this must be a stupid q--traffic ticket

[satura 0]

can someone help me understand the following paragraph (from the M-476 document)

The “Application for Naturalization” (Form

N-400) asks several questions about crimes.

You should report all offenses that you have

committed including any that have been

expunged (removed from your record) and

any that happened before your 18th

birthday. If you do not tell USCIS about

these offenses and we find out about them,

you may be denied naturalization (even

if the original offense was not a crime for

which your case would have been denied).

If you have been arrested or convicted of a

crime, you must send a certified copy of the

arrest report, court disposition, sentencing,

and any other relevant documents, including

any countervailing evidence concerning

the circumstances of your arrest and/or

conviction that you would like USCIS to

consider. 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.

Do I need to answer "YES" to this:

16. Have you ever been arrested, cited or detained by any law enforcement officer (including USCIS or former INS and military officers) for any reason?

I actually checked with a lawyer, she told me "stopped by an officer" is an "arrest". so the answer is "YES" and provide explanation about it. But in the above paragraph 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 I only have to answer "YES" but don't need to provide documentation that I paid the fine? Or I don't need to disclose my traffic tickets at all?

I don't think this is a big deal, I just want to hear from more people. If at all possible I don't want to answer "YES"

[YuAndDan 153]

You answer yes, but as you indicated in the directions you do not need to provide the documentation for the traffic offense.

They know everyone citizens, and non-citizens from time to time get stopped by the police for traffic offenses.

[lucyrich 20]

The relevant point from the text you quoted is:

If you do not tell USCIS about these offenses and we find out about them, you may be denied naturalization (even if the original offense was not a crime for which your case would have been denied).

If you say "NO", and they do a simple search of DMV databases, they'll find out you got a ticket and you risk having your naturalization denied. Not for the ticket itself, but for having neglected to mention it on your application.

If you say "YES", you don't have to provide any more documentation. You just explain that it was for a traffic ticket with a total penalty less than $500.00, and write down as many details as you can remember. It won't hurt your chances of naturalization.

You've already had an attorney tell you to say "YES". Put me down as another vote to say "yes". You've got nothing to lose by saying "yes", and everything to lose by saying "no".

[Georgian 0]

The relevant point from the text you quoted is:

If you do not tell USCIS about these offenses and we find out about them, you may be denied naturalization (even if the original offense was not a crime for which your case would have been denied).

If you say "NO", and they do a simple search of DMV databases, they'll find out you got a ticket and you risk having your naturalization denied. Not for the ticket itself, but for having neglected to mention it on your application.

If you say "YES", you don't have to provide any more documentation. You just explain that it was for a traffic ticket with a total penalty less than $500.00, and write down as many details as you can remember. It won't hurt your chances of naturalization.

You've already had an attorney tell you to say "YES". Put me down as another vote to say "yes". You've got nothing to lose by saying "yes", and everything to lose by saying "no".

You don't have to say yes unless the traffic fine was more than $500. I asked my lawyer before filing for I-751 were identical question is asked and he said not to mention anything about it. I have 5-6 traffic citations.

Almost forgot to mention that my I-751 was approved last week.

[mawilson 2,133]

I actually checked with a lawyer, she told me "stopped by an officer" is an "arrest".

That's nonsense. Being stopped by an officer is not an arrest, unless the officer in question actually arrested you.

[warlord 73]

Yes the never ending discussion about this. I researched it on the web and from everything I looked at it said you do not need to list any simple traffic fines like that unless it was over $500 or you were detained, DUI etc.

I didn't list my tickets at all and during the interview I was asked if I had ever been in court for anything. I told him yes (2 of my tickets where I lived was in a place that all speeding tickets were mandatory court). So I told him about the two tickets. All he was interested in was if it was DUI or over $500. Since they weren't he went on to something else. I didn't mention them on the N-400 or have proof or anything.

So that was my experience anyways, but it's up to you. If you have issues on your N-400 with other things then maybe it is a good idea to put them down...