Ascot United International Clearance 2016-2017 Version 1.0

Youth

Any player of any nationality, including British, over 10 years and under 18 years of age who was previously resident in another country MUST obtain international clearance regardless of if they have played football in another country.

The international clearance requirements do not apply if the player is under 10 years of age.

If a player is under 18 years then the requirements of FIFA Article 19 must be followed which for Ascot United requires that the player’s parents move to the country in which the new club is located for reasons not linked to football. This will require investigation by the FA and may require the player’s parents to submit copies of passports, proof of residency, utility bills, bank statements and letters of introduction and contracts of employment. This requirement applies even if the player has never played football in another country.

Please note that Ascot United has no control over this procedure. Please see the highlighted sections at the end of this document.

Adult

Any Adult player of any nationality, including British, who has ever registered or played football for a club outside of England and including Wales, Scotland and NI MUST obtain International Clearance before they can play for Ascot United.

If a player might have ever played aboard or is coming from aboard but says that they have not played aboard then Ascot United must still obtain International Clearance or check International Clearance even if the player states that clearance has been obtained.

Please note as follows

International Clearance can take many weeks to obtain depending on the foreign FA. After 28 days it may be possible to get provisional clearance. The player can sign for Ascot United at any time but cannot play in a FA sanctioned competition until International Clearance is received.

Please do not contact the FA regarding this matter as it must be dealt with by the club secretary.

Please do not hesitate to call Mark Gittoes if you require any help or assistance.

Ascot United International Clearance

Please complete electronically in Word and email to

Please do not print out and use pen or scan. Please provide a scanned copy of the passport photo page

Player Full Name
Date of Birth / DD/MM/YYYY
Age when playing for foreign club (Youth only)
Age now (Youth only)
Place of Birth
Player Nationality
Date player moved to England
Reason for moving to England (i.e. was move related to football?)
Address of player in England
Who is player living with in England. E.g. Parents/School (Youth Only)
Address of Parents if different from above (Youth Only)
Foreign Country where signed or played football (including Wales, Scotland and NI)
Foreign Clubs (Name, address, geographic location, start dates, end dates)
Playing status abroad E.g. Amateur/Non-Amateur
Has player signed a contract or signed papers for any foreign club (Please provide details).
Date of last match for foreign club / DD/MM/YYYY
All English clubs that the player has played for (Details and dates)
Date player signed for Ascot United. Player can sign but cannot play until clearance is received. / DD/MM/YYYY
Please explain when will player return to foreign country? Will player play football on return to foreign country?
Other Observations
Please provide scanned photocopy of passport picture page.

Please email the completed Word file to me. Please do not print out and scan, please email the Word file to me.

Mark Gittoes

Secretary

Ascot United FC

3 Dorset Vale, Warfield, Bracknell, Berks, RG42 3JL

01344 862184

07798 701995

FIFA REGULATIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL TRANSFERS INVOLVINGMINORS

Article 19 Protection ofMinors

1. / International transfers of players are only permitted if the player is over the age of18.
2. / The following three exceptions to this ruleapply:
a) / The player’s parents move to the country in which the new club is located for reasons not linkedtofootball.
b) / ThetransfertakesplacewithintheterritoryoftheEuropeanUnion(EU)orEuropeanEconomicArea(EEA)andtheplayerisagedbetween16and18.Inthiscase,thenewclubmustfulfilthefollowingminimumobligations:

i.It shall provide the player with an adequate football education and/or training in line with the highest national standards.

ii.It shall guarantee the player an academic and/or school and/or vocational education and/or training, in addition to his football education and/or training, which will allow the player to pursue a career other than football should he cease playing professional football.

iii.Itshallmakeallnecessaryarrangementstoensurethattheplayerislookedafterinthebestpossible way (optimum living standards with a host family or in club accommodation,appointmentofamentorattheclub,etc.).

iv.Itshall,onregistrationofsuchaplayer,providetherelevantassociationwithproofthatitiscomplyingwiththeaforementionedobligations.

c)The player lives no further than 50km from a national border and the club with which the player wishes to be registered in the neighbouring association is also within 50km of that border. The maximum distance between the player’s domicile and the club’s headquarters shall be 100km. In such cases, the player must continue to live at home and the two associations concerned must give their explicitconsent.

