RE Citizenship

[Melinda89]

Hello, my sister in law is computer illiterate therefore I am posting on her behalf.

My sister in law is considering applying for Citizenship after living in the USA 8 yrs as a legal alien and wondered if a misdemeanour in the state of Texas three yrs ago will show when a background check is done?

She was caught shoplifting by a store detective and fined in the region of $300 by the store. No courts were involved. This is her one and only crime?

Thank you.

 

[supercomp]

Hello, my sister in law is computer illiterate therefore I am posting on her behalf.

My sister in law is considering applying for Citizenship after living in the USA 8 yrs as a legal alien and wondered if a misdemeanour in the state of Texas three yrs ago will show when a background check is done?

She was caught shoplifting by a store detective and fined in the region of $300 by the store. No courts were involved. This is her one and only crime?

Thank you.

I believe you are supposed to report that on your application.

Was store detective Police Officer who issued a citation for $300, which she later paid by mailing a check?

OR

Did she pay $300 cash "under the table" for store detective to not call actual Police Officer (e.g. no citation)?

 

[warlord]

Well she'll have to document it in the N-400 as it asks questions about all such instances since becomming a permanent resident. Make sure she gets details on the fine from the police etc. Now if she shows up in the database or not is another issue, but most likely something will come up in the interview if it doesn't before and they'll want to see details on it...

 

[equate]

Some thing doesn't sound right. The store detective cannot issue a citation and a fine. They have no legal authority to do so. It has to be done by official police. First, you need to get your story straight. Second, whether it shows up during the FBI background check depends on local police. They might or might not have reported it to FBI database.

 

[boatbod]

The results of the background check are largely irrelevant, since you have to declare any citations, arrests & convictions on the N-400.

If no police were involved, your sister is in the clear, otherwise be honest and document the offense. In the long run this will result in less problems than trying to hide the issue.

 

[Melinda89]

Some thing doesn't sound right. The store detective cannot issue a citation and a fine. They have no legal authority to do so. It has to be done by official police. First, you need to get your story straight. Second, whether it shows up during the FBI background check depends on local police. They might or might not have reported it to FBI database.

Thank you for your reply however the story is as it happend, nothing to get straight. At no time did I state that she was issued a citation and a fine by the store detective.

I reiterate the demand for the fine was mailed to her by the store.

No police were involved.

 

[equate]

At no time did I state that she was issued a citation and a fine by the store detective.

"She was caught shoplifting by a store detective and fined in the region of $300 by the store."

The store detective or the store, the same difference. You can't be fined without a citation. Furthermore, neither store nor store detective has authority to fine anybody.