Visa requirements
Visa is required for all, except citizens of the following countries. Visas are available from the Mongolian embassy in your country. If there is no Mongolia embassy in your country, one month visas can be obtained on the spot once you arrive at the airport or railway station. There will also be a visa fee of $53US. We will supply an official confirmation letter (by email or post) for your visa application once you book a travel service with us.
– USA, Kazakhstan –no need a visa for a visit not exceeding three months
– Russia,Malaysia, Israel – no need a visa for a visit not exceeding one month
– Philippines – no need a visa for a visit not exceeding three weeks
– Singapore – no need a visa for a visit not exceeding two weeks
– People’s Republic of China, Vietnam, Bulgaria, Thailand, Romania and Chile –who has diplomatic or official passport -no need a visa for a visit
– Laos, Yugoslavia, Czech, Slovak, Mexico -who has diplomatic or official passport -no need a visa for a visit not exceeding three months
– Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Turkey and Republic of Korea – who has diplomatic or official passport -no need a visa for a visit not exceeding one month
– India –needs Mongolian visa without visa fee
– Hong Kong –no need visa for a visit not exceeding 14 days
– Cuba –no need a visa for a visit not exceeding one month Mongolian visas are issued by Mongolian Diplomatic Missions abroad or upon arrival at a special request. The Mongolian Embassies Abroad list
The following materials are required to obtain Mongolian visa:
1. Valid passport
2. One passport sized photo
3. Application form PDF (Visa Application Form) (Visa Application form for tourist)
4. Either an invitation of the receiving entity (state, government, non-governmental organization, business entity) or an official request of the sending country and the organization.
Or, for tourists wishing to stay over 30 days up to 90 days, a letter of invitation from a travel agency of Mongolia. Please let us know if you need a letter of invitation.
Or, if you are traveling on a personal invitation of a citizen of Mongolia, an invitation approved by the Office of Immigration, Naturalization and Foreign Citizens of Mongolia, and applicant’s written statement concerning his/her financial credibility to cover his/her stay in Mongolia.
Or, for those passing Mongolia in transit, onward ticket and visa for next destination are required.
Single entry-exit visa – US$25; for urgent service (within a working day) US$50; this kind of Visa is valid for three months from the date of issuing.
– Multiple entry-exit visa valid for six months – US$65; for urgent service (within a working day) US$130,
– Multiple entry-exit visa valid for one year – US$13 – US$130; for urgent service (within a working day) US$ 26
– Visa extension valid for one week – US$15; for urgent service (within a working day) US$30; US$2 per a day exceeding a week.
Customs
Every tourist will complete a customs declaration form on arrival, which must be retained by them until their departure. This allows the free import and export of articles for personal use during your stay. The contents of checked-in baggage must be declared on arrival if the total value of those contents exceeds US$1000 in value. The contents of checked-in baggage must be declared upon departure if the total value of those goods exceeds US$500. Mongolia allows the following items to be brought in duty free:
1 Litre of Spirits
2 Litres of Wine
3 Litres of Beer
200 Cigarettes
250 Grams of Tobacco
The customs declaration form asks the visitor to declare the amount and currencies of money being carried. Visitors are advised that if they fail to declare the amount of money they are carrying, the money can be confiscated by customs officials. Visitors taking antiques and fossils out of the country must official documentation to do so. Some shops will provide the necessary documents upon purchase.
Health and Insurance
Mongolia is generally healthy country to travel in. The dry, cold climate and sparse human habitation means few of the infectious diseases. You may consider having the some vaccinations such as tetanus, polio, typhoid, hepatitis and rabies. All travelers should bring along an antibiotic and an anti diarrheal drug to be started promptly if significant diarrhea occurs, defined as three or more loose stools in an 8-hour period or five or more loose stools in a 24-hour period, especially if accompanied by nausea, vomiting, cramps, fever or blood in the stool. Antibiotics which have been shown to be effective include ciprofloxacin (Cipro), levofloxacin (Levaquin), rifaximin (Xifaxan), or azithromycin (Zithromax). Either loperamide (Imodium) or diphenoxylate (Lomotil) should be taken in addition to the antibiotic to reduce diarrhea and prevent dehydration. Make sure that you arrange a good travel insurance which includes repatriation in an emergency situation. We recommend you to cover the cost of medical treatment, including hospitalization and evacuation by air ambulance. You should also ensure that your insurance covers unexpected losses or expenses such as lost luggage, stolen cash and credit cards and missed flights.
