lolitochka

hi guys,
quick question to naturalized peeps here,
do you think red light violation ticket in CA would be a problem while naturalization? The camera took pictures and video of me turning to the right from the channeled right lane without a complete stop (driving super slow, though). There was no upcoming traffic or pedestrians.
1. Will it come up/explanation required/photos shown during the interview? right now I am still waiting for the ticket/amount I have to pay, and also I think, i am a eligible for traffic school.

2. Should I wait on filing n400 while still dealing with this ticket, or should I just file?

please, let me know/share your experiences,
thanks a bunch!

jeffreyhy

l,

Just file. Answering the questions on the form as asked. Truthfully.

Regards, JEff

discoviking

Traffic tickets should not be a problem for naturalization. They need to be declared, but as long as they result in a fine of less than $500 and was not drug or alcohol related, no supporting documentation is required.

You say the ticket has not been issued yet, if so what is it that you think you need to declare if you submit the N-400 now? The application will be reviewed and any relevant new information can be brought to your interviewers attention during the interview.

lolitochka

you mean, since i just got the notice, the real ticket, i should not mention that in my application?

discoviking

Didn't say that at all. There was no mention of a notice in your first post.

Poppy girl

Are you trying to take over my life lol.

Same here Answer Yes to question 16.
Do the traffic school if you want to keep a clean licence, make sure you are still within the time frame to do traffic school.

File it.

lolitochka

thank you, Poppy girl,

i have a question on this, please. This is my first ticket, so I was wondering when will they mail the real ticket? and how do i request traffic school?
thanks again

Michael

You can probably call or visit the traffic court and ask the amount of the fine.

It depends on your state. In California you can go before the traffic court presiding officer and he asks you if you want to plead guilty or request a trial. If you plead guilty, he then imposes the fine (usually less than what you would pay if you paid via mail or at the traffic court offices) and asks you whether you want to attend a one day traffic school. If you respond yes, you then will have a certain time to register and attend the traffic school.

You may possibly also go to the traffic court offices and pay the fine and request traffic court.

lolitochka

Thank you, Michael,
I am in California too.
If I do that tomorrow, and go and see the presiding officer, and give him the citation number, and then if everything goes like you said, I won't be receiving another ticket in the mail, right?
thanks again

Michael

You just go to one of the windows in the traffic court area. Hopefully the ticket will be recorded by then (may take the police a few days to get it to traffic court). If it is recorded, you'll be able to just pay and I believe that you can ask them for traffic school (they will charge a fee for traffic school).

The only advantage of traffic school is so the ticket will not be recorded on your record so that it can't have any affect on your insurance premium. Some insurance companies don't charge a extra premium for your first ticket. By law insurance companies normally can't charge an extra premium for a normal moving violation ticket that is more than 3 years old.

Poppy girl

I was caught on camera and had no idea I had committed the violation until it came in the mail.

It takes about 2 weeks max and the document will contain the amount and also where and when to pay.

You will be able to go online and answer a few questions via a link they give you to see if you are eligible, and I would assume you are, it was my 1st ticket as well.

Once you see if you can indeed go to traffic school, it will give you links to schools in your area, just choose one and book a date within the time frame (it will be on the fine document)
There will be an added fee for processing to go to traffic school.

pay your find on time the form is easy and will guide you in what to do.

Traffic school you will also pay them and when completed take the certificate that you passed the course and present it to the court house that is requested on your citation/document and they will hand you back a receipt.

Mine was San Mateo.

lolitochka

I got caught on camera too... and there was a video too.
Anyways, today I went to the court house very early. The clerk at the window gave me a piece of paper, and then i went to see the judge.
There were four pleas described on that paper: TRAFFIC SCHOOL, NOT GUILTY, GUILTY, OR NO CONTEST.

As a traffic school eligibility description it stated that, "Traffic school is not an admission of guilt. If you are eligible for an complete traffic school, you will not have a point assessed against your driving record, the matter is dismissed."

So, when the judge is asked me whether I plea guilty, or not guilty, I told him, "Traffic school", he looked at my papers and then said that I am eligible, and he told me to pay the whole ticket amount which was $446+$54 (bail amount+admin fees). So, I paid total of $500.

Question: is it going to be a problem that I paid $500, since for purpose of naturalization the fine should be less than $500?

On the Traffic Docket and Minutes it says:

charges: T 21453A PN
Plea: TS (i assume it stands for Traffic School)
Proceedings: 446+54

And then the box that says "Pay your bail/fine/fee of" then handwritten $500, and then there is a date.

I paid $500 to the clerk, and then was given the list of online/in person traffic schools.

Question: Did I do everything right, or not? Will USCIS look at $446 or will they assume that the fine was $500?

Also, I have two original documents in my hands: 1. Traffic Arraignment Paper. 2. Traffic Docket and Minutes.
Do I still need to get certified copies of any papers, or will these original papers would do?

Your advises are very appreciated, thank you

ian-mstm

You may have paid $500... but that was not the fine!

Ian

Michael

Your municipality must be really hurting for money. Five years ago I went to traffic court in Fremont and there were a lot of people that had red light violations. If the presiding officer couldn't identify the person in the photo as the defendant, the ticket was dismissed. If the person pleaded guilty (with or without traffic school), the presiding officer reduced the fine from $280 to $100.

In my opinion, your fine is $446 but I may be wrong and you will need someone else to answer that question.

Even if it is $500, it doesn't make a lot of sense that a big issue would be made over a normal moving violation.

Noorah101

California + current economy = 'nuff said. LOL

Rene