Does answering "Yes" to Part 12, Question #1 and #23 affects my approval chances ?

[ashahbou]

Good Morning,

I'm filling out my N-400 application to submit it to the USCIS and had to answer yes to the following questions:

1- do you owe any overdue Fedral, state, or local taxes?

I received a letter from the IRS couple of weeks ago that I owe them $1000 from my 2015 taxes, I agreed and currently working with them on making a payment plan.

2- Have you even been arrested, cited, or detained by any law enforcement officer for any reason ?

I had two traffic tickets (Failing to stop before the stop line - 11/06/2015 and speeding - 01/08/2017) but nothing major. Went to traffic school for the first ticket, paid the fine and paid the fine for the second ticket.

Does that affect my approval chances ?

Thank you,
Ahmed.

[mj_per]

Good Morning,

I'm filling out my N-400 application to submit it to the USCIS and had to answer yes to the following questions:

1- do you owe any overdue Fedral, state, or local taxes?

I received a letter from the IRS couple of weeks ago that I owe them $1000 from my 2015 taxes, I agreed and currently working with them on making a payment plan.

2- Have you even been arrested, cited, or detained by any law enforcement officer for any reason ?

I had two traffic tickets (Failing to stop before the stop line - 11/06/2015 and speeding - 01/08/2017) but nothing major. Went to traffic school for the first ticket, paid the fine and paid the fine for the second ticket.

Does that affect my approval chances ?

Thank you,
Ahmed.

No. You just explain what happened. My husband owed taxes from 2014 and was arrested for driving with suspended license many years ago. He explained his answers in a separate sheet. For the 2014 taxes he indicated that he was paying them off and had paid it off by the time of his interview. For the suspended license thing he just mailed in --- I'm not sure what it's called but he ordered it from court house that shows date of arrest, why, and what came of it. During the interview he wasn't asked about it but did have to provide proof of filing and paying taxes after interview.

Just be honest.

My husband is a citizen now.

[ashahbou]

No. You just explain what happened. My husband owed taxes from 2014 and was arrested for driving with suspended license many years ago. He explained his answers in a separate sheet. For the 2014 taxes he indicated that he was paying them off and had paid it off by the time of his interview. For the suspended license thing he just mailed in --- I'm not sure what it's called but he ordered it from court house that shows date of arrest, why, and what came of it. During the interview he wasn't asked about it but did have to provide proof of filing and paying taxes after interview.

Just be honest.

My husband is a citizen now.

Thank you very much.

[tnmoo]

ya, i almost forgot about my speeding tickets (2) many years ago and assumed that the question only pertains to being arrested... lucky for me, i was reading up on this forum and saw someone mentioned about needing to mention speeding tickets in the n-400; otherwise, i would have discounted them!