jg121783

As far as my wifes speeding ticket goes will a printout from the Wisconsin circuit court website showing the details of the case and showing that the fine was paid be sufficient for now or will this result in an RFE requesting certified court records? The courthouse that I would have to go to to get certified records is not close to where we live and I dont think I'm gonna be able to make it there this week. But we want to get the N400 submitted as soon as possible. Should we just submit a printout then have my wife take the certified records to her interview?

So here is the list of documents we plan on submitting. Let me know if I'm missing something or dont need to submit something on the list:

-marriage certificate (for proof of name change)

- children's birth certificates

-wifes birth certificate (is this needed?)

-my birth certificate (is this needed?)

-wifes green card

-court records regarding speeding ticket

-5 years of tax transcripts

-proof of residency

-documentation of our trip to the Philippines last year

Anything I'm missing? As soon as my wife picks up the court documents and our daughters birth certificate we would like to get this submitted.

1 hour ago, OldUser said:

I'd argue that you need to always build the strongest case possible. If it requires 2 inches of evidence - so be it. If it requires less - great.

 

In my observation, people who bring thick files don't get asked much and their evidence often is not looked at. But folks who bring two pieces of paper or nothing with them get asked a lot of questions and / or issued RFEs.

 

Strong evidence is an insurance that costs a little more to print. If one can afford - in my opinion is totally worth it

 

One should be ready for everything, including stokes as you mentioned. Because you were prepared your interview went smooth. But if one takes it easy - that's when one gets hard times by IO.

You should have seen what we sent in for the I-130. We way overdid it but at least we were confident we didnt ommit anything.

1 hour ago, OldUser said:

I'd argue that you need to always build the strongest case possible. If it requires 2 inches of evidence - so be it. If it requires less - great.

 

In my observation, people who bring thick files don't get asked much and their evidence often is not looked at. But folks who bring two pieces of paper or nothing with them get asked a lot of questions and / or issued RFEs.

 

Strong evidence is an insurance that costs a little more to print. If one can afford - in my opinion is totally worth it

 

One should be ready for everything, including stokes as you mentioned. Because you were prepared your interview went smooth. But if one takes it easy - that's when one gets hard times by IO.

You should have seen what we sent in for the I-130. We way overdid it but at least we were confident we didnt ommit anything.

One more question. My wife and I traveled outside the US for about a month last year which I documented on the form. Do I need to submit any evidence of this?

3 minutes ago, Vickys_Mom said:

Yes to one, No to two.  If the ticket was received and paid, she pled guilty to speeding.  If she was never in custody, the second doesn't apply.  A good rule of thumb...if she wore handcuffs, even briefly, she was detained and it will show up if someone looks at the report.

 

A speeding ticket is generally not a criminal charge, it's a civil offense.  If you pay it, you're done.

 

Attach information about the traffic ticket.  Prove it was paid.  Consider pulling a driver's record proving it was paid (or at least no one has a bench warrant out for her arrest). 

 

$500 seems like a lot so make sure it doesn't include anything like reckless driving that *would* constitute a misdemeanor.

 

I'm still not going to post the attorney's firm that did the research, but search "N-400 speeding ticket" and you'll find it.

 

*Do Not* skip it.  You've gotten this far, and you almost have the naturalization certificate in your hand.  Don't drop the ball before you score.

 

I have no advice about the child support question.

 

Regards,
Vicky's Mom

I was confused about which question to answer yes to and which to answer no to but that clears it up. It was just a speeding ticket which is civil in Wisconsin and only a $225 fine. I'm gonna call the court to see about getting a certified court record of the charges and penalties and something saying all fines have been paid.

I guess the only question I have left now is what we should submit for additional evidence. I will send our tax transcripts (how many years is enough?). Other than that is there anything else we should send?

41 minutes ago, Dashinka said:

I just went back to the N400 instructions and apparently they changed as of April 1, 2024.  They used to have a long list of evidence to bring to the interview (tax info, divorce decrees, etc.), but the new instructions pepper that verbiage throughout (how nice).  Anyway, if you are including tax information, or other items even under the 5 yr rule you can upload it in the additional information section.  Not sure why it is asking about child support, does she have children from a previous relationship.

My wife and I have 2 children together and she has a son (my step son). All 3 of them live with us and are supported by us. The only questions I am seeing about the children are do they live with her and does she support them. Both questions are answered yes. I looked back at the application and cant see anywhere where we may have accidentally selected an answer that prompts them to ask for evidence of child support. I think maybe I will type up a short letter explaining that my wife has no child support obligations and we are unsure why the application is asking for evidence of child support.

I will be calling the court house today to see about getting certified records of her speeding ticket. That should be the only document holding us back from completing the application and getting it submitted which I hope to do by the end of the week. So if I understand correctly we should be submitting tax returns under additional evidence (to prove we filed and paid?). Considering we arent applying under the marriage rule is there any other evidence we should submit?

5 hours ago, Dashinka said:

Many folks include all the evidence outlined in the instructions under the "Bring to Interview" section.  Also, as to the OP question, my wife had a moving violation (red light ticket), and she forgot about it and answered no on both OP questions.  At the interview she told the IO about it and it was no issue.

