N-400 with trafic Tickets

A

aimei_mei

Registered Users (C)
Dear Friends/Experts,
This email is asking your kind help on traffic ticket to file my N400. I got two traffic tickets (one is not full stop at stop sign and one is unsafely to change line) in the year 1999 and 2000, respectively. Courts asked me to pay fine (bail) and then I was told everything was done ( even I was told that court will not report it DMV)

Now I am filing N400 and I want to make sure I answer the questions correctly:

15. Have you EVER committed a crime or offense for which you were NOT arrested?

Yes (because I have offended traffic law but not arrested)



16. Have you EVER been arrested, cited, or detained by any law enforcement officer
(including INS and military officers) for any reason?

Yes (Because I was cited)


17. Have you EVER been charged with committing any crime or offense? Yes

Yes ( Because I have been charged to pay the fine)


18. Have you EVER been convicted of a crime or offense? Yes No

Yes ( Because I have offended the traffic law)


Also, for the question “Outcome or disposition of the arrest, citation, detention or charge”
Should I put “ have paid the fine”. In other words, what is the meaning of “disposition”.


Thank you for all your kind help and time.

I am looking forward to hearing your early reply.

Best Regards!
Aimei
 
aimei_mei said:
Dear Friends/Experts,
This email is asking your kind help on traffic ticket to file my N400. I got two traffic tickets (one is not full stop at stop sign and one is unsafely to change line) in the year 1999 and 2000, respectively. Courts asked me to pay fine (bail) and then I was told everything was done ( even I was told that court will not report it DMV)

Now I am filing N400 and I want to make sure I answer the questions correctly:

15. Have you EVER committed a crime or offense for which you were NOT arrested?

Yes (because I have offended traffic law but not arrested)



16. Have you EVER been arrested, cited, or detained by any law enforcement officer
(including INS and military officers) for any reason?

Yes (Because I was cited)


17. Have you EVER been charged with committing any crime or offense? Yes

Yes ( Because I have been charged to pay the fine)


18. Have you EVER been convicted of a crime or offense? Yes No

Yes ( Because I have offended the traffic law)


Also, for the question “Outcome or disposition of the arrest, citation, detention or charge”
Should I put “ have paid the fine”. In other words, what is the meaning of “disposition”.


Thank you for all your kind help and time.

I am looking forward to hearing your early reply.

Best Regards!
Aimei
Click to expand...
The speeding ticket issue has been way over-abused on N-400.
 
i think u should answer NO to all. we just had interview on 5th and though my husband wrote he had a speeding ticket he was not questioned on it.
 
Like Anahit said!

Anahit said:
Do yourself a favor. Answer "NO" to all of those questions.
Click to expand...
Do just like anahit said, Answer "NO" to every question of those you mention, and by doing so, you are doing yourself a big favor, because by answering "yes", specially for all those questions, the possibility of getting the citizenship is slim, even if you get it, it would be after a long struggle with the beurocratic system of the USCIS. Many attornies assured that speeding tickets should not be mentioned. If you paid them in full, then you are not a criminal, that's all they want to make sure of.
good luck, and use your decent descrition.
 
Thank all of you for your kind help and one more question

Thank you all of your kind help. I have called the immigration officer two times. One said Yes and the other said. No.

Has anybody been asked about traffic voliation when be interviwed?

Thank you again for your kind help.

Aimeimei
 
aimei_mei said:
Thank you all of your kind help. I have called the immigration officer two times. One said Yes and the other said. No.

Has anybody been asked about traffic voliation when be interviwed?

Thank you again for your kind help.

Aimeimei
Click to expand...
Aimie,
When i had my interview on Feb 7 2005, the officer only asked me if i was ever arrested, the answer was "No". becase the citation for speeding ticket is not an arrest. She never mentioned any tickets. They don't care about that. She asked me if i ever belonged to a terrorism group and stuff like that.
good luck
 
Traffic Tickets

On my app I marked no. At the interview on March 1st in Pittsburgh, PA I was asked if I ever been to court. I said may be for a speading ticket. He then asked me if I was ever arrested & handcuffed and I replied no. That was the end of it. I will have my Oath Ceremony on April 22nd. So I guess traffic tickets doesn't affect N-400 very much unless its DWI or something serious.
 