3.Theconditionsofthisarticleshallalsoapplytoanyplayerwhohasneverpreviouslybeenregisteredwithaclubandisnotanationalofthecountryinwhichhewishestoberegisteredforthefirsttime.

4.Every internationaltransferaccordingto paragraph 2and every first registration accordingto paragraph3issubjecttotheapprovalofthesub-committeeappointedbythePlayers’StatusCommitteeforthatpurpose.Theapplicationforapprovalshallbesubmittedbytheassociationthatwishestoregistertheplayer. The former association shall be given the opportunity to submit its position. Thesub-committee’sapprovalshallbeobtainedpriortoanyrequestfromanassociationforanInternationalTransferCertificateand/orafirstregistration. AnyviolationsofthisprovisionwillbesanctionedbytheDisciplinary CommitteeinaccordancewiththeFIFADisciplinaryCode.Inadditiontotheassociation thatfailedtoapplytothesub-committee,sanctionsmayalsobeimposedontheformerassociationforissuinganInternationalTransferCertificatewithouttheapprovalofthesub-committee,aswellasontheclubsthatreachedanagreementforthetransferofa minor.

5.Theproceduresforapplyingtothesub-committeeforafirstregistrationandaninternationaltransferofaminorarecontainedinAnnexe2oftheseregulations.

Internationalclearanceisrequiredforanyplayerovertheageof10whoisseekingtoregisterforaclubinEnglandandhaspreviouslybeenregisteredforaclubabroad(includingtheotherHomeAssociations),orwhoisaforeignnationalseekingto register for thefirst timein thiscountry.Ifthe player isunder the age of18,theyare subject tothe provisionsofFIFAArticle 19–please see footnote.International clearance isapplicableat all levels ofthegame.

Itistheregisteringclub’sresponsibilitytoverifyaplayer’sregistrationhistoryinordertoascertainwhetherinternationalclearancemayberequired.ClubsandcompetitionsoperatingnearthebordersbetweenEnglandandWales/Scotlandneedtobeparticularlycautious-aplayercanonlyplayfootballinonecountry(subjecttointernationalclearance)andcannot playfootball in two countrieson different days, under any circumstances.

Aplayercannotthemselvesobtaininternationalclearance;theclubwithwhichtheyintendtoregisterinEnglandmustsubmitacompletedinternationalclearancerequestformtoTheFA,alongwithacopyoftheplayer’spassport(photopage)ornationalidentitycard.ThisassiststheotherAssociationinidentifyingtheplayerintheirrecords.Formsshouldbeemailed .

Oncearequestissubmittedtous,wewillsendaformalrequesttotherelevantNationalAssociationfortheplayer’sInternationalTransferCertificate(ITC).TheAssociationwillconductchecksinrelationtotheplayer,includingcheckingwithhisformerclub(ifhewaspreviouslyregisteredinthatcountry)whetherheisfreetoregisterforaclubinEngland,hasfulfilled alloutstandingobligationsandhasany outstandingsuspensions.

InaccordancewithFIFARegulations,NationalAssociationshaveuptoamaximumof30daysinwhichtoissuetheITC.IfTheFAreceivesnoresponseafter30daysfromthedateofourrequest,weareabletoissueaprovisionalclearancewhichenablestheplayertoregisterandplayfortheclub.AllrequestsmadebyclubswillbeacknowledgedbythePlayerStatusdepartment.AssoonasanycorrespondenceisreceivedfromtheotherAssociationinrelationtotheplayer,ortheITCisissued,wewillcontacttherequestingclubimmediately,andthereforeclubsareaskednottocalltofollowupontheirrequests.UntilinternationalclearancehasbeenconfirmedbythePlayerStatusdepartment,theplayercannotregister and playfor a club. Onceclearanceisreceived, a player isableto registerand playfor any club inEngland.

