Traffic tickets and naturalization (threads merged)

My interview was done on 12/1/2010 and I got a traffic ticket in January that is pending hearing for June 2011. It's been over 120 days, would that pending hearing have anything to do with the approval of oath letter?. I was thinking about just paying and pleading guilty instead.

The traffic ticket has nothing to do with the status of your case. You should, however, look into filing 1447(b) to get your case moving.
 
Everyone keeps talking about getting court disposition papers to show that your traffic tickets were dismissed. Can anyone please provide guidance as to how I can get these court disposition? I have tried the Harris County Courts' (Houston) online search and they show no records for my drivers license even though the second of my two tickets was earlier this year. I have tried to search online and really cannot find any guidance on what to do to get official court confirmation of disposal of my tickets. Any help would be greatly appreciated
 
HELLO GUYS,

i need your help, my question is i have a suspended license ticket like 3 of them but i already fix my licensed and have it back. and i just apply for my N400 application and already send it last week.
will i have have any problem in my N400 application??

and P.S i put no to the questions from 18 to 21. because i was never arrested they gave me a ticket and paid for it. but i fix already my licensed. i went to court and almost 1000 dollars and went to DMV and paid another 50 dollars for reinstating my license.

please help me. will i have any problem with my situation???

thanks in advance.
 
Hi,

I filed my N400 and did not mention one ticket worth $120 I got for speeding. Somewhere I read that it is better to mention it in the interview. Please advise

Thanks
 
Hi,

I filed my N400 and did not mention one ticket worth $120 I got for speeding. Somewhere I read that it is better to mention it in the interview. Please advise

Thanks

Don't worry about it. USCIS has an official document, stating that minor traffic tickets that didn't result in an arrest don't need to be disclosed. Search this thread for the link to the document, if you're interested.
 
HELLO GUYS,

i need your help, my question is i have a suspended license ticket like 3 of them but i already fix my licensed and have it back. and i just apply for my N400 application and already send it last week.
will i have have any problem in my N400 application??

and P.S i put no to the questions from 18 to 21. because i was never arrested they gave me a ticket and paid for it. but i fix already my licensed. i went to court and almost 1000 dollars and went to DMV and paid another 50 dollars for reinstating my license.

please help me. will i have any problem with my situation???

thanks in advance.

3 suspended license? I suggest you hire an immigration lawyer. Depending on who will review your case, they may view your 3 suspensions as failing the good moral turpitude criteria.
 
Here is my experience - I got a speeding ticket in 1999, don't remember either day or month. On the N-400, I wrote "sometime in 1999". I went for my interview yesterday (in SFO). The only question about this the IO asked was - "Have you ever been arrested, cited or detained other than this speeding ticket?". Nothing else, even though I received the standard Yellow letter, and I had no proof or paperwork on the ticket. My case has been recommended for approval and I got a notice to appear for the oath on May 18th right after the interview. I know that each IO is different, the feeling I got was mine did not care about speeding tickets at all.
 
I had a traffic ticket by passing in red light in a very rainy day.) it wasnt police but camera cought it. I wanted to go to court to explain that it was very rainy and couldnt stop. but they said no difference just pay and leave. no points involved. it was only 130 dollar ticket. should i mention that in my application? please advise - thanks
 
I had a traffic ticket by passing in red light in a very rainy day.) it wasnt police but camera cought it. I wanted to go to court to explain that it was very rainy and couldnt stop. but they said no difference just pay and leave. no points involved. it was only 130 dollar ticket. should i mention that in my application? please advise - thanks

No need to mention this.
 
Does a NYC citation for fare evasion count as a traffic ticket, or is it something else?

It could be either a civil infraction or a criminal summons. Fare evasion is a misdemeanor in NYC, so you may have to disclose this. I would suggest looking into the exact legal statue pertaining to fare evasion in NYC.
 
I am planning to apply for citizenship. I have only one citation. Its a red light violation in California. It was issued in April 1999. I paid fee (around $290) and went to traffic class to cancel the point from insurance records. I don't have any records to prove this.

1. Should I mention traffic violation in the application or wait for the officer to ask this question?

2. If I mention in the application, how to get a proof? Should I contact the court? Will they maintain records after 12 years?

Thanks
 
Dear members.,

Please advise , do i need driving history from NJ (present) and NY (previous) stats ?

I mentioned 'NO" in the column of N-400 applications due to paid penalty > $ 200.00 for 4 traffic violation tickets.
For safety point of view present collecting proof of penalty paid evidences from courts, in case , if officer ask or entered into traffic violation area.

I would sincerely appreciate your help.

