International Clearances Update 5-23-24

May 23, 2024

Dear Club/League Representative:

Please be advised MSYSA is making specific adjustments to our policies to ensure compliance with the FIFA/US Soccer international clearance (ITC) policies involving minor athletes. In preparation for the Fall 2024 season, MSYSA ITC policies apply to all leagues/clubs, regardless of their pro-affiliation status. Please read and review carefully.

NOTE: If you are a representative of one of MSYSA’s affiliated scheduling leagues, please share this email and information with your clubs.

As many of you know, there are several different ITC Process types that players/parents can utilize to request ITC approval (depending on each player’s circumstances). Information about the different ITC processes and links to forms can be found on the MSYSA website. Here are some specific reminders about forms used in the ITC process:

Club representatives – not parents – should complete the following sections: Registering Club Information, Registering Club Pro Affiliation Status (if included), Checklist, and Signature.
In the Registering Club Pro Affiliation Status section. Pro affiliated clubs should answer ‘Yes’ and indicate the name of the professional club or league through which they have a pro affiliation.
Two previously separate minor request types (FR / U.S. Citizen and FR / U.S. Citizen / Awaiting Proof of Citizenship) have now been combined into a single First Registration form. For this form, either fill out the light-red section for a player who holds U.S. Citizenship (most common) OR fill out the light-blue section for a player who is awaiting U.S. Citizenship.
U.S. Soccer created a ‘Club Statement’ template which is required for 5 Year Exception, 50km, Parents Move, & Humanitarian Exception requests. This template should be used by all clubs going forward.
U.S. Soccer created a 'Parent/Guardian Statement’ template, which is required for Parents Move requests. This template should be used for all Parents Move requests going forward.
Player’s FIFA ID: This field is not required for a First Registration (FR). For players who have previously registered to play soccer outside the US, the form asks for Player’s FIFA ID. In most cases, MSYSA would not have the Player’s FIFA ID, since it would have been obtained via the player’s registration with a foreign soccer club and foreign soccer federation. If the player’s FIFA ID is unknown, this field can be left blank until we hear more from U.S. Soccer on this.

Here are some general reminders regarding the ITC process:

ITC requests for MSYSA affiliated players should be sent to MSYSA via email (itc@michiganyouthsoccer.org). MSYSA Staff will review the request, and we will send the request to U.S. Soccer once we’ve determined that all required documents are present and that the form is accurate/complete. Do not send ITC requests directly to U.S. Soccer.
Required forms/documents should be submitted as separate files, in PDF format, and in a single email. Each file size may not exceed 5MB.
Whenever a required document is not in one of the 4 FIFA languages, a certified or notarized translation of the document is required. In that instance, both the original document and the certified translation must be submitted.
Players without ITC may participate in trainings/scrimmages, but may not participate in league games, or MSYSA State Cup games, and may not appear on an official league roster. If desired, players awaiting ITC approval may obtain a guest passcard from the MSYSA State Office in order to participate in tournaments only (not including State Cup).
U.S. Soccer provides updates regarding specific ITC requests to MSYSA when available and/or as required throughout the process. MSYSA shares these updates with the relevant club rep and/or parent as soon as possible. If U.S. Soccer has not provided an update to us, that means there is no update to share at that time. U.S. Soccer will not respond to emails which solely request a status update for a pending ITC request.
Once a player obtains clearance/approval to register to play soccer in the US, they won’t have to go through the ITC process again (unless they wish to subsequently register to play soccer in a different country). To check if a player has previously obtained international clearance to play soccer in the US, a club or league representative should email itc@michiganyouthsoccer.org with the player’s legal name and DOB. If a club wishes to inquire regarding multiple players, please provide a list of players in a single email.
U.S. Soccer is responsible for properly obtaining ITC clearance on behalf of players before they can register and participate in official matches. MSYSA is not authorized to issue ITC approvals.
Any questions regarding international clearance should be submitted via email to itc@michiganyouthsoccer.org. A member of MSYSA Staff can respond to your inquiry.

The forms from U.S. Soccer indicate that a request should be submitted a minimum of 30 days prior to the official start of club/league play. However, this does not guarantee the player will be approved within 30 days. Some of the fastest request types (e.g., P10) may get approved within 1-2 weeks, but the longer request types (e.g., Parents Move) may take several weeks or months for an approval. MSYSA strongly encourages your club/league to begin the ITC process for any impacted players as soon as possible to avoid the busy season (e.g., just before registration) which often includes long wait times for approvals that can adversely impact an athlete’s ability to participate in league games.

We appreciate your continued assistance and patience as it relates to the international clearance process.

Sincerely,

Thomas Faro

Executive Director

stateoffice@michiganyouthsoccer.org