Traffic Ticket

[K & J 17]

When it comes to disclosing a traffic ticket, most people in this forum say the applicant doesnt have to because the Guide states:

"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."

Now, in my opinion, this say you dont have to submit documentation. It never says asnwer NO to question 16, on Section (Good moral character) of Part 10:

"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?"

My husband is a federal law enforcement officer and he told me that my speeding ticket was a CITACION. Therefore, I has been cited (to my surprise because it sounds such a strong criminal-y word). So I marked YES and I explained it.

I received a yellow letter from USCIS stating" You indicated in your application that you have been arrested [i guess is a standard letter since I only said I have been cited]. Bring court dispositions showing how the incident was resolved".

Anyway, I have to court dispositio stating that it was dismissed because I attended a driver's improvement class. I will show it in my interview.

I just want to share with everybody this subject because many people have asked about simple traffic tickets.

[Stella08 0]

I consider it the same way you do. If you have received a ticket, you were cited by a law enforcement officer and need to put a "yes" on your application. I even put a "yes" there, even though I was let go with a warning. A citation means to me, that I have been told by a law enforcement officer that I did something wrong. No matter, if or what kind of fine I had to pay afterwards. I wrote before that I'm known to be overly correct about things at times. But I'd rather put these things in my file and have them dismissed by USCIS than omit them and have questions arise why I didn't put them in my application later.

As for paperwork, I'll be out of luck. As I said, I've been let go with a warning and don't have any paperwork about it anymore (I'm even not sure if I ever received any, but I think I had to sign something that I got a warning). I hope that will suffice during the interview. We'll see. Is there a phone number you can call to find out what kind of paperwork they need? I mean 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.", which is the case for me. I definitely don't have court dispositions because my violations never went to court.

P.S. My violations happened more than five years ago. Could that make a difference?

Edited January 3, 2009 by Stella08

[YuAndDan 153]

Have the record handy at the interview, but a traffic ticket that resulted in a fine less than $500 does not need to be indicated on the application.

I have yet to meet some one, ANYONE who has not been pulled over and cited for something in their entire time of driving, it happens.

In my time I have been stopped at least 8 times, a few for speed, a couple of times was due to costing a little fast down hill.

Arrested has to do with getting cuffed and stuffed into the back of a police cruiser and taken to JAIL.

Getting a traffic ticket is NOT an arrest.

[Stella08 0]

P.S. In the section "outcome of the citation" I put "no charges filed" for the warnings I received. I guess I'll keep you updated if they give me any trouble about this.

[Stella08 0]

O.k., I did some more research. I guess, listing the warnings was not correct. I guess my husband and I misinterpreted the word "citation". But we're not lawyers and sometimes it's hard to pinpoint which word has which exact meaning, especially when it comes to legal terms. I hope I can clear this up during my interview, if necessary.

I also think, that some of the questions are too general. A traffic ticket definitely is a citation, but is this really what they're looking for? Also, when it asks if you ever have been a member of any club, organization and so forth. I mean, there are Health Clubs, Automobile Clubs, PTOs and so forth. I'm sure they don't worry about those, but according to the question you might have to list those, too.

[Flames9_RN 358]

I have had 1 speeding ticket and 1 "didnt stop" ticket.I stated no on my application and everything turned out well. Just my experience!!

[KyngSilva 0]

I'd still list them. You never know with the USCIS, they could come back and state you never mentioned your speeding tickets on your application. Everything with them is so up in the air, that you never know what they can try and find fault with your app. Better safe than sorry. =)

[Stella08 0]

I'd still list them. You never know with the USCIS, they could come back and state you never mentioned your speeding tickets on your application. Everything with them is so up in the air, that you never know what they can try and find fault with your app. Better safe than sorry. =)

That's how I see it. I think a traffic ticket is no big deal and no reason to get your citizenship denied. But lying on your application and under oath is a reason to get your citizenship revoked. I would prefer to sleep well and not have to worry about this for the rest of my life. You never know what's going to happen down the road and if they will open up your case again.

And just because everything turned out fine, doesn't mean it was right. Other people walk in a store, grab a candy bar, leave without paying and everything turns out fine for them. Still doesn't mean it was legal, they just didn't get caught.