Traffic tickets and naturalization (threads merged)

Live in Chicago, drive a BMW and an STi and never ever been pulled over :)

I have a 15 years of traffic tickets (Can anyone live in a major US city and not get a ticket?) I drive fast cars... fast. I have gotten speding tickets, red light tickets, unsafe lane change tickets you name it.
 
DMV records

I live in Chicago, Illinois. Will an Illinois driving record have my Chicago tickets on it? I've had tickets in the city and the suburbs. Do I need to get a record from each town/city or will the state record suffice.

My interview is in 5 weeks!
 
Did you mention them on your original application? There's been the very rare occasion of IOs asking for traffic receipts even if the amount is less than $500. Obtain evidence of your paid tickets from the courts if you think the odds will favor against you.
 
I live in Chicago, Illinois. Will an Illinois driving record have my Chicago tickets on it? I've had tickets in the city and the suburbs. Do I need to get a record from each town/city or will the state record suffice.

My interview is in 5 weeks!

Were any of your tickets over $500 and related to DUI/DWI? If not, don't mention them and save yourself the headache. As evidenced by my personal interview and oath experience (look for them on this forum), they are not concerned with minor traffic violations.
 
No I didn't say it on my form.

I've had 1 street cleaning violation, 1 expired meter, 1 plate missing, 1 expired registration, 2 turns on red when not allowed. They were all under $100 each and I paid them straight away online or by check. None were court or anything, just plain tickets.

One of the sticky posts says you should disclose everything. Should I just let it go? I'm sure I'll hear an earful on this now!
 
No I didn't say it on my form.

I've had 1 street cleaning violation, 1 expired meter, 1 plate missing, 1 expired registration, 2 turns on red when not allowed. They were all under $100 each and I paid them straight away online or by check. None were court or anything, just plain tickets.

One of the sticky posts says you should disclose everything. Should I just let it go? I'm sure I'll hear an earful on this now!

At my interview, the IO asked me if I've ever been arrested and mentioned NOTHING about being cited, let alone traffic tickets. I didn't disclose mine on the N-400, nor did I mention them at the interview. I took my oath yesterday, and the IO in charge of the oath ceremony made an announcement (repeated it several times) to the entire courtroom that went something like this "I only want to know about arrests. If you have traffic tickets, save your breath and don't even bother. I do NOT care about your tickets". Of course, there's always that one person who doesn't listen. Some guy tried to disclose his traffic tickets, so she reiterated again that she doesn't care about traffic tickets, arrests only.

As all your tickets are extremely minor, do yourself a favor and don't mention them. Of course, if you want to cover your a$$ and bring proof of payment to the interview, feel free to do so. However, my suggestion is to show it to the IO IF AND ONLY IF the IO specifically asks if you've ever had traffic tickets.
 
Thanks Vorpal. That's what I was thinking. I'd like to have them just in case I get a tough IO. I don't think Chicago's known for being a tough office, but what do I know!
 
I have a clean driving record and I still obtained a copy of my driving record, erring on the side that you can never be over prepared...:eek:
 
I have a clean driving record and I still obtained a copy of my driving record, erring on the side that you can never be over prepared...:eek:

Yeah, overprepared is definitely right!;)

You will NEVER be asked to show your driving record, you can count on that!
 
Yeah, overprepared is definitely right!;)

You will NEVER be asked to show your driving record, you can count on that!

Actually, I was asking for driving records since I mentioned citiations on N-400, just minor traffic violation - speeding ticket and failure to stop ticket. None of those tickets are dui/dwi or more than $500 fine tickets. I showed my driving records (both court records and dmv/mva records) to IO. IO just glanced at them and gave them back to me. -

Just to be safe, bring records with you if you can.
 
Actually, I was asking for driving records since I mentioned citiations on N-400, just minor traffic violation - speeding ticket and failure to stop ticket. None of those tickets are dui/dwi or more than $500 fine tickets. I showed my driving records (both court records and dmv/mva records) to IO. IO just glanced at them and gave them back to me. -

Just to be safe, bring records with you if you can.

If you mention any traffic tickets, you'll most likely be asked for proof of payment/court disposition. However, Weston08 mentioned that his driver record is clean, which I assume means he has no tickets. If he has no tickets, why would an IO ask to see his driver record?
 
If you mention any traffic tickets, you'll most likely be asked for proof of payment/court disposition. However, Weston08 mentioned that his driver record is clean, which I assume means he has no tickets. If he has no tickets, why would an IO ask to see his driver record?

Yes, I mentioned tickets on N-400 as I was told by customer service that I must include citations no matter what. That's why IO asked me for my driving records. IO didn't look at my whole driving records.. just glanced at it and gave them back to me.

Why would an IO ask to see his driving records? Well, it depends on different IO. Sometimes IO is picky/strict and sometimes not. Sometimes applicant tells the truth or not.
 
Yes, I mentioned tickets on N-400 as I was told by customer service that I must include citations no matter what.

Good ol' USCIS customer service...you can always count on them to be inconsistent, just like the agency they work for. I was told the exact opposite by them.
 
Correct. I do live in a major city, so actually having a clean driving record, is ..errr. kinda hard to keep... I decided to take everything I could think of and then some to my interview, which of course resulted in the IO asking for only my GC and driving license. Personally I felt more confident going with more papers than I needed than the reverse... :) Probably like you I have a major shredding job coming up....


If you mention any traffic tickets, you'll most likely be asked for proof of payment/court disposition. However, Weston08 mentioned that his driver record is clean, which I assume means he has no tickets. If he has no tickets, why would an IO ask to see his driver record?
 
I decided to take everything I could think of and then some to my interview, which of course resulted in the IO asking for only my GC and driving license. Personally I felt more confident going with more papers than I needed than the reverse... :) Probably like you I have a major shredding job coming up....

Same here. I took everything on JohnnyCash's list and felt 100% confident going into the interview, knowing that I can prove just about anything the IO may ask me.

I have a HUGE shredding job coming up, including all the correspondence with various politicians and USCIS. Oh well, it's a job I'll gladly do!
 
Perhaps USCIS' inconsistency with the requirement to disclose traffic citations under $500 is something that needs to be added to the USCIS Ombudsman's action item list.
 
Perhaps USCIS' inconsistency with the requirement to disclose traffic citations under $500 is something that needs to be added to the USCIS Ombudsman's action item list.

Agreed completely. This is arguably the most ambiguously worded question on the N-400 and needs to be either reworded or rewritten entirely.
 
2 Speeding Tickets and a Red-light Camera Citation, ATL, GA,

I have had 2 speeding Tickets and a Red-light Camera Citation,( ATL, GA)
Is it going to be a problem under Good Moral Caharacter?. In the N400 it says

"Note that unless a traffic incident was alcohol or 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's license.".

Does it mean that I do not have to mention these citations under N400/Part D ?.

Thanks in advance.
 
I have had 2 speeding Tickets and a Red-light Camera Citation,( ATL, GA)
Is it going to be a problem under Good Moral Caharacter?. In the N400 it says

"Note that unless a traffic incident was alcohol or 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's license.".

Does it mean that I do not have to mention these citations under N400/Part D ?.

Thanks in advance.

You really do not need to mention these small traffic violations. In interview if IO asks for citation then you can mention this . Normally IO asks for arrest/DUI violation.
 
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