I am from Ireland, I got a speeding ticket in California, USA. What consequences of not paying are there?
If you are coming back to the USA, I would think twice about not paying the ticket. In California, if you signed the ticket and promised to appear in court, you have to be there or the judge will issue a bench warrant for the separate misdemeanor offense of “Failure to Appear. This warrant goes on the national crime information system (NCIC) and sometimes migrates to your computer record with the immigration authorities. If you are an Irish national, you are most likely traveling under the Visa Waiver Program. If so, should the warrant pop up when you try to enter the country, you could be detained; denied entry; or, be classified as an undesirable alien and have your Visa Waiver Program privileges revoked. Of course, you can roll the dice as others have suggested, but being able to go back and forth without a visa is a privilege you most likely don’t want to lose.
