Speeding Ticket and Naturalization

[jsnearline 2]

Regardless of whether speeding is considered a federal offense, failing to disclose it on your application can result in having your application denied for a lack of good moral character. I really don't see what the downside is about being honest, but I sure see a lot of potential downsides to failing to disclose information that USCIS deems relevant.

The simplest solution is to avoid speeding in the first place. If my wife hadn't been speeding on her way to work, we wouldn't even be worried about this at all, and our car insurance rate would be half what it is now.

[KyngSilva 0]

Rigoletto my friend,

Firstly I work with the PD here so, speeding in Minnesota is an offense. Regardless of what you think or how you interpret the question, it's an offense. Plain and simple. Might not be an offense where you come from, but it is an offense here. The question relates to both State and Federal. I have not assumed anything. If you apply for ANY federal job you are required to put down every bit of information, every time a cop has stopped you, regardless of the reason. Same applies to your N-400. They are Federal application and failure to report the smallest details can make your application null and void. Which is determined by the person reviewing your documents. Goes back to the point of judging your moral character, not the offense that was committed unless it was capital murder. I know my state statues. I sit for 3.5 hrs studying them every other day. Secondly I did not assume that a traffic citation is a misdemeanor, I said it was a petty misdemeanor. Big difference here in Minnesota.

Your analysis should start with the definitions under Title 18 of U.S.C.

Again, don't confuse the issues - we are dealing with the question at hand - not the questions in other federal job applications. I work at

a federal district court and have had to fill out such forms. The questions are more broadly phrased.

Incidentally, we have a lot of police officers coming through here - some know the law, and others don't. But all claim that they do.

Um K We are going no where with this argument.

Regardless of whether speeding is considered a federal offense, failing to disclose it on your application can result in having your application denied for a lack of good moral character. I really don't see what the downside is about being honest, but I sure see a lot of potential downsides to failing to disclose information that USCIS deems relevant.

The simplest solution is to avoid speeding in the first place. If my wife hadn't been speeding on her way to work, we wouldn't even be worried about this at all, and our car insurance rate would be half what it is now.

Jsnearline I agree with you. That's what I have been trying to tell people on here and some people can't see past a certain point.

Anyways I'm happy to be done soon =)

[Rigoletto 0]

Regardless of whether speeding is considered a federal offense, failing to disclose it on your application can result in having your application denied for a lack of good moral character. I really don't see what the downside is about being honest, but I sure see a lot of potential downsides to failing to disclose information that USCIS deems relevant.

Hi:

I am sorry, but no, it cannot. You are required to answer the legal question asked truthfully. As I have mentioned before, any

citation (incl. a speeding ticket) should be disclosed in Question 16, which is the appropriate place for such an answer. If

you wish to disclose it in Question 15, fine, but that is superfluous. Answering "NO" to question 15 in no way indicates a lack

of good moral character.

Incidentally, I agree 100% on the avoidance of a speeding ticket. So far in life, I have been fortunate enough to have avoided

one.

[jsnearline 2]

In my response above I was not specifically referring to question 15. I was referring to those situations where people know they have citations for speeding but choose not to disclose them at all on the form. It seems to me that reasonable people can disagree about how to answer question 15 if 16 is marked "yes", but a complete failure to disclose an incident involving a citation on the application, even a minor one, CAN result in a denial.

[skoopie 0]

i just had my citizenship interview today and I mentioned to the officer that I had speeding tickets. Her exact words - "Everyone has speeding tickets. Was it a DUI or hit and run? Then it's a problem, otherwise, it doesnt matter".

Note - I didn't include anything about my speeding tickets on the application..

[Rigoletto 0]

In my response above I was not specifically referring to question 15. I was referring to those situations where people know they have citations for speeding but choose not to disclose them at all on the form. It seems to me that reasonable people can disagree about how to answer question 15 if 16 is marked "yes", but a complete failure to disclose an incident involving a citation on the application, even a minor one, CAN result in a denial.

Fair enough. I agree that Question 16 definitely requires a YES under the facts we discussed. If someone were to fail to disclose

it, the government would have technical grounds for denial. As some people here point out, it is unlikely, but you and I agree that

it is possible, and therefore it is advisable to disclose.

[kiko 0]

In my response above I was not specifically referring to question 15. I was referring to those situations where people know they have citations for speeding but choose not to disclose them at all on the form. It seems to me that reasonable people can disagree about how to answer question 15 if 16 is marked "yes", but a complete failure to disclose an incident involving a citation on the application, even a minor one, CAN result in a denial.

