Traffic tickets and naturalization (threads merged)

Do we need to blame ourselves for being paranoid? :)
or do we need to blame the institution for endlessly making folks wait, that they are paranoid about "we will make the decision later and inform you by mail" statement :)

Its the delay and delay and delay that have many so folks feel worried...but again...the question remains :)
 
akapoor, I think you do not need to worry at all. I was also involved in an accident where I was not at fault. I have neither mentioned it on my N-400 nor I plan to mention anything about it. I feel I'm honest to myself and this is not a crime. My husband received a minor traffic ticket in 1999 for $65. We have neither mentioned his traffic ticket nor plan to say it unless asked. I asked for the proof from the court as it was in another state than we live in but then court gave us a letter saying they do not have anything on the record from 1999. It pretty much says, no record can be found now and there is nothing pending against this person. So all in all, I feel you do not need to go off the track to get the records from bank or court. If a person has done something wrong, his name would be caught anyway in the record checks. Calm down and you will do all fine.. As said in previous posts, definitely focus on rest of the stuff. Good Luck..
 
I would recommend carrying the proof with you. I had my interview last week. Cleared it except for one outstanding speeding ticket. IO told me and issued me a letter saying cannot make a decision on your case and told me to get proof of disposition of ticket within 30 days. She also said if I got it by the next day she would change from cannot make a decision to approved.

I had to go to court, pay the ticket, get proof and submit it back to the IO before she approved my case and gave me my oath letter.

This is from first hand experience and not conjecture. You make your own decision now.
 
sj said:
I would recommend carrying the proof with you. I had my interview last week. Cleared it except for one outstanding speeding ticket. IO told me and issued me a letter saying cannot make a decision on your case and told me to get proof of disposition of ticket within 30 days. She also said if I got it by the next day she would change from cannot make a decision to approved.

I had to go to court, pay the ticket, get proof and submit it back to the IO before she approved my case and gave me my oath letter.

This is from first hand experience and not conjecture. You make your own decision now.
Click to expand...

QED, I guess. :)

koolvik from Washington, DC District office is another case of traffic ticket proofs being explicitly asked.

akapoor, in most cases IO will take your word for it if you say that you paid your ticket. But, if you are the kind of person who does not like to leave any loose ends, go and get the proof of receipts and accident records.

I was involved in a no-fault accident a few years back and I got a police-report for my own records as well as to remove any shadow of a doubt that DUI was mentioned on it even by mistake.

Just do it and quit worrying; in the worst case your application will be delayed but not denied.
 
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here's a thougth....

Do USCIS IOs have to have a perfect driving record, or pass the same level of background check as N-400 applicants, in order to be appointed to their jobs?

I mean they're only human and most average people that I know have a ticket or two. :)
 
sj said:
I would recommend carrying the proof with you. I had my interview last week. Cleared it except for one outstanding speeding ticket. IO told me and issued me a letter saying cannot make a decision on your case and told me to get proof of disposition of ticket within 30 days. She also said if I got it by the next day she would change from cannot make a decision to approved.

I had to go to court, pay the ticket, get proof and submit it back to the IO before she approved my case and gave me my oath letter.

This is from first hand experience and not conjecture. You make your own decision now.
Click to expand...

This example is an exception rather than the norm. Every case if different and what applies to one person doesn't necessarily apply to another.
 
2scoops said:
here's a thougth....

Do USCIS IOs have to have a perfect driving record, or pass the same level of background check as N-400 applicants, in order to be appointed to their jobs?

I mean they're only human and most average people that I know have a ticket or two. :)
Click to expand...

Agreed. However, and I am BY NO MEANS defending the USCIS, we are the ones applying for citizenship, not the IOs. Much like police officers who enjoy the power trip of pulling someone over and issuing a summons, the IOs enjoy the power trip of delaying someone's application (again, not all cops and IOs are in it for the power trip). Being that it clearly states in the Guide to Naturalization that no proof needs to be provided for non-DUI/DWI violations with a fine of less than $500, even if the IO checks "decision cannot be made at this time", the application will still get approved when it goes for an additional review by a senior IO.

As far as I know, prospective IOs undergo very extensive background checks, as do most other prospective federal/state employees. Keep in mind, though, that their background checks don't take an indefinite period of time to complete.
 
Fender Bender

Hello All,
I had a fender bender accident :mad: after submitting my N-400, and my interview is coming up in a couple of weeks,
what do I need do to do :confused:
do I need to mention it during interview ? any paperwork ? etc ? :confused:
any input is greatly appreciated :D
 
were you cited? (was the accident your fault?) If yes, you may need to report it.

I think not-at-fault means you dont have to mention it. Can experts here confirm?
 
I don't think you need to report it, even if you were given a ticket.
Traffic violations are not needed to be reported.
If someone got injured and it resulted in a criminal prosecution, that's a different ball game altogether.
A fender bender is all in a day's work...
 
Unless you were given a traffic citation for the accident (ex:failed to yield), you wouldn't need to report it at the interview unless the IO specifically asks (never go into details at the interview unless requested).
 
nj_skm said:
I don't think you need to report it, even if you were given a ticket.
Traffic violations are not needed to be reported.
Click to expand...
They definitely need to be reported if they resulted in a fine of more than $500 or an arrest or involved alcohol or illegal drugs.
 
Let's siddig answer that part, but it would seem to me it was a regular fender bender and there was no citation. Anyway, as long as there was no hit and run involved (from siddig's point of view I mean) and this is just dealing with insurance I don't think why it would have to be disclosed during interview. If law enforcement was involved during this event and issued a ticket, then yes, report it. Although it becomes less clear if the ticket is under $500 as pointed out by other posters.
 
Huracan said:
Let's siddig answer that part, but it would seem to me it was a regular fender bender and there was no citation. Anyway, as long as there was no hit and run involved (from siddig's point of view I mean) and this is just dealing with insurance I don't think why it would have to be disclosed during interview. If law enforcement was involved during this event and issued a ticket, then yes, report it. Although it becomes less clear if the ticket is under $500 as pointed out by other posters.
Click to expand...

Triple Citizen is correct eventhough it makes no sense.... The guidelines doesn't say that you don't have to report if your fine was under $500, it says supporting document might not be asked. It says nothing about reporting... Once you report them, most of the IOs ask for proof of payment of those fines.... for citation that is say 6 year old, how can we get that proof? Very vague.... post below can help few:
http://www.laborlawtalk.com/showthread.php?t=53617
 
Thank you guys, like I said it was small f&b and no Police was involved and it was done through Insurance, it was my fault, so my insurance took care of fixing the other party's car (don't know how much though). and my insurance sent me paperwork (form SR-1) to file with the DMV which I didn't do yet.
 
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