Speeding tickets

[javalevi]

i know this topic has been beaten to death already...whats one more thread...

i am going to file for my citizenship in a few months.. just getting ready to collect all the documents in place..

I have more than half a dozen speeding tickets, and another half a dozen moving violations... NEVER got arrested, just got ticketed, some i had to go to court and plead guilty and pay fine, others i just had to pay fine [Yes i know its dumb to speed ]. As I aged, i slowed down and i dont speed much as i used to on public roads and stick to speeding on race tracks only.

so..

a) Is it required to provide information of those tickets in the i-400 application? [I really dont have any thing to hide]
b) should i submit my DMV Records from my state?
b) how will that affect my citizenshsip?

thanks in advance.

 

[Wavejazz1]

Originally Posted by JohnnyCash
Documents needed to submit along with application for Naturalization (N-400):

Each applicant for naturalization SHOULD submit the following along with their naturalization application:

[1] Cover letter: Though submitting a cover letter along with your naturalization application is not necessary, however it is highly recommended, wherein applicant should explain briefly about the basis of his/her eligibility for naturalization, such as whether applicant is filing the application under 3 yrs rule being a spouse of USC or under 5 yrs rule, or under any other eligibility in the law. This helps greatly to adjudication officers to know the basis of applicant’s eligibility right away at very first glance, otherwise sometimes some people’s eligibility is very hard to determine being complicated. And, not every adjudication officers are that much familiar with all the eligibilities for naturalization even though they are adjudication officers since laws and policies on immigration are kept changing very frequently and rapidly. Besides, at the time of naturalization, adjudication officers do pay attention to a cover letter, believe it or not.

[2] Copy of front and backside of green card. It must be a very clear copy so that information could be read very clearly from there.

[3] Two identical colored photos, wherein applicant’s full name and A# should have written by light pencil in the back of them. Photos should be as same style and size as we need for a passport, means- a front view of the applicant and not the side view as the pictures with side view are no longer accepted for immigration purpose. Further, photos should be taken within 30 days of filing the application.

[4] Check or money order for the right amount of the processing fees for the application: Though it doesn’t make much difference how you would choose to pay the processing fee, however it should be known that sometimes Service Centers, particularly TSC, and some district offices (if you would file any other petition/application with them with fees) do wait for a receipt (NOA) to send out to an applicant until a personal check gets cashed out if an applicant pays the processing fees with his/her personal check.

Nevertheless, it is always better to pay the processing fee with a personal check because if you choose to pay the processing fee by money order then it would not only be hard but also a time and money consuming to track down the proof of payment. Because, then you would require to file a paper work with postal service if money order is purchased from a post office, wherein you would be ended up paying some money (maybe $2 or $3) to track down whether such money order is cashed out or not. And it also takes almost 60 days for a post office to furnish this request. But if you would pay by your personal check then you would be able to receive the cancelled check back from your bank once USCIS will cash that out, which means-there won’t be a waste of time and money, and you would also have a solid proof to prove to USCIS about them having the processing fee from you on your application. But make sure to write your A# and the N-400 on the topside of the check where your name and address is printed.

Actually, there are pros and cons of both these methods of payment towards processing fees.

Using Money Order to pay processing fees:

Advantage: USCIS will post the payment/processing fees right away without any waiting. That means, a quick acceptance and initial processing on the application.

Disadvantage: It's time and money consuming to track down whether it is cashed out or not. Money Orders from American Express, MoneyGram and other private entities are easily traceable but Postal Money Orders are hard to track down right away. Plus, one would need the actual copy of paid money order in order to contact USCIS if they ever have any question on their application in the absence of any receipt from USCIS. It takes up to 60 days and few more bucks to have actual physical proof of cashing it out. That means, one will not have any proof of paying the processing fees to USCIS in the meantime if the application gets lost/misplaced with USCIS, which could be the possibility. However, if USCIS sends you a receipt then one doesn't need to worry about tracking it down.


Using Personal Check to pay processing fees:

Advantage: It's easily traceable, One can check with their bank if it's cashed out or not. Plus, the cancelled check would be the proof right in hand to prove that processing fees was paid to USCIS if application is ever happened to be lost/misplaced.

Disadvantage: USCIS waits for it to be cleared for few days. That means, a little delay in processing.


[5] Divorce/Annulment Decree: If you were previously married, then you must need to send the divorce/annulment decree to INS to prove that your previously marriage has ended legally.

[6] Certified Court record(s): If you ever been arrested or charged for a crime, then you must need to send certified copy of the disposition of your case to INS. If your criminal case is still going on, then don’t bother to file Naturalization because INS will deny your application anyway.

[7] Status Information Letter from Selective Service: If you are man, who was required to register with Selective Service, must need to send Status Information Letter’.


Continues because of the limitation on size of a posting...

 

[Bobsmyth]

a) Is it required to provide information of those tickets in the i-400 application? [I really dont have any thing to hide]

You must disclose citations, including traffic citations along with the charge. No need to provide documentation unless they are over $500 or involve serious charge like DUI.

b) should i submit my DMV Records from my state?

There's no requirement to provide DMV records.

b) how will that affect my citizenshsip?

If the majority of citations are within statutory period you can be denied, depending on IO and DO.

 

[SatPal]

i know this topic has been beaten to death already...whats one more thread...

i am going to file for my citizenship in a few months.. just getting ready to collect all the documents in place..

