U.S. citizen taken to St. Petersburg court failed to register with immigration authorities on time - FMS office
ST. PETERSBURG. May 27 (Interfax) - The Federal Migration Service (FMS) office for St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region has confirmed that a U.S. citizen has breached Russian immigration rules; possible sanctions include a fine with or without expulsion.
"Local FMS officers said that a U.S. citizen, Michael Christopher Dobroski, failed to register with the immigration authorities within a statutory period of time upon arrival in Russia, i.e. within seven days. This fact was detected and an administrative protocol drafted with respect to the American. The man is now in court," a regional FMS spokesperson told Interfax on Wednesday.
The U.S. citizen's violation had nothing to do with his work, the spokesperson said. "He breached a rule that applies equally to all foreigners. Sanctions for this violation involve a fine of up to 5,000 rubles with or without an administrative expulsion," the regional FMS official said.
A law enforcement source told Interfax earlier that the U.S. Department of Defense employee had been delivered to a court in St. Petersburg for violating Russian immigration regulations.
"U.S. citizen Michael Christopher Dobroski, born 1976, a civilian employee of the U.S. Department of Defense, is currently at a Petrodvoretsky district court," the source said, adding that the court is expected to deliver its ruling as early as Wednesday.
Dobroski had an ordinary entry visa, but the Russian authorities have reason to believe that his activities went beyond those of a tourist, the source said.
