I-129F/K1 minor misdemeanor (alcohol in a park)

[Jgbell 7]

Hi there - I'm filling out the I-129F as the petitioner for the K1 and it asks: "Have you ever been arrested, cited, charged, indicted, convicted, fined, or imprisoned for breaking or violating any law or ordinance in any country, excluding traffic violations (unless a traffic violation was alcohol- or drug-related or involved a fine of $500 or more)?"

 

About 8 years ago my friends and I got a ticket for having alcohol in a park - we were having a BBQ and we had beers with our dinner. We weren't intoxicated or under age or anything like that - alcohol just wasn't allowed in this particular park, and this is rural Ohio where you had a bored cop. So we all paid our $80 fine so we wouldn't have to go to court and that was it.

 

I'm just wondering if I need to include this? It's so minor I really would prefer not to because it doesn't look good to check "yes", but if it's really necessary I will. What do you guys think?

 

Thanks!

[jayjayj 571]

You need to include it, as it isn't a traffic violation.  Be completely honest and you shouldn't have any problems - it seems very minor.  The act of being knowingly untruthful on an immigration form is considered immigration fraud.  

[Going through 5,671]

You need to include it on the form.  Hopefully you still have proof that the fine was paid?  Credit card/banking statement, payment receipt?

 

Put it this way...it's so minor an offense that it won't be a big deal for you to disclose it on the form.  If you don't disclose it on the form and they discover it through their background check, it will become a huge deal then.

[Jgbell 7]

Fair enough - thanks for the response. Yep, I've actually spent half the day trying to find it, and the municipal court website still has the record that shows the details and the fine and that it was paid, so I'll add that as evidence. 

[Going through 5,671]

6 minutes ago, Jgbell said:

Fair enough - thanks for the response. Yep, I've actually spent half the day trying to find it, and the municipal court website still has the record that shows the details and the fine and that it was paid, so I'll add that as evidence. 

Oh before I forget---print out/get more than one record copy of that proof...you may need to submit it again later on down the road.

 

I realize you are the USC....but sometimes documents get lost by USCIS, so always better to have more than one copy of every official document.

Edited September 1, 2017 by Going through

[sparkles_ 456]

Been there, done that just another state. It wasn't a problem at all. Send the proof you paid it and it 99% won't even be mentioned again during you guys process. 

 

Some of these arent even true misdemeanors in some states, the open container or booze on a beach/park tickets, just a fine to fork over. 

Edited September 1, 2017 by sparkles_

[Jgbell 7]

Just now, sparkles_ said:

Been there, done that just another state. It wasn't a problem at all. 

Same offense - alcohol in a park? Did you attach a court certified copy of the record of fine paid?

[sparkles_ 456]

5 minutes ago, Jgbell said:

Same offense - alcohol in a park? Did you attach a court certified copy of the record of fine paid?

Not a park. Open container in public, forgot the exact term but general public. I stepped off the front steps into the street with it in hand, and also a bored cop watching. 

 

I send the certified proof it was paid and I also managed to get a photocopy of the ticket. You can usually go get that at the court clerk if you explain you need that. They do keep them for a good while on file. My lawyer said original ticket if able plus proof of payment; it was literally never mentioned in our entire process. 

Edited September 1, 2017 by sparkles_