Forgot about ticket when filing I-485

[yabababa 0]

Hi. In June we filed our package of I-485 and
everything else for AOS based on marriage to
American citizen. At the time, I honestly forgot about a ticket I had received in 2015 in Chicago. It was a ordinance violation for smoking cigarettes near CTA property. I had a friend pay the fine the following week as this happened on a weekend and I left Chicago that same weekend. In the form I-485, I answered no where it asks if I have ever been arrested or charged for a crime. I can't find any record of the ticket now on any of the Chicago city/ Illinois state sites but am wondering if it will impact my application if it shows up on their end. Even the cop who gave it to me said that it won't show up anywhere as it was a very minor violation. I have pictures of the ticket and the receipt of payment of the fine. I had no ID at the time as I was a new student on F1 visa and showed my passport when asked. That passport is also no longer valid and has been renewed with a different passport number. Has anyone had any similar experience? What do you guys think? We filed the application ourselves but are considering hiring a lawyer now just because of this. I tried to find that record everywhere, even on paid sites but nothing os coming up. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[JeanneAdil 6,553]

no lawyer needed

this is not an  arrest

 

? What do you guys think?

 

Smoking is bad for your health 

[Mike E 11,740]

Most likely you will get an interview and if so you disclose it at that time.  
 

I suspect some attorneys would have advised you to disclose at the time you filed I-485 and some would have said don’t bother.  
 

If you are still concerned I recommend hiring a competent immigration attorney who is lost at your state bar at Aila.org .

[yabababa 0]

25 minutes ago, JeanneAdil said:

Smoking is bad for your health 

Haha yes, and I have quit smoking in 2019

[yabababa 0]

What should I say at the interview? I honestly forgot all about it and should probably say that. Any ideas about how this might impact the process?

[Dashinka 24,592]

1 minute ago, yabababa said:

What should I say at the interview? I honestly forgot all about it and should probably say that. Any ideas about how this might impact the process?

If you have an interview, the IO will review the entire I485 form including all the yes/no questions.  Based on your OP, it appears you were cited so you probably should have marked yes on Part 8 Question 25.  Bring all the information to the interview with you and you can discuss it with the IO at that time. If you end up not having an interview, save the ticket for any subsequent interview(s) (I751 or N400).  Overall, it appears very minor, but in my opinion always good to error toward honesty.  Back when my wife filed the N400, she forgot about a minor traffic ticket, and disclosed it to the IO at the interview, it was not an issue.

[JeanneAdil 6,553]

it is a citation and the instructions say this about citations and they reverse traffic citations

 

Item 29.65 A parking ticket is not a traffic citation or moving violation. Although traffic citations without arrests should not affect one’s good moral character for naturalization, many USCIS offices require that an applicant note any traffic citations on the application and mention them when under oath during the interview or else possibly risk having her naturalization application denied for giving false testimony under oath. Often, USCIS will follow up by asking if the citations are paid.

 

so correct this at interview 

[Chancy 6,241]

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