Thanks
usinsuser99
 
What if you were involved in a minor fender bender and the Traffic cop came and a report was filed but no ticket was given to any party and you just exchanged your insurance information.
How do you get any record/ evidence for that..?
 
Warning !!! To all n-400 applicants !!! Read this !!!!

WARNING !!! TO ALL N-400 APPLICANTS !!! READ THIS !!!!

I did a quick research on Traffic Tickets and here is what I have found out:

1. The previous N-400 specifically excluded traffic tickets form list of citations required to report, but CURRENT N-400 does NOT have the same wording.
Therefore, you now MUST report any ticket/citation received ( and it is not closed until it is disposed of or paid , which means if it still is pending you better get it resolved and have proof handy before going to interview) .

2. While many posters say that IO didn't care or dismissively nodded when reported of a ticket at the interview, STILL, A NUMBER OF APPLICANTS HAD RUN INTO TROUBLE FOR NOT REPORTING A TRAFFIC TICKET BEFORE OR DURING AN INTERVIEW.
AT LEAST ONE POSTER ( MEMBER OF THIS WWW dot IMMIGRATION dot COM FORUM ) HAD HER N-400 DENIED BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T REPORT THE SPEEDING CITATION.
SHE WAS MILITARY MEMBER. THE CITATION ITSELF WAS DISMISSED !!! STILL SHE GOT DENIED AND RESTRICTED FROM REAPPLYING FOR CITIZENSHIP THE NEXT 5 YEARS DUE TO "LACK OF GOOD MORAL CHARACTER", BECAUSE SHE DID NOT DISCLOSE THE DISMISSED SPEEDING CITATION !!!

Be prepared for delays if you have any citations ( some interviewers will not be fully aware of the implication of citation and will say it needs to be reviewed by supervisor, others may simply say they will rule on your application later. In any event, this is not uniformly reported, but many posters who had citations also wrote that their oath ceremony was to be rescheduled and postponed.

BUT KEEP IN MIND: YOU MUST DISCLOSE ALL OF THE CITATIONS ( EVEN MINOR TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS UNDER $100 ) OR YOU MAY BE FOUND MISLEADING, HIDING MATERIAL FACT AND THEREFORE DENIED CITIZENSHIP ON " LACK OF GOOD MORAL CHARACTER" GROUNDS - AND BE RESTRICTED FROM RE-APPLYING FOR THE NEXT 5 YEARS !!!
DO NOT MAKE SUCH GRAVE MISTAKE !!!



My apologies for CAPITAL letters , just thought it is too urgent not to emphasize as strongly as I could. It is great that many applicants have such terrific experiences and IO immediately swore them in and approved without scrutinizing their minor traffic violations, but just before these people were lucky don't assume it is OK to take a chance!
You are risking to ruin your Citizenship application and you risk 5 years ban for reapplying UNLESS you disclose ALL of the material facts (including the minor traffic violations, citations, etc.). Don't jeopardize your chances to become a US Citizen over something so trivial !!!!

Good luck to all N - 400 applicants
 
Instead of scaring people based on a few rare incidences, providing a balanced view would have had more impact.

I don't have a time now, but I will copy-paste links later (including one specific case from this forum where dismissed speeding ticket led to denial of Citizenship by applicant serving in military, on the grounds of the "lack of good moral character". She assumed it wasn't nece4ssary to disclose - it was dismissed in court, besides it was only a speeding violation, not heavy fine serious traffic violation or DUI/DWI. IO took it as concealment of material fact and not only she got her app. denied but she is banned for the next 5 years as well. There was also CIS and AILA liaison meeting on this subject link to which I will also try to find and post here later ).

Speaking of "scaring people", what is so scary about taking copies of court disposition/proof of payment and disclosing those in the N-400 (if cited prior to applying) and right at the start of interview (if cited while N-400 was pending)?
IO will only appreciate your honesty and , worst come to worst, will postpone the decision in your case until after supervisory review. Of course, an experienced and well versed IO may approve without delay.

Now, compare this to a situation where one unwittingly assumed that they are not to report citations under $400 AND got Citizenship denied BECAUSE OF THAT ( plus 5 years ban).
Which one is better? Why should anyone take a chance and risk being banned for next 5 years from reapplying for Citizenship?

There is nothing scary about getting court disposition and print out of couple of minor, paid off tickets.

It is tragic to get denied and banned for 5 years due to erroneous assumption over something so trivial.
 
The incidences you refer to are far and few between. When you look at the bigger picture, being denied for naturalization for not disclosing a minor traffic ticket is a rare occurrence. It's one thing to purposely lie to an IO at interview when asked if you have ever had a minor traffic ticket, it's another not to disclose a minor traffic ticket and not be asked about it.
 
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