Questions on N-400 Citizenship application (Please Help)

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greenshackles

Registered Users (C)
Hi,

Would appreciate it if somebody could help me out with the following on the citizenship application.

Section D-16 "Ever been arrested detained or cited by Law Enforcement Officer"

Do we have to list citations for speeding tickets.


Part 10 (B)- Affiliations- Do we have to mention gym memeberships etc.

Thanks in advance.
 
There have been many heated debates on this forum about minor (i.e. non-DUI) traffic tickets. It's really up to you to decide whether you want to list your tickets.

To help you decide, here's a poll of what other people did:

http://immigrationportal.com/poll.php?do=showresults&pollid=517

And here's an example of a thread where people debated this issue: http://boards.immigrationportal.com/showthread.php?t=210692&page=1&pp=15

Personally, I'm not going to list my minor traffic tickets when I file my N-400 in about two months. IMHO listing minor traffic tickets is contrary to the spirit of question 16. I don't intend to mention the tickets at the interview either.

However, I will be prepared with court dispositions in case I'm specifically asked about traffic tickets during the interview. I obtained the dispositions by Googling "clerk of the court <county>" for each county where I got a ticket, and then contacting them by phone or e-mail. They were all very helpful.

In case you're going to list the tickets, you should probably be prepared with court dispositions at the interview. As you can see from the poll, a large percentage of people who listed tickets were asked for dispositions.
 
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the spirit of the memberships question is to see if you are involved in any groups that the government doesn't like. So listing that you belong to The Weathermen, Earth Liberation Front, etc. is not a good idea. Gym membership is not relevant.
 
My lawyer told me to report traffic tickets. She said that she's had clients who got grief for not doing so.

I listed almost all of my clubs and organizations (PTAs, student councils, YMCA etc.) I didn't list paid subscriptions to for-profit "clubs" like sports clubs. I figured that none showed a lack of "moral character" (and in fact, some showed some evidence of some level of "moral character".

Remember, the purpose of the form is to see if you meet the constitutional and statute requirements of naturalization:

- attachment to the constitution
- moral character
- continuous residence of appropriate length
- physical presence
(I think that's all)

The form is just the USCIS's twisted way of measuring this. Mention your tickets -- unless you are a scofflaw, does the occasional traffic ticket really detract from your "character". Mention your clubs -- a PTA and a YMCA membership show you have some character (the Weathermen or Al Queda, on the other hand...)

That's my opinion, and, since I'm not being a lawyer, you can take it and $3.45 to Starbucks and buy a coffee.
 
Greenshckles said:
Hi,

Would appreciate it if somebody could help me out with the following on the citizenship application.

Section D-16 "Ever been arrested detained or cited by Law Enforcement Officer"

Do we have to list citations for speeding tickets.


Part 10 (B)- Affiliations- Do we have to mention gym memeberships etc.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

I have seen many responses on this forum asking you to list out traffic tickets. What they are interested is if you were ever convicted of a felony or misdemanour. A traffic voilation does not count as a conviction.
I applied in April, got my FP done the end of April, interview in June, got stuck in name check until they called me in Aug stating that I am all set for oath on Sep 1st. All through this process, I didnt see or hear any mention of traffic tickets from them. If you go to the oath cermony you will get to see the changing demographic of USA. Do you think the 80% hispanic population that got sworn in as new citizens dont have any traffic tickets, then this country will be on the list of an idealist land. So, dont other about your traffic tickets unless its a conviction because you went and rammed into another car and injured someone on purpose. There are others on this forum who want to create the sense of fear paranoia, and ask you list every parking ticket... use your better judgement.
Also they are only interested in knowing if you belong to the Nazi party or KKK or communist party. They are not interested in your membership to the neigborhood social club.
 
Thanks a ton for your help. One last question, do we have to list all Traffis tickets we have got for the last 5 years (since green card was issued) or do we have to list tickets we got before that period too.


Thanks in advance.
 
Read the question "Have you ever been arrested detained or cited by Law Enforcement Officer" (with "ever" bolded).

It seems obvious to me that they are interested in more than if your were ever convicted of something, and that they are interested in whether you were *ever* cited, detained, arrested (not just in the last 5 years).
 
Looking this thorny issue up in Google, you can read tons and tons of stuff. Most legal opinions quoted (assuming they are bone fide) suggest that all moving violations (example: speeding, running stop signs etc.) should be documented but parking tickets need not. One lawyer actually published a paper on this very subject tho' I cannot remember the reference. The Law Society respectfully advised USCIS via an open letter that the N-400 was very ambiguous in this respect but nothing changed.

I listed four speeding tickets since my L1 visa back in 1982 !!!!! I hope I am not asked for court records because there is no chance .... I cannot even remember the dates or counties.

On memberships, there are (at least) two purposes. One is to ensure no membership of banned or suspect organizations. The other is to demonstrate good citizenship. I listed pretty much everything, especially professional and non-profit/community organizations

As a general rule, I believe the mantra "Never lie or conceal" should govern our N-400 answers. If we conceal and they know ..... the consequences might be dire.
 
I have a speed ticket and I mentioned this speed ticket and the question 15 B and I listed all information about the ticket .but the problem what I have to choose for the question 16 yes or no because if i will choose yes that’s means something if I would choose no that’s means something else so should I have to leave it blank in this case?
 
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