Traffic tickets and naturalization (threads merged)

Traffic Violation No Document needed for the fine below $500

Is the fine here actually fine or maximum possible fine for the violation cited?

Does it apply to reckless driving like speeding way above the limit
or failure to stop when a school bus is loading /unloading students
with stop sign arm raised?
 
BUT my advice is that you should still take receipt of the payment with you. I had a parking ticket for <$100 and I was asked to show the proof of payment. Thanks to others on this forum, I had taken that with me.
 
As a general rule, if you disclose any kind of tickets, traffic or otherwise, be prepared to provide proof of payment, regardless of the fine amount.

jimgreener, there was no need for you to disclose the parking ticket, but it's all behind you now, so it doesn't matter.
 
Vorpal said:
As a general rule, if you disclose any kind of tickets, traffic or otherwise, be prepared to provide proof of payment, regardless of the fine amount.
Click to expand...

It is now impossible to provide payment proof. It happened many years ago.
Checking account I used to pay was closed a long time ago. The reciept was thrown away. Did not know need to keep these stuff at that time.
 
WBH said:
It is now impossible to provide payment proof. It happened many years ago.
Checking account I used to pay was closed a long time ago. The reciept was thrown away. Did not know need to keep these stuff at that time.
Click to expand...

I would strongly suggest checking the legal repercussions of reckless driving in the locality where the ticket was issued. In certain states (Virginia, for example), reckless driving is considered a misdemeanor. If you received your ticket in such a locality, then you should be able to obtain a court disposition for it. If it wasn't a misdemeanor, then consider not mentioning the ticket at all. I've had my share of traffic tickets and didn't disclose them on my N-400. When I went to my interview, I brought proof of payment for as many of them as I could find. The IO only asked me if I've ever been arrested, so I answered "NO" and didn't mention anything about the traffic tickets.
 
traffic tickets

I got 2 traffic tickets at 2 different states in the last 3 years, and both are under $200. Is it alright if I disclose them on N400 without gathering the proof of paying? Or should I ignore them? This makes me lose sleep!!!!

Please give your advice.
 
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dustin111 said:
I got 2 traffic tickets at 2 different states in the last 3 years, and both are under $200. Is it alright if I disclose them on N400 without gathering the proof of paying? Or should I ignore them? This makes me lose sleep!!!!

Please give your advice.
Click to expand...

This is nothing. Most likely the IO who interview you got more traffic tickets
than you
 
You are supposed to disclose any citations.It does not matter what amount they were for.
I know that the USCIS says that you don't need proof for < 500 but I was asked for the proof for <100.
So, if you decide to disclose,which is what I would advise you to do, then you should also get the proof of payment. If you have the proof now, I would strongly recommend sending (copy of) it along with the application.
Note: This is not legal advice
 
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dustin111 said:
I got 2 traffic tickets at 2 different states in the last 3 years, and both are under $200. Is it alright if I disclose them on N400 without gathering the proof of paying? Or should I ignore them? This makes me lose sleep!!!!

Please give your advice.
Click to expand...

Do a search for traffic tickets or citation on this forum. Issue has been covered many times before.
 
What would happen if traffice ticket has not been paid at the time of interview? Just take an example of $157.00 ticket with 2 points.
 
FL_BL said:
What would happen if traffice ticket has not been paid at the time of interview? Just take an example of $157.00 ticket with 2 points.
Click to expand...

That depends on whether or not you disclose the ticket. Some IOs will demand proof of payment, some will ask if you paid it and move along if you answer "YES", others will just ignore it completely. Still, there's a chance that the IO will issue a continuance letter, asking you to come back and bring proof of payment before the decision on your application is made.
 
Reckless Driving Ticket in VA, will it affect my Citizenship process pls help urgent ?

Okay folks here is what happened last night ,

I live in MD and work in VA.. I was driving from work to home around 12.20 in VA and cops pulled me over.. She said I was driving 55 on a 35 mile zone.. I was really tired and did not even realize that I was doing 55 until she pulled me over..She gave me wreckless driving ticket and said you have to show up in Leesburg court on April 15th.. Since I am living in MD, i was not really familiar with VA traffic laws and do not know that reckless driving tickets are that dangerous and serious in VA..

