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[whitby10528 0]

i have received 2 speeding tickets during the 10 years i have lived in the US. one was knocked down to driving without a seatbelt and the other was knocked down to parking out of alignment with the kerb. i am now applying for citizenship. under section 10, covering criminal record, am i expected to mention these? do they qualify as a 'crime or offense'?

thanks in advance for your help!

[whitby10528 0]

so i've been reading this site since i posted my question, and found the quote below:

Here's what the Guide to Naturalization says:

QUOTE

Even if you have committed a minor crime, USCIS may deny your application if you

do not tell the USCIS officer about the incident. 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 less than

$500 and/or points on your driver’s license.

can anyone tell me where in the Guide this quote comes from?

many thanks.

[whitby10528 0]

good lord - this post is like a triumph for doing a little further reading!

the quote comes from the guide - 'Frequently Asked Questions.'

i have now answered my own question. d'oh!

[NickD 202]

It's directly in the N-400 instruction sheets. The key issue is not these minor offenses, but whether you paid the fines or not.

In our state, if you don't even pay a five buck parking ticket, police will come over and take your driver's license and the license plates off that vehicle along with a real huge additional fine.

Would save a lot to time and delays if they would simply say, if you had minor traffic violations, bring in proof you paid those fines. All depends on what kind of harda$$ you get for an IO.

[Hedi 24]

We listed my husband's two traffic tickets (speeding and red light camera) on the N-400 form. Even though both fines were under $500.00, we have paperwork showing that he paid the fines and cleared both violations through traffic school. He will be taking that paperwork to his interview in 3 weeks.

[FlipgalRN 19]

i have received 2 speeding tickets during the 10 years i have lived in the US. one was knocked down to driving without a seatbelt and the other was knocked down to parking out of alignment with the kerb. i am now applying for citizenship. under section 10, covering criminal record, am i expected to mention these? do they qualify as a 'crime or offense'?

thanks in advance for your help!

Be honest! Make sure you let them know about it on the form and you can clarify it at the time of your interview. Just bring proof of all fines being paid and it should be ok.

Edited April 22, 2013 by FlipgalRN

[Laura & Kyle 16]

I know this was a point of confusion for my husband as well when he completed the forms. I want to say he checked yes on one of the items, but it was because he received a ticket for speeding. When the IO reviewed his form with him at the interview, she told him he should have chosen 'no', but still provide the documentation at the interview. She said when people check yes, they think you have hit and killed someone with your car, or some other serious offense. Those boxes are to be like red flags. They corrected his form in the interview and changed the response to no.