Traffic tickets and naturalization (threads merged)

you will be ok. just fill it out on the form and take the citation with you, or you could take the chance of not filling it out on the form. I would recommend just fill it out as it doesn't make a difference. I got a speeding ticket 3 days after my interview.

03/14 - Interview
03/17 - Speeding Ticket
03/22 - Received OL
03/26 - Oath, truthfully declared the speeding ticket and had no problems...became an pround american
 
You have to declare the citation while you are giving the answers to the Q's on the back of the N-445, but beyond that, you should be fine.
 
As long as the citation is paid or you're found not guilty in court, you'll be fine. Although I'm not speaking from personal experience, I've read about oaths being delayed if a traffic citation is outstanding.
 
Citation

I have had a citation (stop sign violation) since my interview. How does it affect the oath ceremony? I believe on the oath letter they have a set of questions where they ask if have any citations since the interview. Anybody with such experience?

Thanks,
Vinayak

Make sure you pay that citation before your oath date or get it dismissed by the judge otherwise if the tkt shows up as outstanding, they may not let you take the oath. I am not kidding coz one of my friends was refused to take the oath since he had recently got a tkt & was unpaid as he was planning to dispute. He was asked to pay that tkt and was told that his oath would be re-scheduled.
 
I agree with Atlanta brother. It may not matter for the interview if the ticket was for < 500$ and you did not report it in n400. At the time of oath, any and all traffic tickets have to be mentioned and if not paid, they can and will postpone your oath (Atleast in Atlanta DO) I saw one person running home to get ticket receipt and managed to just reach back in time for oath.
 
Thanks for all the replies. One more question though. Assuming I pay off the ticket, do I have to show any proof of the payment of the ticket, during the oath?
 
Thanks for all the replies. One more question though. Assuming I pay off the ticket, do I have to show any proof of the payment of the ticket, during the oath?

Yes, you will have to show the proof. Take the receipt from the court. It will be marked paid or something that nature.
 
Thanks again for all the replies. I paid off the ticket at the court today and collected the receipt.
 
Do I need to show proof that my two foreign speeding tickets were paid?

I have had zero traffic tickets since I've been in the USA.

However, during my brief visits back to my home country, I did receive two speeding tickets. One was for doing 169km/hr in a 130km/hr freeway. The other was for driving on the left lane of the freeway when not passing. Both tickets were photo tickets which I received in the mail a week later. (meaning I was not pulled over or anything like that... the camear on the freeway took pictures of the car) I promptly paid both fines(USD$790 and USD$59, respectively).

I do have the ticket and payment receipt for both with me here. In my country of origin, all documents are printed in the native language as well as English, so it's pretty clear.

Is it necessary for me to bring them to my interview? I did NOT disclose it on my N400 form because they occured after I filed N400. The reason I'm asking is that I read somewhere that a traffic ticket over $500 needs to be disclosed... but I'm not sure if that applies to foreign-issued tickets?

Any advice appreciated! :)_
 
Tickets

I have had zero traffic tickets since I've been in the USA.

However, during my brief visits back to my home country, I did receive two speeding tickets. One was for doing 169km/hr in a 130km/hr freeway. The other was for driving on the left lane of the freeway when not passing. Both tickets were photo tickets which I received in the mail a week later. (meaning I was not pulled over or anything like that... the camear on the freeway took pictures of the car) I promptly paid both fines(USD$790 and USD$59, respectively).

I do have the ticket and payment receipt for both with me here. In my country of origin, all documents are printed in the native language as well as English, so it's pretty clear.

Is it necessary for me to bring them to my interview? I did NOT disclose it on my N400 form because they occured after I filed N400. The reason I'm asking is that I read somewhere that a traffic ticket over $500 needs to be disclosed... but I'm not sure if that applies to foreign-issued tickets?

Any advice appreciated! :)_

Sandra,

You don't need to bring up speeding tickets that you were given outside of US. If you never got any tkts here in US, you didn't get any.
 
You don't need to bring up speeding tickets that you were given outside of US.

I do not agree with this statement. In the moral character questions N400 asks have you "ever" done that act, and the table allows you to enter "country". The implication is have you ever done that act in any country at any time. Since lying on N400 can cause your application to be denied, or (unlikely but) worse cause your citizenship to be revoked later, personally I'd disclose the information at interview. I'd bring along the supporting documentation USCIS request. I might also provide a separate sheet indicating miles per hour equivalents.

What does everyone else think?
 
I do not agree with this statement. In the moral character questions N400 asks have you "ever" done that act, and the table allows you to enter "country". The implication is have you ever done that act in any country at any time. Since lying on N400 can cause your application to be denied, or (unlikely but) worse cause your citizenship to be revoked later, personally I'd disclose the information at interview. I'd bring along the supporting documentation USCIS request. I might also provide a separate sheet indicating miles per hour equivalents.

What does everyone else think?

Let's say an applicant was on vacation in Germany, rented a Ferrari, and did 200 mph on the autobahn. Does it mean that he/she has to indicate "YES" for the "Have you ever committed a crime for which you were not arrested" question? Sure, it's fine and dandy in Germany, but it would definitely be an arrestable offense in the U.S. Same goes for smoking pot in Amsterdam and procuring prostitutes in Las Vegas.
 
man so many questions... Are you dumb or acting dumb?

I don't think that was alright to say. If you search around you see how many "dumb" question I ask and noone ever said anything.

She just wants to make sure all of the things are covered. Come on I ask about attire to the Oath Ceremony when it clearly basically what to wear !!!!

She has 12 posts so she is new to the board so give her a break will you please.
 
Well driving around 170 kmph on a 130 kmph freeway tells. I can't believe it! That is 105 mph. Pretty reckless I would say, unless some one was under the influence of something else.
man so many questions... Are you dumb or acting dumb?
 
Let's say an applicant was on vacation in Germany, rented a Ferrari, and did 200 mph on the autobahn. Does it mean that he/she has to indicate "YES" for the "Have you ever committed a crime for which you were not arrested" question? Sure, it's fine and dandy in Germany, but it would definitely be an arrestable offense in the U.S. Same goes for smoking pot in Amsterdam and procuring prostitutes in Las Vegas.
But in this case, the speeding was an offense in the country where it happened, and there were fines for it. That's different from legalized prostitution or going at a ridiculous but legal speed on the autobahn, neither of which involve any charges or fines.
 
Well the only difference here is that it was a violation of the traffic laws in the OPs country and she was fined as well (almost $800!). So the question "have you ever...." could trip her, unless she lied and claimed no.

The point if it is legal in that country and one was never fined, cited, arrested, charged no problem. If one was then one is required to state it on the N400 application, whether one does or not is entirely up to the OP.

Let's say an applicant was on vacation in Germany, rented a Ferrari, and did 200 mph on the autobahn. Does it mean that he/she has to indicate "YES" for the "Have you ever committed a crime for which you were not arrested" question? Sure, it's fine and dandy in Germany, but it would definitely be an arrestable offense in the U.S. Same goes for smoking pot in Amsterdam and procuring prostitutes in Las Vegas.
 
But in this case, the speeding was an offense in the country where it happened, and there were fines for it. That's different from legalized prostitution or going at a ridiculous but legal speed on the autobahn, neither of which involve any charges or fines.

I'm not so sure if legal prostitution makes any difference. The N-400 clearly states "Have you ever been a prostitue, or procured anyone for prostitution?" It says nothing about legal or illegal prostitution.

As far as traffic violations in another country are concerned, I wouldn't disclose them. The USCIS is more concerned with U.S. traffic violations, and I doubt that they'll be contacting foreign countries to check an applicants driver record.
 
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