Traffic tickets and naturalization (threads merged)

Here is what I'm planning on doing with my application:

Mark NO for question 15 (Have you ever committed a crime for which you were NOT arrested).

Then, during the interview, when the IO goes over this question, I will say - "No, I never committed a crime for which I was not arrested", but had a couple of minor traffic violations, which have been settled/dismissed and have the proofs here with me should you care to see them.

That should suffice.
 
I had 3 minor traffic citiations (fine between $40 and $75) during the last 5 years. I already paid fines on each citiation.

Right now, I couldn't find tickets, but I managed to obtain two copies of certified driving records from MVA (Motor Vehicles Administration) in Maryland. One copy is for interview. One is for me. Driving record shows 3 minor traffic violations. Each of them shows 0 point. but It doesn't show that I paid, but the total points show zero. I assumed I am cleared.

I already answered 'Yes' to Question 16 and detailed 3 minor traffic violations (two of them are for speeding with an excess of 5 mph and one of them is for missing stop sign) on N-400, but didn't submit the documentation such as tickets, paid checks, or anything since the instructions on the guide said not to submit the documentation if fines are less than $500 and these tickets are not DWI/DUI tickets.

I have an interview on June 12.

Questions:
1) Would certified driving records (that I obtained from MVA) suffice?

2) Do you think IO will ask for copy of driving records at the time of interview? I am little confused. I read some of people who were asked for proof but clearly instruction said that documentation are not needed if fine are less than $500 and non-dui/dwi tickets. I assumed it is for only filing the n-400 application, but documentation will be needed for interview??? Do I have to worry about it? Will I be fine if I bring certified driving records that I obtained from MVA?

Note: I know instruction on both form and guide and Question 16 are not very clear to some people because some people said yes to that question and didn't detail info on the form, some people said no to that question and won't disclose at the interview, some people said yes and detail info on the form, and some people said no to that question on the form and will disclose at the interview. It is confusing.

Also, to Anyone who went thru interview experience at the Baltimore office or any other DO, please post your experience about citiations. It would help people to understand.
 
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Also, Anyone who went thru interview experience at the Philly office or any other DO, please post your experience about citiations. It would help people to understand.

thanks,
akapoor
 
GhostRider said:
Question 16 is actually very straightforward: Have you EVER been arrested? - YES/NO

Not much to think here. It has nothing to do with the nature of the felony/misdemeanor/citation, but rather with the fact of whether you were arrested or not. It's a simply YES/NO question.

Question 15 on the other hand, is a bit trickier as it asks whether you have ever committed a crime for which you were NOT arrested - here you may choose to answer YES or NO depending on whether you consider a traffic citation a "crime" or not.
Click to expand...

A traffic violation is NOT a crime unless it's DUI related. You don't get arrested for a minor traffic violation(speeding, red light, ..etc).

As to question #16, it does ask if you were CITED and this is a straight "yes" if you have had a LEO citing you for a traffic violation. However, according to the N-400 instructions guide: "Note that unless a traffic incident was alcoholor drug related, you do not need to SUBMIT documentation for traffic fines and incidents that did not involve an actual arrest if the only penalty was a fine of less than $500 and/or points on your driver'slicense."

The above tells me that you DO need to answer yes but DO NOT need to sumbit documentation in relation with the citation.
 
akapoor said:
Also, Anyone who went thru interview experience at the Philly office or any other DO, please post your experience about citiations. It would help people to understand.

thanks,
akapoor
Click to expand...

I had my interview in Philly last week.

I mentioned my minor non-moving traffic violation. She asked me if I had proof that I paid it. She accepted my copy of the receipt.

I wouldn't have mentioned my (non-dui, non-reckless driving <$500) ticket if I did not have proof of payment.
 
Hi,

Thanks for the reply. Well, I noticed that you had a very less time (2 days) between your Interview and Oath. Did you request for the Oath date or did they give u the closest date as available? Did you get your Oath Letter on the day of interview itself?

Thanks,
Akapoor
 
The oath letter was offered to me. I obviously sputtered a yes after picking up my jaw from the ground.

She signed and gave me the oath letter right then.
 
Thanks for the quick reply. I am hoping that it wld be the same for me, as my interview is on the same date, but diff month (July 28th), so I am hoping it wld be 30th July for Oath. One of the friends here mentioned that the oaths are held every wednesday in Philly. So, I am hoping I wld be able to get an early oath.

I am not trying to get ahead of myself here, but since I have to go to India in mid August.

Thanks,
Akapoor
 
Traffic tickets - will it affect my interview?

