I started the online application today for a Russian visa here in Australia and couldn't believe the information they want.

In addition to the usual it's necessary to provide details of all post-secondary education and you must list every country you've been to in the last 10 years as well as the date of entry for each. In all seriousness that would take me several hours to collate the information then enter it.

Is all that really necessary? Do you folk in the US have to go through all that? And AUD120 for a single entry visa seems near extortionate.

I note there is some information about transit visas but I haven't been able to find the cost or whether you still need to complete the amazingly laborious application. If the transit visa is free and you don't need to go through the entire personal history, I will cut my four day stay in Moscow short by one day.