How will the officer ask about citations in the interview?

A

allaboutgc

Registered Users (C)
I know the traffic citation issue has been beaten 1000 times in this forum...
Sorry about asking again.

So how will the officer approach this question in the interview?

Will the officer ask, "have you received any citations before?" (repeat the question in the N400 form?）

And if I received minor traffic citations before, shall I say yes and then show the officer the receipts for the fines?

Just curious how this question came up in the interview. Thanks!
 
allaboutgc said:
I know the traffic citation issue has been beaten 1000 times in this forum...
Sorry about asking again.

So how will the officer approach this question in the interview?

Will the officer ask, "have you received any citations before?" (repeat the question in the N400 form?）

And if I received minor traffic citations before, shall I say yes and then show the officer the receipts for the fines?

Just curious how this question came up in the interview. Thanks!
Click to expand...

1. I was asked if i drive i answered yes and then was asked if i had any unpaid tickets i replied yes and was asked to pay the unpaid tickets and send in proof that i did.

2.Yes they will.

3. Yes make sure you disclose any ticket even if minor or not asked to, to be more on the safe side bring a certified copy of your DMV driving history report for them to keep and bring certified copy's of the tickets that were paid/received and make sure you don't forget any and don't try to hide anything even if you think it's minor/wont effect your approval because it will as long as you have proof of every ticket you will be fine.

4. After the civics and reading/writing part they will ask you.
 
allaboutgc said:
I know the traffic citation issue has been beaten 1000 times in this forum...
Sorry about asking again.

So how will the officer approach this question in the interview?

Will the officer ask, "have you received any citations before?" (repeat the question in the N400 form?）

And if I received minor traffic citations before, shall I say yes and then show the officer the receipts for the fines?

Just curious how this question came up in the interview. Thanks!
Click to expand...

I was asked just like the N-400 question and I've answered I had only traffic tickets. That was it, she moved to the next question. She did not even asked if they were DUI related.
 
allaboutgc said:
I know the traffic citation issue has been beaten 1000 times in this forum...
Sorry about asking again.

So how will the officer approach this question in the interview?

Will the officer ask, "have you received any citations before?" (repeat the question in the N400 form?）

And if I received minor traffic citations before, shall I say yes and then show the officer the receipts for the fines?

Just curious how this question came up in the interview. Thanks!
Click to expand...

I had minor traffic tickets which I didn't mention on my N-400. At my interview, the IO only asked if I've ever been arrested. I truthfully answered "NO", and he moved on.

This topic has indeed been beaten to a pulp many times over. If you decide to disclose your tickets, I'd advise you to bring proof of payment or, if you were found not guilty by a traffic court, the applicable court dispositions. There is no need to bring certified documentation. The USCIS doesn't care about minor traffic tickets.
 
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If they don't care why was i asked to pay and send in proof of payment for my unpaid tickets that i had for no seat belt and a red light?
 
This question is a set up it's the uscis's money maker. If you don't tell them they will ask you and if you forget to tell them about anything they can deny you depending on how nice the officer is every officer has different ways to trick you, And if you do tell them remember the smartest thing to do is make sure you disclose any ticket even if minor or not asked to, to be more on the safe side bring a certified copy of your DMV driving history report for them to keep and bring certified copy's of the tickets that were paid/received and make sure you don't forget any and don't try to hide anything even if you think it's minor/wont effect your approval because it will as long as you have proof of every ticket you will be fine. I was asked to pay and send in proof of payment for my unpaid tickets that i had for no seat belt and a red light i didn't think that was going to be a bar coming in to the interview nor anything traffic related was but it is so be very careful and be on the safe side when it comes to this question.
 
mnprtltt said:
If they don't care why was i asked to pay and send in proof of payment for my unpaid tickets that i had for no seat belt and a red light?
Click to expand...

In your case, they cared because the tickets were unpaid. Had they been paid, the IO would have moved right along.
 
mnprtltt said:
This question is a set up it's the uscis's money maker. If you don't tell them they will ask you and if you forget to tell them about anything they can deny you depending on how nice the officer is every officer has different ways to trick you, And if you do tell them remember the smartest thing to do is make sure you disclose any ticket even if minor or not asked to, to be more on the safe side bring a certified copy of your DMV driving history report for them to keep and bring certified copy's of the tickets that were paid/received and make sure you don't forget any and don't try to hide anything even if you think it's minor/wont effect your approval because it will as long as you have proof of every ticket you will be fine. I was asked to pay and send in proof of payment for my unpaid tickets that i had for no seat belt and a red light i didn't think that was going to be a bar coming in to the interview nor anything traffic related was but it is so be very careful and be on the safe side when it comes to this question.
Click to expand...

There is no need for certified records of minor traffic tickets. This is a non-issue. Moreover, there's no such thing as a certified DMV record. Not in NYS, at least.
 
Here in CA you have to pay $5 for a DMV printout i guess it's different out there. Now i understand why they cared.
 
Vorpal said:
I had minor traffic tickets which I didn't mention on my N-400. At my interview, the IO only asked if I've ever been arrested. I truthfully answered "NO", and he moved on.