 

Good Luck!

 

I forgot to mention she will be applying under the 5 year rule and not the 3 year marriage rule. At the end of the application it is asking for a marriage certificate to confirm her name change, a copy of her green card, evidence of paid child support (not sure why this is being asked for, should we just skip it?) And additional evidence. Since we are applying under the 5 year rule we dont need evidence related to our marriage correct? Is there anything else we should include?

As far as the traffic ticket goes I'm seeing multiple sources say that if it was under $500 it doesn't need to be included. However going through the rest of the immigration process we have learned that too much documentation is better than not enough so I think were gonna include it anyways. It looks like if we do so we need to upload certified copies of everything from the court. What documents exactly do we need? Also there seems to be two questions about her criminal record that I quoted above that seem to be asking the same thing. Which one do we answer yes to or should we answer yes to both?

Also under "additional evidence" is there anything else we should include?

Another question. This comes up in the evidence section:

Quote

Child And Spousal Support

Provide evidence that you have complied with any child and spousal support obligations. If you have dependent children living apart from you, provide evidence that you support each dependent child and that you have complied with any child support obligations. If a court has ordered you to provide financial support for a spouse, former spouse, or children, provide the court or government order and evidence that you have complied with the order. For example:

• Cancelled checks or money order receipts;
• A court or agency document showing child support payments;
• Evidence of wage garnishments; or
• A notarized letter from the parent or guardian who cares for your children.

 

My wife doesn't pay (nor is she required to) child or spousal support. Why is this coming up in the evidence section? Did we answer a question wrong somewhere? Should we jus leave it empty?

I am currently working on my wife's N400 and came across a couple questions I am unsure how to answer. Here are the two questions I am stuck on:

Quote

Have you EVER committed, agreed to commit, asked someone else to commit, helped commit, or tried to commit a crime or offense for which you were NOT arrested?

Include all the crimes and offenses in the United States or anywhere in the world (including domestic violence, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and crimes and offenses while you were under 18 years of age) which you EVER:

• Committed, agreed to commit, or asked someone else to commit;
• Were arrested, cited, detained, or confined for by any law enforcement officer, military official (in the U.S. or elsewhere), or immigration official;
• Were charged with committing, helping commit, or trying to commit;
• Pled guilty to;
• Were convicted of;
• Were placed in alternative sentencing or a rehabilitative program for (for example, diversion, deferred prosecution, withheld adjudication, or deferred adjudication); or
• Received a suspended sentence, clemency, amnesty, or pardon for, or were placed on probation or paroled for.

And:

Quote

Have you EVER been arrested, cited, detained, or confined by any law enforcement officer, military official (in the U.S. or elsewhere), or immigration official for any reason, or been charged with a crime or offense, or notified that you were being investigated for a crime?

Include all the crimes and offenses in the United States or anywhere in the world (including domestic violence, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and crimes and offenses while you were under 18 years of age) which you EVER:

• Committed, agreed to commit, or asked someone else to commit;
• Were arrested, cited, detained, or confined for by any law enforcement officer, military official (in the U.S. or elsewhere), or immigration official;
• Were charged with committing, helping commit, or trying to commit;
• Pled guilty to;
• Were convicted of;
• Were placed in alternative sentencing or a rehabilitative program for (for example, diversion, deferred prosecution, withheld adjudication, or deferred adjudication); or
• Received a suspended sentence, clemency, amnesty, or pardon for, or were placed on probation or paroled for.

My wife received a speeding ticket a couple years ago (under $500). Does this have to be disclosed and which question do we answer yes to if so?

I may have more questions as we get further into the application which I will post on this thread but that is where we are stuck right now.

16 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

Correct.  5 year rule is very easy.

I am doing the online application right now. Should I select "General Provision" for the type of naturalization? 

My wife and I are starting her N400 now and she has been here over 5 years now. So if I am understanding the comments in this post correctly we should be filing under the 5 year rule which will make things easier for us? Does this mean we wouldn't have to submit evidence regarding our marriage (we have plenty just don't want to deal with the extra paperwork if not needed)?

Just now, Ontarkie said:

Could get lucky and squeeze by. If not you can't get started until he is 18 and meets the 5 yr as a PR. 

He has been a permanent resident well over 5 years now so that part shouldn't be an issue. So basically our best option right now is get my wife's application in ASAP and hope we get lucky and if not proceed from there. We should have started the naturalization process sooner but ROC took forever and I was unaware that I could start naturalization in the middle of that process. Then after ROC we kind of put it off because we were in a tough financial situation for a while. I was not aware until recently that my wife had to be naturalized before my step son turned 18 in order for him to derive citizenship from her or we would have made this a higher priority.

18 minutes ago, Ontarkie said:

She will need the oath ceremony. Pretty much he needs to be under 18 the day she gets her certificate. If he is over 18 then he can apply just like your wife did but under the 5 yr rule. 

So considering average processing times it is likely he will have to apply on his own. Can we start that process now or do we have to wait until he is 18?