I am going to apply my citizenship in June.. When I made a research about wreckless driving ticket fines over the internet, it says around $350 to $800 depends on the situation.. So this is the summary of whole situation and here are my questions ?


1) What if they give me a fine for $600 , is it going to create a problem during my interview ? I know tickets under $500 , do not need to be reported to the immigration .. But if I get a fine more than $500 , is it going to completely jeopardize my citizenship ? Can the officer will refuse my application ?

2) Should I go ahead and hire a lawyer for my court appereance or defend myself ? Lawyers are asking $500 to $1000.. It is way to expensive so I am so undecided and in huge panic..


Please give some suggestions and previous experience if you had a similar situation...
 
Don't need to worry about unless it's criminal conviction. Call them, they may even negotiate the fine. My wife did the same thing but worst, got pull over for going 70 in 45 and the cop told her she has to go to court and cannot just pay the fine. But after she call, they negotiated and she only paid $300 instead of $800 fine with court fees.

And I used to live in Ohio, last time I got ticket in KY for speeding and the cop told me to go to court but I called them and said that I cannot go that far then they let me pay the fine over the phone.
 
I called them but they say since it is a wreckless driving ticket , I can not do a prepay.. So i believe there is no way to negotiate.. I believe if it was a speeding ticket, i can just pay over the phone but in VA , they take it extremely serious about wreckless driving even you drive 10 20 miles over the speed limit.. I know it was my mistake but still now i am almost gonna cry and worry about other things like citizenship..
 
Contact an attoney that practices traffic law in that court.

They can help you negotiate the local traffic bureaucracy much better.
 
20 mph over limit is considered reckless driving and is a criminal offense in VA. You'll have to go to court since it is a criminal offense. Try pleading down to improper driving or simple speeding. You shouldn't have a problem pleading down if you have a clean driving history. Once in court, offer the DA your DMV record and tell him you're willing to go to driving school to get plea reduced.

As for naturalization application, as long as you pay the fine and bring proof of payment to interview there shouldn't be any issues.
 
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Get a lawyer... negotiate a plea... don't let them get you on a reckless driving charge.... it doesn' t look good.- ;)
 
handxx said:
I live in MD and work in VA.. I was driving from work to home around 12.20 in VA and cops pulled me over.. She said I was driving 55 on a 35 mile zone.. I was really tired and did not even realize that I was doing 55 until she pulled me over..She gave me wreckless driving ticket and said you have to show up in Leesburg court on April 15th.. Since I am living in MD, i was not really familiar with VA traffic laws and do not know that reckless driving tickets are that dangerous and serious in VA..
Click to expand...

Most likely you can end up paying less than $500.

Reckless driving in Virginia is a class A misdemeanor that can have up to one year sentence. USCIS usually judge seriousness of a violation by looking
at possible maximum sentence. This maximum one year sentence for reckless driving is scary if USCIS really cares about maximum sentence rathern than
treat it as ordinary traffic violation.

But reckless driving is not a CIMT. It is just reckless.

In addition, the guideline for N-400 say traffic violation do not need documentation if the fine is below $500 and it is not drug and alcohol related.

So if you get a reckless driving ticket and pay <$500, can you just write
speeding, date, place and do not include any documents? Since there is no fingerprinting, so will it still enter FBI record for name check?

I wonder if USCIS interview officers often get tickets or not.
 
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handxx said:
2) Should I go ahead and hire a lawyer for my court appereance or defend myself ? Lawyers are asking $500 to $1000.. It is way to expensive so I am so undecided and in huge panic..
Click to expand...

$500 to $1000 is not much if you consider the worst scenario. The only questions is whether a lawyer is useful or not. If your license gets suspendend, you can lose much more than $500, not to mention you want to apply for citizzenship

Life is so unfair one careless mistake can cause so big a trouble
 
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