accordance with FIFA, requires ALL players not born in the United States to request an International Clearance whether or not the player is a U.S. citizen. This clearance is based on birthplace and is required of any player registering with a U.S. Soccer affiliated club, team or league regardless of club status or competition level. This clearance process is termed an International Transfer Certificate (ITC) Clearance or First Registration.
Club personnel determine which of these two type of clearances a player requires based on the criteria below:
INTERNATIONAL TRANSFER CERTIFICATE (ITC) CLEARANCE: Applies to player of any nationality who has previously been registered with a club affiliated with a non-U.S. federation and now wishes to be registered with a club affiliated with the United States. Should that player leave the U.S., a new clearance must be requested and granted to allow the player to again register/play for a U.S. Soccer affiliated club/league upon return. The clearance follows the player, not the club.
FIRST REGISTRATION: Applies to a player 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. Once a player receives clearance by the USSF PSD, the player is eligible to register/play for any U.S. Soccer-affiliated club/league. This clearance occurs one time. The clearance follows the player, not the club.
Do you require ITC or First Registration Clearance? Here are the NEXT STEPS:
- Look at the graphic below and determine the appropriate scenario that applies to the player.
- Click on International Clearance Overview below to find the paperwork required for that path.
- Fill out the required paperwork, sign it and send to office@cjsa.org along with any additional supporting items requested.
- PLEASE BE SURE TO FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS EXACTLY. SEND ALL DOCUMENTS IN SEPARATE ATTACHMENTS NO LARGER THAN 5MB EACH. For example, if you need to send proof that you have been in school for 5 years and you send 5 years’ worth of grades, that will be one attachment. If you send your lease for your house or apartment and it’s 12 pages, that is one attachment. if you send proof of employment, that is one attachment. Again, all attachments are separate.
- Questions can be directed to CJSA at office@cjsa.org.
- International Clearance Overview
Use the graphic below to determine what paperwork to select from the International Clearance Overview link above.