Your speeding ticket is a citation. It is not a crime nor an arrest. What I would say is list them as tickets cited and disposition is dismissed by paying fine. All other questions should be No.
 
pinto19 said:
On my app I marked no. At the interview on March 1st in Pittsburgh, PA I was asked if I ever been to court. I said may be for a speading ticket. He then asked me if I was ever arrested & handcuffed and I replied no. That was the end of it. I will have my Oath Ceremony on April 22nd. So I guess traffic tickets doesn't affect N-400 very much unless its DWI or something serious.
Click to expand...

Pinto19, check your private messages.

Thanks!
 
JoeF said:
Bad advice. Absolutely never lie to them. That can result in big problems.
While they are not really interested in speeding tickets, they become interested if they find out you lied on the application.
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JoeF,
The USCIS never denied somebody because of saying No for speeding ticketes. They know this is a confusing question, because on the old application they have the phrase that reads, excluding traffic tickets, and the USCIS will ask for evidence if you answer "yes", however, if you answer "no" they won't care about it. However, if under any circumstances somebody answered no, and the interviewer asked about it and you said no, then they found out that you had something, then you can get in trouble, but my advice is to put no, and always be truthful during the interview. If you said yes in the interview, the most they can do is ask for evidence that you paid, or even sometimes they move on withouth asking any further question.
 
A traffic infraction is INDEED a citation if a written ticket or a warning is ever issued on that. And since 01/2000, each and every citation MUST need to be disclosed/reported on N-400. The laws on this have changed since then. Previously-couple years back, traffic infractions were not required to be disclosed, but it needs to be disclosed since 2000. Failure to disclose about this MAY cause a problem or a possible revocation of citizenship in the future if applicant is ever found to have deliberately lied about this to USCIS in order to gain citizenship. Lying to USCIS is a ground in itself to deny/revoke the petition/application.

However, it must be noted that reporting/disclosing a traffic infraction WON'T cause any problem so long those infractions have nothing to do with DUI or rackless driving. The whole idea of USCIS about knowing of traffic infractions is-to find out applicant's any involvement with DUI or rackless driving.

If someone has previously failed to disclose it on their green card application, yet still it is better to disclose it now on N-400. I doubt it if USCIS would make a big deal of not reporting this kind of citiation on green card application. But, applicant must need to bring all the documentations with him/her on their interivew if in case officer would like to take a look at those citations.
 
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JoeF said:
Bad advice. Absolutely never lie to them. That can result in big problems.
While they are not really interested in speeding tickets, they become interested if they find out you lied on the application.
Click to expand...
Joe,
I respect your opinions, and I think the way aimei_mei explains his YESs in parenthesis is exactly right. But, the truth is THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN TRAFFIC TICKETS. Moreover, they don't want to have to dial with them by going thru your papers and checking every one of them. They are confused themselves. At 800 number some answer "YES" to that question, some - "NO". They need to rephrase those questions to either make them more clear or to exclude some traffic tickets.
Based on what I learned from my experience and from the experience of people on this forum - you are better off if you don't mention your traffic tickets. Of course, that's just my opinion.
 
I read a post of some guy (fresh a month ago), who did not disclose tickets by ignorance. He was asked about traffic tickets. His interview was suspended until he brings the evidence on the outcome of the tickets.

Also depends on the part of the country and the officer interviewing, obviously. In Texas it is very strict. Unlike in more liberal Northeast or California....
 
Thank you all for your help but It is really hard for me

My confusions are

1. If I mark "yes", I should put all Yes to Question 15-18, right? But some one say (even one immigration officer) only "yes" to 16.
Which answer is right?
2. If I do not mark Yes correctly, they might send me a letter to ask for further evidence before intreview which might delay the processing.

3. If I mark "no", what should I say in case the officer while interview ask me if I have got traffic tickets or traffic violation. Say No, I lie at interview , Say Yes, I lied in the N-400.


I know I might be over concerned from my personality point of view. However, it is so important for me. I just want to make sure on my side.

