coffee or tea?

Not sure if this is in the right group or not, if it is'nt please direct me to the correct one.

My story, breifly.... been in the US for 32 years on a green card, and for some reason after never considering it before I felt the urge to become a citizen, after all these years.

So if fill out my application a few months back and send everything off and wait. Well a few days ago, my fourth wife and I were talking about my application and she bought up whether my previous arrests would stand in my way.

Well bugger me I had forgotten about them as they were so long ago and checked the box to say I had never been convivted of a crime.

23 years ago I was arrested for DUI and I also had a few speeding tickets speeding over the years, but none in the last 5 or so as I have quit driving. I had totally forgotten about the arrests and did'nt think that a speeding ticket so long ago would come up.

Since that converstion I have done some research and it looks like I might be in some bother, should I write a letter to the INS explaining my lapse of memory? I am having diffuclty sleeping as I am so worried about this, I wish I had never applied now. Do you think there is a possibility they could ship me back home where I have on one now and have not even visited in the last 15 years?

Please, any advise would be grately appriciated.

DaveC

What stage are you at in the process? You submitted your N-400, have you had your interview date scheduled?

Take a look at Section 13 of the N-400. At the interview you will sign in front of the officer to swear that the contents of the N-400 "including corrections" are true under penalty of law. You can make any corrections to your form at the interview - i.e. disclose your arrest.

So in terms of the application process I think you're OK. At the interview, the officer will ask you all questions on the N-400. When you get to Section 10 D (Good Moral Character) of the form, you can inform the officer of any changes that need to be made.

NC Penguin

I hope the OP gets as far as the interview to be able to correct his memory lapse.

The OP could also search the Usenet forums on BE called "US Immigration", "US Visas" for people who've had similar problems.


NC Penguin

coffee or tea?

Thanks, I posted in a few other groups on here too.

Rete

You haven't done yourself in, old man ;-)

Take the court records with you and the DMV report if you can get one to the interview. Speeding tickets are not enough to deny you naturalizaiton. Not answering the question will raise an eyebrow but an honest explanation at the time of the interview should correct that problem.

If you can't get court or DMV records, try to the best of your recollection to give them the dates of the tickets and what the fines were.

Don't lose sleep over it.

Pharrya

I'll agree, Don't lose any sleep over it. I put down my speeding tickets on my form. When it came to the interview, the officer didn;t seem at all interested, and didn't want to see any court documents, driving record etc etc.

Assuming you'll get to the interview, just tell the truth and eat some humble pie. His or her attitude will probably be 'Yeah, whatever' though they'll probably write them down on your application.

Don't sweat it!

alflaw

Speeding tickets don't count as convictions and are not evidence of bad moral character. You are required to disclose them.

DUI is a different story - it is a required disclosure BUT a single simple DUI conviction is not a crime involving moral turpitude and is not disqualifying.

Were you convicted of the DUI? Was it a simple DUI or was more involved?

Seems to me you have two choices. 1) attend the interview - whenever it is scheduled, armed with certified court records for the case, or B) withdraw the case and refile. If you do 1, the first words out of your mouth after "I swear or affirm I will tell the truth" is "officer I have some supplemental documentation and I would like to correct my N-400." If you do B) then you will need to write another $400.00 check and file a new N-400. You will still need certified court records, but you will be able to file a correctly completed N-400. To withdraw the case simply write a letter stating your wish to withdraw it.

Arnold

fatbrit

You ARE required to disclose them, I'm afraid! They come under "citations". They are unlikely to be viewed as bad moral character provided they don't number in the hundreds and you have paid the fines.

However, OP is most probably okay provided he comes clean straight away at the interview, preferably with as much documentation as he can muster.

ironporer

I don't know why I found that so funny...I guess 'cause so many actually quit drinking.

alflaw

Sorry bad cut and paste, you should disclose, but unless it is more than speeding it won't be an issue.

coffee or tea?

No I quit driving about 5 years ago, getting old and driving in the city is getting too much for me. I quit drinking over years 20 ago now.

coffee or tea?

It's isn't just speeding though, it's a DUI many years ago I am worried about.