I have more than half a dozen speeding tickets, and another half a dozen moving violations... NEVER got arrested, just got ticketed, some i had to go to court and plead guilty and pay fine, others i just had to pay fine [Yes i know its dumb to speed ]. As I aged, i slowed down and i dont speed much as i used to on public roads and stick to speeding on race tracks only.

so..

a) Is it required to provide information of those tickets in the i-400 application? [I really dont have any thing to hide]
b) should i submit my DMV Records from my state?
b) how will that affect my citizenshsip?

thanks in advance.

No need of mentioning Citation on your N-400 form if you had traffic violation or speeding tickets. These are civil issues. Yes, you need to mention Citation if you were arrested or found DUI. I had plenty of tarrfic violation includes speeding, wrong parking, Camera tickets and I did not mention in my N-400 form.
Hope this works!

 

[DavidSEA]

No need of mentioning Citation on your N-400 form if you had traffic violation or speeding tickets. These are civil issues. Yes, you need to mention Citation if you were arrested or found DUI. I had plenty of tarrfic violation includes speeding, wrong parking, Camera tickets and I did not mention in my N-400 form.
Hope this works!

ok, just to set the record straight: you are expected to list moving traffic tickets in your N-400, including speeding tickets, as those are indeed citations. Non-moving tickets like parking tickets do NOT need to be listed.
See page 25 of M-476.
For traffic tickets below $500, there is no need to submit documentation of the outcome of the citation. Bring all documentation for listed citations to the interview, though.

Now, as discussed on plenty of other threads here, some applicants chose not to list their traffic tickets. At the interview, some IOs only ask if one ever got arrested and do not ask about citations. A candidate can then mention that they had a traffic ticket, and it's up to the IO to amend the N-400 or just ignore it.
In the end, it's a personal decision to withhold or not to withhold information in your N-400.

 

[baikal3]

No need of mentioning Citation on your N-400 form if you had traffic violation or speeding tickets. These are civil issues.

Wrong. All traffic tickets must be disclosed on an N-400. The instructions say that if a fine for a particular ticket is less than $500, then it is not required to provide proof of disposition of the ticket. However, a traffic ticket qualifies as a citation by a law enforcement officer. Q16 in part 10D of N-400 specifically asks: "Have you ever been arrested, cited, or detained by any law enforcement officer (including USCIS or former INS and military officers) for any reason?" So a ticket, regardless of the fine, needs to be disclosed.

 

[SatPal]

Wrong. All traffic tickets must be disclosed on an N-400. The instructions say that if a fine for a particular ticket is less than $500, then it is not required to provide proof of disposition of the ticket. However, a traffic ticket qualifies as a citation by a law enforcement officer. Q16 in part 10D of N-400 specifically asks: "Have you ever been arrested, cited, or detained by any law enforcement officer (including USCIS or former INS and military officers) for any reason?" So a ticket, regardless of the fine, needs to be disclosed.

How would one remember all traffic tickets, especially guys coming on H1B and getting relocated to different places throughout US for last 10-12 years?
Is there any way to get history of your traffic violations? I can't find any place where you would get this. Even, MVA would not for other states. This is very dizzy situation. Hence, I did not mention anything on N-400 as I can't count the trffic ticktes for last 1.5 decade. However, I never got arrested or had any DUI case.

I would let IO decide on this at the time of interview.
BTW, if you come across any source providing service to get complete history on the basis of SSN# for last 10-15 years, Plz post it out here.

Thanks!

 

[baikal3]

How would one remember all traffic tickets, especially guys coming on H1B and getting relocated to different places throughout US for last 10-12 years?
Is there any way to get history of your traffic violations? I can't find any place where you would get this. Even, MVA would not for other states. This is very dizzy situation. Hence, I did not mention anything on N-400 as I can't count the trffic ticktes for last 1.5 decade. However, I never got arrested or had any DUI case.

I would let IO decide on this at the time of interview.
BTW, if you come across any source providing service to get complete history on the basis of SSN# for last 10-15 years, Plz post it out here.

Thanks!

Well, most people do not get so many tickets that they can't remember them, at least approximately. If you don't remember the specifics, you can put approximate information, to the best of your memory.
Since traffic tickets are issued by local authorities, there is no national database that allows one to look up one's "global" driving history. However, every state provides
a service allowing a person to request a copy of his/her driving history in that state. The procedures vary from state to state, and you'd have to submit separate requests for each state where you have been issued traffic ticket(s).

 

[Vorpal]

Well, most people do not get so many tickets that they can't remember them, at least approximately. If you don't remember the specifics, you can put approximate information, to the best of your memory.
Since traffic tickets are issued by local authorities, there is no national database that allows one to look up one's "global" driving history. However, every state provides
a service allowing a person to request a copy of his/her driving history in that state. The procedures vary from state to state, and you'd have to submit separate requests for each state where you have been issued traffic ticket(s).

If you live in NYC, you'd be surprised how many traffic tickets you can get. Those applicants who choose to disclose tickets should disclose the ones that they remember and not worry about those that they can't. From the 2.5 years that I've been on this forum, I haven't seen any other issue be discussed as fervently as traffic tickets. Seriously, folks...traffic tickets are NOT A BIG DEAL. They certainly don't warrant this much discussion.

 

[javalevi]

thanks fellas. i will try to collect the documentation to the best of my knowledge regarding these tickets as i dont remember each and everyone of them and atleast bring a dmv driving history from NY State with me just in case. Still have plenty of time and I will check with my lawyer see what he advises on this one.

Thanks once again.