One more question, is any connection between the processing of spouse’s application and my own (if our greed card are got via employment).

Thank you again for all your kind help and time.


Best Regards!

Aimei_mei
 
MV History

Suppose one marks "no" on the form and at the interview takes the DMV record and says that "I was not aware that Traffic tickets" need to be stated on the form N-400 and then shows the MV history..i guess that should do it.

Since MV History is certified and shows "In good standing" at the bottom, i beleive thats enough evidence that the tickets have been paid.

Also taking an amended page of questions "16 onwards for interview may be a good idea and replace those pages if the officer so deems it..what are the groups comments.
 
how about being suspended for 30 days for acumulation of points?

suspension of driving licence for acumulation of points is it the same story like with the tickets YES and NO?
there was only tickets for speeding and one for avoiding trafick light
no alcohol drugs or any of those
 
I agree

I'm in agreement with JohnnyCash. A ticket received for a moving violation is a citation. I reported mine on the N-400 and also wrote that the ticket was paid. I was going 45 on a 30 while overtaking a gazillion year old driver and some cop wasn't happy about it. Fine. I admitted my mistake and paid the ticket.
The interviewer asked me if I paid my tickets and I said "Yes". The interviewer made a note confirming that the ticket was paid and moved on to the next question.
It is standard process for them to ask you about things like any problems with the law related to drinking, drugs etc. They just want to be sure you're not making a habit out of it. Someday, I'd like to get statistics on just how many traffic violations the employees of the BCIS have :D
The important thing to remember here is to just report the stuff on your application. Better be honest that have this sort of thing come back to bite you in the rear.

JohnnyCash said:
A traffic infraction is INDEED a citation if a written ticket or a warning is ever issued on that. And since 01/2000, each and every citation MUST need to be disclosed/reported on N-400. The laws on this have changed since then. Previously-couple years back, traffic infractions were not required to be disclosed, but it needs to be disclosed since 2000. Failure to disclose about this MAY cause a problem or a possible revocation of citizenship in the future if applicant is ever found to have deliberately lied about this to USCIS in order to gain citizenship. Lying to USCIS is a ground in itself to deny/revoke the petition/application.

However, it must be noted that reporting/disclosing a traffic infraction WON'T cause any problem so long those infractions have nothing to do with DUI or rackless driving. The whole idea of USCIS about knowing of traffic infractions is-to find out applicant's any involvement with DUI or rackless driving.

If someone has previously failed to disclose it on their green card application, yet still it is better to disclose it now on N-400. I doubt it if USCIS would make a big deal of not reporting this kind of citiation on green card application. But, applicant must need to bring all the documentations with him/her on their interivew if in case officer would like to take a look at those citations.
Click to expand...
 
JohnnyCash said:
A traffic infraction is INDEED a citation if a written ticket or a warning is ever issued on that. And since 01/2000, each and every citation MUST need to be disclosed/reported on N-400. The laws on this have changed since then. Previously-couple years back, traffic infractions were not required to be disclosed, but it needs to be disclosed since 2000. Failure to disclose about this MAY cause a problem or a possible revocation of citizenship in the future if applicant is ever found to have deliberately lied about this to USCIS in order to gain citizenship. Lying to USCIS is a ground in itself to deny/revoke the petition/application.

However, it must be noted that reporting/disclosing a traffic infraction WON'T cause any problem so long those infractions have nothing to do with DUI or rackless driving. The whole idea of USCIS about knowing of traffic infractions is-to find out applicant's any involvement with DUI or rackless driving.

If someone has previously failed to disclose it on their green card application, yet still it is better to disclose it now on N-400. I doubt it if USCIS would make a big deal of not reporting this kind of citiation on green card application. But, applicant must need to bring all the documentations with him/her on their interivew if in case officer would like to take a look at those citations.
Click to expand...


i agree with you. however, i did not mention it because i was misunderstood it. however, after more researches and reading from forums, i came to a conculsion that I will bring all my tickets (3) and the statements from county office to show i paid in full and present to the interview officer right up front.

a citation is a citation regardless if UCSCI would not care or not. i believe it is not the problem of the speeding tickets. it is the problem of telling lies on N400 forms.
 
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