My wife came to the US with her son (my step son) on a CR1 visa and they have both gone through removal of conditions. We are getting ready to file for naturalization and I am unsure how to include my stepson in the process. It is my understanding (correct me if I am wrong) that we just file for her naturalization then when she completes the process we file some paperwork for my step son. It is also my understanding from what I am reading on the state department website that my wife might have to complete her naturalization before he turns 18 in order for him to derive citizenship from her. The problem is he will be turning 17 next month and it is my understanding that naturalization is averaging over a year to process. If my wife starts the process before my step son turns 18 is that enough or does she have to complete the process before he turns 18? Worst case if my step son will not be able to derive citizenship from my wife what does the process look like for him and when do we start it?

10 hours ago, Nature Boy 2.0 said:

This China thing makes me wonder. Hope it doesn't flare up. I gave my Brother in Law a Samsung I wasn't using . He said the Huawei he has is almost impossible to find apps for 

Same here. However it seems that China already owns almost everything in the Philippines anyways.

7 hours ago, Nature Boy 2.0 said:

We were in Cebu in November and part of December.  Really miss it. I see a light and the end of the tunnel for moving over there

We also want to move to the Philippines but we have a long road ahead before were ready for that. We were gonna visit Cebu for a few days but maybe next time. Too much going on with visiting family for the holidays. Mostly been in and around Manila. Probably going to Peurto Galera for a few days next week though. Gonna take the whole family with.

How insulting that he couldn't even bother to wear a suit and tie when addressing Congress. Even more insulting the way he demanded money from them. What's worse is the way Congress cheered him on like trained seals while cutting programs in the US to fund this guys extortion.

And as quick as he was arrested he is out on a signature bond with no money down. I guess it pays to have friends in the DNC.

Hate to rub it in but it is currently 79 degrees and sunny here in Manila. We left home in Wisconsin December 12th and wont be back until January 13th. Guess we couldn't have picked a better time. Were having fun sending family back home pictures of beaches and palm trees while they are freezing and digging out of the snow. Anyways merry Christmas everyone.

On 12/19/2022 at 6:40 AM, Jujusmom said:

Hello Bob! Thanks for your info. Glad that it’s a smooth process. Just wondering if you are vaccinated or not? We are not so I guess they will verify our antigen test certification? Enjoy your vacation! 

On 12/19/2022 at 7:04 AM, Bob in Boston said:

yes I am. I think you will go into the other line I mentioned. It was a lot shorter than mine though.... so maybe not too bad.

We entered on the 12th all unvaccinated and presented paper copies of our etravel qr codes along with printouts of our test results all at the same desk and we were at the next desk getting our passports stamped then collecting our luggage within minutes. Pretty easy and painless if your documents are in order.

On 12/13/2022 at 2:20 PM, JMPM said:

Not everyone wants to be vaccinated. Which I assume the OP case to be. So he does need his tests still. 

On 12/19/2022 at 6:34 AM, Jujusmom said:

Hello! Yes we are not vaccinated so we still need to take antigen test before flying just so we don’t have to do it upon arrival. 

We are currently in the Philippines. My whole family is unvaccinated. We used the remotely supervised test sold by emed.com and had no issues entering the Philippines whatsoever with the test results they provided. Just print out a copy of your results and give it to them along with a printout of your etravel qr code (which I also recommend printing out versus presenting on your phone). They will not send you a confirmation email for etravel so make sure you print the qr code before closing the webpage.  Also make sure you do the test within 24 hours of departure. We were literally off the plane and getting our luggage within 15 minutes of landing. It helped that we had our 5 year old son with us and they allowed us to skip ahead in line because of this. We arrived December 12th. The only issue we ran into being unvaccinated is a couple hotels wouldnt let us stay there without a vaccine card (though most will now). One hotel asked us how we entered the country without a vaccine card and after I explained that the rules had changed they let us stay there. It seems that many people in the Philippines are unaware of the rule changes. Other than that the only place to refuse us entry so far without a vaccine card is ocean park (I guess they dont want our money) and no other place we have went to even requires a face diaper though most Filipinos still wear them for some reason.

On 12/19/2022 at 6:38 AM, Jujusmom said:

Hello! Not yet but was contemplating this. I’ve searched all over the internet about this website and their service but have not seen any convincing proof that they are legit or a lot of people have used them successfully, thus why I asked here. We’re flying early next year so not gonna test anytime soon. We might just end up going to one of the urgent care near us and have them do the testing. 

We couldn't even find a place locally that would do the right kind of test and give us results in a timely manner. That is why we used emed.com. Only $20 or so per test plus shipping.

On 12/20/2022 at 2:55 PM, JMPM said:

I figured. I'm on the same boat but flying into Cebu they do the test for free on the spot but it has to be a direct flight there. We are aiming for April May for our trip who knows they'll probably drop the requirements by then hopefully 

I would highly recommend against testing on arrival. First of all you will be spending a lot of unnecessary time in the airport. Secondly if you come up positive it is a 10 day quarantine.

I forgot to add we will have our sons birth certificate with both my wife's and my name on it so maybe that will help.

2 minutes ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

When I was there all they needed was the marriage certificate that is it. So I would bring the photocopy and you should be good to go

So it doesnt have to be an original?