With all due respect to the government of the Russian Federation, I would like to suggest that it turn over the operation of its visa system to the IT Department of the City of Moscow. 

I came to this idea during my site visit to the 2017 Top7 Intelligent Community that is Russia’s political and business capital.  In Moscow, within a period of only five years, the city has created digital infrastructure that is transforming for the better the lives of citizens, the practices of business and the honesty and efficiency of government services.  But before you can witness this transformation, you have to get a visa from the Foreign Ministry.  

Москва вошла в топ-7 самых умных городов мира по версии Intelligent Community Forum (Форум интеллектуально сообщества). ICF — американская некоммерческая организация, которая «изучает экономическое и социальное развитие мировых сообществ XXI века». Главной задачей форума стал поиск и выявление городов, в которых жизнь граждан, благодаря уровню развития технологий, оказывается более благоприятной и комфортной. В 2002 году основатели ICF получили грант от правительства Канады, произвели исследование шести городов, стараясь понять, какие технологии позволяют одним городам развиваться лучше, чем другим, и как эти факторы можно использовать для улучшения жизни граждан. В том же году была учреждена премия Intelligent Community of the Year — «Самый умный город мира».

Moscow joined the top 7 most intelligent cities in the world version of Intelligent Community Forum (Forum intellectual community). The ICF - US non-profit organization , which "examines the economic and social development of the world community XXI century". The main objective of the forum was the search and identification of cities, in which the lives of citizens, thanks to the level of technology development, is more supportive and comfortable. In 2002 the founders of the ICF have received a grant from the Government of Canada, made a study of six cities, trying to understand which technologies allow one city to develop better than others, and how these factors can be used to improve the lives of citizens. In that same year the award Intelligent Community of was established by the Year «The most intelligent city in the world." -

The Intelligent Community Forum announced its list of the Top7 Intelligent Communities of the Year. The 15th annual Top7 list includes communities from four nations, with Australia, Canada and Taiwan each contributing two, and Russia contributing a seventh community in a first-time achievement for that nation.

(New York, NY and Taipei, Taiwan – 9 February, 2017) – At the conclusion of “The Internet of Cities Forum” in Taipei, Taiwan today, the Intelligent Community Forum announced its list of the Top7 Intelligent Communities of the Year to an audience of national and municipal leaders from Taiwan, Canada, Estonia, the Netherlands and Vietnam.  The 15^th annual Top7 list includes communities from four nations, with Australia, Canada and Taiwan each contributing two, and Russia contributing a seventh community in a first-time achievement for that nation. 

There are clear strategies to build an intelligent community and intelligent communities attract new economic investment

Moscow, Russia – Moscow International Foreign Investment Forum – 17-18 October 2012 – At the first-ever Moscow International Foreign Investment Forum Intelligent Community Forum co-founder John Jung is giving a presentation detailing the steps cities need to take to future-proof themselves in the new broadband-based economy. The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) studies the world’s cities to discover and then share the strategies used to create an Intelligent Community.