Car accident on N-400

[lierre 224]

I got into a car accident the year I became a PR (3 years ago). Cop interpreted it as my fault. No one was hurt. (Well, except my car, which was towed.) Everything was resolved. All stories were sorted at the scene. Cop even drove me to a coffee shop so I can wait for my friend to pick me up after he got off work. The eventual police report did not give me any penalty, no points against my record.

 

I am trying to figure out if this is something that needs to be disclosed on the N-400 somehow. I don't see anything on there about car accidents. Also, I've gotten my driver record and what's on it was the speeding ticket that I've already paid for. The record also states my driver's license is valid.

 

I haven't had any issues with driving since then.

[Bugs 455]

Ypu do not need to include any information on the application it doesn't ask for.

[Bugs 455]

1 hour ago, CookieCat said:

There are specific questions that ask "Have you ever hurt someone/killed someone" etc. and other questions "Have you ever been arrested, cited, detained by any law enforcement official etc." Read through them line by line, very carefully. If you feel any answer is a 'yes', then disclose it.

I don't know your car accident situation but I feel that at least the question that asks about "being detained by any law enforcement official" could be a 'yes'.  It is always better to be cautious and disclose something that wasn't required rather than not disclose something that was required.

From her description, it doesn't look like she was detained, just found to be at fault for the accident, which is a determination that must be made at every accident and is different than actual detainment.  And she states no one was hurt.  So I don't think either would apply.  

 

But only she would know the full details of course.

 

 

Edited June 20, 2017 by Bugs

[lierre 224]

On June 20, 2017 at 0:10 AM, CookieCat said:

You don't know the specifics of what happened. If a cop held and questioned her, that could be considered as being detained when we don't know the details. The point I'm making here is to disclose things when not sure whether it needs to be disclosed or not. Failing to disclose something USCIS wanted to know could lead to bad consequences later. 

 

On June 19, 2017 at 11:56 PM, Bugs said:

From her description, it doesn't look like she was detained, just found to be at fault for the accident, which is a determination that must be made at every accident and is different than actual detainment.  And she states no one was hurt.  So I don't think either would apply.  

 

But only she would know the full details of course.

 

 

 

I was questioned at the scene of the accident. I was not brought anywhere else aside from being given a free ride to the nearest coffee shop to wait for a friend. Is that detainment?

[skmv 1]

On 6/19/2017 at 1:55 PM, ivyanddan said:

I got into a car accident the year I became a PR (3 years ago). Cop interpreted it as my fault. No one was hurt. (Well, except my car, which was towed.) Everything was resolved. All stories were sorted at the scene. Cop even drove me to a coffee shop so I can wait for my friend to pick me up after he got off work. The eventual police report did not give me any penalty, no points against my record.

 

I am trying to figure out if this is something that needs to be disclosed on the N-400 somehow. I don't see anything on there about car accidents. Also, I've gotten my driver record and what's on it was the speeding ticket that I've already paid for. The record also states my driver's license is valid.

 

I haven't had any issues with driving since then.

In the USCIS N-400 FAQ -  Q7

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/article/chapter3.pdf

 

it states very clearly the unless the traffic incident is not DUI or drug related, and it did not involve an arrest, and the only penalty was a fine less than $500 and/or points on your driver's license, you do NOT have to submit any documentation.

The same verbiage is also listed on your interview letter.

 

During my interview, when the IO walked through the list of questions in the applications form, I volunteered information about my traffic citations and she made a note of it. However, she said not to worry about it and they do not look into it closely.

 

Hope this helps as I struggled with this quite a bit after submitting my application, as my case was delayed for a long time. Once I read through the N-400 FAQ, i was confident that I did not provide any incorrect information.

Does not hurt to check with a lawyer for your own sanity and peace of mind.