This topic has indeed been beaten to a pulp many times over. If you decide to disclose your tickets, I'd advise you to bring proof of payment or, if you were found not guilty by a traffic court, the applicable court dispositions. There is no need to bring certified documentation. The USCIS doesn't care about minor traffic tickets.
Click to expand...

When the IO ask:"Have you been arrested?" It includes citation. It happenes before that ana pplicant was
acused of lying because he though he was only cited but not arrested so he answered No to "Have you been
arrested?" which is just an IO's lazy version fo original question:"Have you ever been arrested, detained or cited by a law officer?"

Of course, traffic citation is not a big deal. But one can give a citation and let go on teh spot even for shoplifing
 
Vorpal said:
In your case, they cared because the tickets were unpaid. Had they been paid, the IO would have moved right along.
Click to expand...

Are tickets/citations ALWAYS associated with fines?
In my case of a "ticket" I did not pay and did not have to pay any fine, the ticket was dismissed and has never been sent to me, but police record exists. If I have never been charged a fine, could this be considered as if I did not have any tickets?
 
But what if this ticket was dismissed BEFORE being submitted to court so that there is no number in their system? Is this still a ticket?
 
Go to the court and ask. If the DMV where you live gives driver history printouts get one that will be the best evidence for your case to prove nothing is on your record. Or you can ask the court for certified written proof that your record is clean and you have no ticket history there.
 
My DMV record is absolutely clean. But at the court they refused to give me a letter that nothing against me had ever been considered... The reason they told me that the case had never been submitted to the court, no docket number had ever existed or exists. And the receptionist in the court bounced me back to the local police department, where "dismissal circumstances" was printed in this Record Letter- and that's it. I have been solving this problem since March, trying to understand how this record about a citation has originated, whether it should be counted as a citation or not, and what my actions should be. It was an accident, and no way a violation, and the record was wrong in principle, that's why it was placed under "dismissal circumstances" and never sent to the court and to me as a citation. Jackolantern advised to say "no" to the question about tickets, but show this letter from police, and let an IO decide what to mark - "yes" or "no". This is the only reasonable way to resolve this contradiction and not to hide anything.
 
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Jackolantern is absolutely correct that's the best way to go about it. Be on the safe side and hand the IO a DMV printout too just in case he does asks for one you never know what they might think when you show them the police letter the printout is the key because that's considered your record.
 
WBH said:
When the IO ask:"Have you been arrested?" It includes citation. It happenes before that ana pplicant was
acused of lying because he though he was only cited but not arrested so he answered No to "Have you been
arrested?" which is just an IO's lazy version fo original question:"Have you ever been arrested, detained or cited by a law officer?"

Of course, traffic citation is not a big deal. But one can give a citation and let go on teh spot even for shoplifing
Click to expand...

With regards to shoplifting, you are absolutely correct. However, shoplifting is a criminal offense (a misdemeanor in most states), not a simple violation.
 
Marusia_GC said:
My DMV record is absolutely clean. But at the court they refused to give me a letter that nothing against me had ever been considered... The reason they told me that the case had never been submitted to the court, no docket number had ever existed or exists. And the receptionist in the court bounced me back to the local police department, where "dismissal circumstances" was printed in this Record Letter- and that's it. I have been solving this problem since March, trying to understand how this record about a citation has originated, whether it should be counted as a citation or not, and what my actions should be. It was an accident, and no way a violation, and the record was wrong in principle, that's why it was placed under "dismissal circumstances" and never sent to the court and to me as a citation. Jackolantern advised to say "no" to the question about tickets, but show this letter from police, and let an IO decide what to mark - "yes" or "no". This is the only reasonable way to resolve this contradiction and not to hide anything.
Click to expand...

Your ticket was dismissed administratively, meaning that the charge wasn't pursued through legal channels. Jackolantern was absolutely correct.
 
mnprtltt said:
Be on the safe side and hand the IO a DMV printout too just in case he does asks for one you never know what they might think when you show them the police letter the printout is the key because that's considered your record.
Click to expand...

Marusia's ticket had nothing to do with a traffic offense, and the actual charge is indicated on the record letter issued by the police department.
 
Vorpal said:
With regards to shoplifting, you are absolutely correct. However, shoplifting is a criminal offense (a misdemeanor in most states), not a simple violation.
Click to expand...

The original question on N-400 is :

Have you ever been arrested, cited or detained by any law enforcement officer
(including USCIS or former INS and military officers) for any reason?

It clearly says "for any reason". You can not re-phase it to be like

Have you ever been arrested, cited or detained by any law enforcement officer
(including USCIS or former INS and military officers) for any reason at least as serious as a misdemeanor?


For one thing, any applicant can claim he does not know what is mideamnor and answer No even he once murdered anyone.

Any in strict sense, traffic violations are also a crminal offense because in most states traffic laws are part of penal code rather that
civil code. Crminal offenses are divided into three classes : felony, misdemeanor, and petty offense. But petty offense are still crminal offense
even maximum penalty is just a fine never prision time
 
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