Fair enough. I agree that Question 16 definitely requires a YES under the facts we discussed. If someone were to fail to disclose

it, the government would have technical grounds for denial. As some people here point out, it is unlikely, but you and I agree that

it is possible, and therefore it is advisable to disclose.

WHO CAME IN FIRST THE EGG OR THE CHICKEN....ENOUGH WORRYING GUYS.....

[Rigoletto 0]

In my response above I was not specifically referring to question 15. I was referring to those situations where people know they have citations for speeding but choose not to disclose them at all on the form. It seems to me that reasonable people can disagree about how to answer question 15 if 16 is marked "yes", but a complete failure to disclose an incident involving a citation on the application, even a minor one, CAN result in a denial.

Fair enough. I agree that Question 16 definitely requires a YES under the facts we discussed. If someone were to fail to disclose

it, the government would have technical grounds for denial. As some people here point out, it is unlikely, but you and I agree that

it is possible, and therefore it is advisable to disclose.

WHO CAME IN FIRST THE EGG OR THE CHICKEN....ENOUGH WORRYING GUYS.....

Who said we are worrying? This issue does not even apply to me. We were just enjoying a stimulating

intellectual debate/discussion.

[chuckandkim 0]

i just had my citizenship interview today and I mentioned to the officer that I had speeding tickets. Her exact words - "Everyone has speeding tickets. Was it a DUI or hit and run? Then it's a problem, otherwise, it doesnt matter".

Note - I didn't include anything about my speeding tickets on the application..

This settles it! IMHO (The authority of the Internet)

[warlord 73]

i just had my citizenship interview today and I mentioned to the officer that I had speeding tickets. Her exact words - "Everyone has speeding tickets. Was it a DUI or hit and run? Then it's a problem, otherwise, it doesnt matter".

Note - I didn't include anything about my speeding tickets on the application..

Yes as stated many times the IO's do not care about speeding tickets. Now if you have say 50 in the past year then they may want to see some proof they were paid. If you have a few, then they don't care. They state it themselves.

This topic has been discussed over and over on forums.immigration.com that you do not have to disclose them.

You will not get denied for not disclosing a simple speeding ticket. You might if it was a serious offence like a hit and run though. You might if you were under the influence and killed someone. You will not if it's a speeding ticket. Plain and simple. CALL THE INS...

Edited April 22, 2009 by warlord

[centrifugio 0]

italian in new york city when you mentioned disclose you refereed to marking yes in the questionary where it says have you ever committed a crime or offense? I have a couple of tickets all of them below 500, the sum of them pass $500 but each one was below $200. So should I put yes where is says if I have committed a crime or offense. I have never committed a crime but traffic violations.

thanks.

[ntc1 0]

Do applicants have to disclose traffic citation on N-400 application. Did anybody disclosed it and what was the outcome? Please kindly let me know. Thank you very much.

[furiousng 2]

And the argument continues. I had tickets less than 500, disclosed them and included proof of payment despite the form saying no need to include them. I think USCIS should just say on the form that if your citation is for moving and/or parking violation and the punishment was a fine less than $500 and/or points on your DO NOT DISCLOSE will put this issue to rest once and for all..

[JimmyHou 611]

Do applicants have to disclose traffic citation on N-400 application. Did anybody disclosed it and what was the outcome? Please kindly let me know. Thank you very much.

The instructions say that you do not need to provide evidence for citations under $500. Some applicants assume that this means that you don't have to disclose them, but that's not what the instructions say.

Most interview experiences I've read say that the interviewer wrote down citations under $500 but didn't ask for proof.

Some interviewers changed the "no" to a "yes" for this question when they were told about citations. Others changed the "yes" to a "no". It seems a little random to me.

In a few cases I've read about, the interview officer insisted on evidence and in a couple of cases even issued a "decision cannot be reached" until proof that the tickets (under $500) had been paid. But this seems to be quite rare.

To be on the safe side, I would disclose everything and take as much evidence as I can get my hands on.

[Messybrownhair 251]

I disclosed mine even though the fine was only $112, and I plan to bring my cashed check and receipt that was mailed back to me by the county. I'm not worried about it, but I wanted to err on the side of caution and disclose it, and have proof to back it up if they ask