Playersmaytrainorplayin‘behindcloseddoors’friendlymatcheswithoutinternationalclearance.However,inthesecircumstances,theclubshouldhavethepermissionoftheplayer’sformerclubandconfirmationthattheplayerisnotunder suspension.

Forplayerswhoareregisteringasaprofessionalplayer,thisprocessdoesnotapply,andtheITCrequestmustbemadethrough theFIFA TMSsystem.Ifthisisthecase, pleasecontact thePlayer Statusdepartment who willadviseyou.

FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players are published on The FAwebsite.

Guidance Notes – InternationalClearance

Non-EUplayers

All Clubs are advised to satisfy themselves that all non-EU/EEA players have the necessary credentials to take up offersofemploymentinEnglandaspartofnormalprocedural/personnelchecks.WeareadvisedbytheHomeOfficethatanyplayerwhoisinEnglandonaTier4(Student)visaisnotabletoplayinaprofessionalorsemi-professionalenvironmentunderthetermsofthatvisa.TheFAconsidersthistoextendtoclubsatSteps1–4oftheNationalLeagueSystem.AnyClub found to havefieldedsuch playersmaybeliableto a fineof£10,000per player by theHomeOffice.

PleaseseekadvicefromtheHomeOfficeifyouwouldliketoclarifyyoureligibilityasaClubtoregisternonEU/EEAplayersonthisbasis.Contactdetailscanbefoundatthislink:

International clearance for players under the age of18

FIFARegulationsstatethatinternationaltransfersareonlypermittediftheplayerisovertheageof18.Theonlyexceptionsto thisruleavailableto amateur clubsare:

v.Wheretheplayerismovingtothiscountrywithhisparentsforreasonsnotlinkedtofootball,or

vi.Whereboththeplayer’sresidenceandhisnewclubarewithin50kmofanationalborder(applicabletoplayersmoving fromWales/Scotlandonly).

The same principle applies to any player who is not a national of England and who wishes to register for a club in England for the first time (i.e. he has not previously playedfootball).

FIFAArticle19statesthatFIFA’sapprovalisrequiredforallsuchrequests,howeverthisauthorityisdelegatedtoTheFAwheretherequestinvolvesanamateurplayerregisteringwithapurelyamateurclub.Inthiscase,TheFAisresponsibleforensuringthattheregulationsarebeingobservedandthereforewerequire,asaminimum,thefollowinginformationalongsidesubmission by theregisteringclub ofan internationalclearancerequest form:

•The date on which the player moved toEngland

•Who the player is currently residing with in England (e.g. theirparents)

•ThereasonsbehindthemovetoEngland(e.g.toattendboardingschool;duetoparents’employment,etc)

Basedonthisinformation,iftheplayer’scircumstancescomplywithoneoftheexceptionslistedunderFIFARegulations,wewillthenadviseyouofthefurtherdocumentationthatwerequireinordertoprocesstheapplication.Thiswillusuallyincludethefollowingdocuments, dependingon theexact circumstancesoftheplayer:

6.Proof of employment [in England] of the player’sparents

7.Copy of the player’s passport (photo page) and birthcertificate

8.Copies of the parents’ passports (photopage)

9.Current proof of residency, i.e. the player’s address inEngland

Iftheplayer’scircumstancesdonotcomplywithoneoftheseexceptions(forexampleheisattendingboardingschool,participatinginastudent exchangeprogrammeorisotherwiseinthiscountrywithout hisparents),thenweareunabletoprocesstheplayer’sclearance.

WeareabletorequestspecialdispensationfromFIFAtoenabletheplayertoberegisteredhere,althoughitshouldbenotedthatinourexperience,suchrequestsmaybeunsuccessful.TobeabletosubmitacasetoFIFAforadecision,wewillrequirefurtherdocumentationandthiswillbeadvisedtotherequestingclubon receipt ofan enquiry or application.

Duetothenumberofrequestswereceiveandtheamountofdocumentationwerequirefromtheregisteringclub(includingadditionalinformationwhichmayberequestedbyFIFAfollowinganapplicationforspecialdispensation),clubsshould beawarethatthisprocesscan taketime.

FIFA Article 19 is published on The FAwebsite.

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