I have gotten 13 traffic tickets over 10 years. Will that negatively affect my interview?

None of the traffic tickets was DWI/DUI, no arrest was made, and all fines were under $500.

One ticket I am worried about is getting that one for no insurance. But honestly I don't remember if I carried insurance or not at that time, may be I didn't have the proof of insurance with me at that time as I paid only a fine of $10 after showing proof of insurance to the court.

My driving record is clean now. Thanks.
 
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Simple traffic tickets alone shouldn't count against your good moral character unless you have a history of not paying them or have anything else in your history to go against your moral character.
 
I'm not sure if you even need to show traffic tickets on N-400 if they are not DUI related. I talked to USCIS customer service and they said no need to write about traffic tickets, although others may have different opinion. You may still want to carry proof of payments in case needed.
 
Bobsmyth,

I have obtained certified driving records from Maryland's MVA (Motor Vehicles Administration) since I don't have copies of traffic citations or proof of payments with me (I might throw them away into trash by mistake or I lost them when I moved from another place), but I already paid fines.

Driving record, that I obtained from MVA, shows like this (sample):

Soundex/DL number: xxxxxxxxx
Driving Privilege Status: Valid

Date Summary Description Pts
--------------------------------------------------------
xx/xx/03 XXXXX (code) Speeding 01 * (points expired)
xx/xx/07 XXXXX (code) Failire to stop 01

Record End Total Current Points: 01

so it doesn't tell where those citiations are paid or not paid. I guess "Driving Privilege Status is valid" means all clean and paid?

Question: Will driving record suffice for the interview? I have an interview on June 12.

Please reply as soon as possible. Thanks.
 
ReturnHome said:
I'm not sure if you even need to show traffic tickets on N-400 if they are not DUI related. I talked to USCIS customer service and they said no need to write about traffic tickets, although others may have different opinion. You may still want to carry proof of payments in case needed.
Click to expand...

I was also told by a CSR that minor traffic violations do not need to be disclosed.
 
Geetha1, please include your application details in a signature, this helps other people too. Forums are about sharing personal experiences.

Also have you declared these tickets on the n400 appl already? This tickets issue is highly debated here. I personally think one or two maybe fine but multiple tickets is a tricky area. You are in the clear because none was a dui/dwi. So take all the paperwork you have and there is really nothing much you can do.
 
ReturnHome said:
I'm not sure if you even need to show traffic tickets on N-400 if they are not DUI related. I talked to USCIS customer service and they said no need to write about traffic tickets, although others may have different opinion. You may still want to carry proof of payments in case needed.
Click to expand...

I used to think the same and had 'No' on the application form. During the IV, the IO asked me that citation question and I said about the speeding ticket that I had received after the application and that it was for $131 and that I have paid for it. I expected the end of that. However, the IO asked if I had the ticket and the proof that I had paid for it. In anticipaiton of the IV (and I had only received it after the filing), I had saved the ticket and had the reciept of the same. The officer saw the receipt along with the ticket, smiled at me and said good you brought them with you. He just filed both the documents with my N-400 file that he had.

My interview lasted a total of 10 minutes... there were no other issues. So my recommendation is to get your MVA / DMV record and if you have a speeding ticket, get a Court Disposition as well. BTW: Check another IV experience of Citizenship999 for similar recommendations. We both were IVd recently at the Fairfax, VA office of the Washington DO.

Hope it helps.
 
USGC485 said:
Bobsmyth,

I have obtained certified driving records from Maryland's MVA (Motor Vehicles Administration) since I don't have copies of traffic citations or proof of payments with me (I might throw them away into trash by mistake or I lost them when I moved from another place), but I already paid fines.

Driving record, that I obtained from MVA, shows like this (sample):

Soundex/DL number: xxxxxxxxx
Driving Privilege Status: Valid

Date Summary Description Pts
--------------------------------------------------------
xx/xx/03 XXXXX (code) Speeding 01 * (points expired)
xx/xx/07 XXXXX (code) Failire to stop 01

Record End Total Current Points: 01

so it doesn't tell where those citiations are paid or not paid. I guess "Driving Privilege Status is valid" means all clean and paid?

Question: Will driving record suffice for the interview? I have an interview on June 12.

Please reply as soon as possible. Thanks.
Click to expand...

In the rare instances that the IO asks you for proof of payment of your traffic ticket just be honest and tell them that you did pay them but no longer have the receipt and tried unsuccessfully to obtain one. The fact that you are under oath during the interview should be sufficient enough to demonstrate that you are answering truthfully.
 
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