Money and Banks
The Mongolian currency is called Tugrik (MNT). Hardly any bank outside of Mongolia will stock Tugrik bills so that you will have to change your money after arrival. As in many developing countries, many businesses will be happy to accept US dollars and Euros. Especially in the travel industry, prices are normally calculated in dollars. Dollar bills should be no older than about 10 years, or nobody will accept them anymore. The banks in the capital city offer practically all service that can be expected, including currency exchange. In addition there are many exchange shops which offer good exchange rates. The Tugrik has been stable in relation to the US dollar for several years.
1 USD – 1992 MNT
1 Euro – 2144 MNT (15 November 2015)
Most large shops, hotels and restaurants in Ulaanbaatar will accept the common credit cards. Visa, AMEX and Master cards are widely accepted. Small shops, merchants on public markets and everybody on the countryside will only be able to process cash.
Safety and Security
Mongolia is relatively safe place, and women traveling alone are usually treated with respect and friendship. Normal sensible precautions should be taken to safeguard for your belongings, especially in Ulaanbaatar. Pick pocketing and bag slitting is most common in crowded places such as the black market, on buses or a tourist attractions. Valuables should be kept in a money belt and kept underneath your clothing. Be careful about being seen with large amounts of money outside. Vodka is a popular drink in Mongolia which used many celebrations, but it is also the source of some alcohol problem. Drunks tend to be more an annoying than a danger. They tend to be on their own rather than in large groups. Power cuts and hot water shortages used to be common – but not very frequent. Beggars are beginning problem in the capital city.
Climate and Clothing
The climate in Mongolia is extremely continental. Sudden changes from heat to cold, from summer to winter are amazing and sometimes hard to bear. Temperatures may fall by 30 degrees not only in season, but also within fortnight. Mongolia has about 260 sunny days per year average, which makes a rainy summer vacation very unlikely. On the other hand, you better bring appropriate sun protection, a wide brimmed hat is highly recommended. The most rainfalls occur in July and the first half of August. Fortunately it only does so in short and intense burst. A good rain coat will also protect against the constant wind. In the capital city many Mongolians dress in western style, so there’s no danger for westerners to attract inappropriate attention. On the countryside an overly liberal style of dress should be avoided, especially for women. That way you’ll avoid potentially embarrassing situations caused by a confrontation with the very traditional attitude of the locals.
Communication
The phone networks in the capital are in good shape, and even international connections normally work well in both directions. The Mongolian mobile phone operators use the widely adopted GSM standard. Basically, there is no obstacle to use roaming with European and Asian mobile phone. Of course you should only expect to connect in Ulaanbaatar and aimag and soum centers. In the countryside, satellite phones or AM radios are the communication devices of choice. In the capital, as well as in many province and sum centers, more and more internet cafes are established. This turns e-mail into one of the most reliable and cost effective ways to communicate. Nobody in Mongolia owns a letterbox, and consequently no mail gets delivered to the door. Anyone who wants to receive mail needs a P.O Box.
Electric voltage
The standard voltage in Mongolia is 220 V. Mostly sockets that accept round twin forks are used. If your gadget plug has flat forks you need fork adapter or convertor.
Food
The Mongolian diet includes a large proportion of dairy products and meat. The nomads of Mongolia sustain their lives directly from the products of their animals such as horses, cattle, yaks, camels, sheep and goats. Meat is eithercooked, used as ingredient for soups or dumplings, or dried for winter. Milk and cream are used to make a variety of beverages, as well as cheese and similar products. Mongolians use a lot of fat in their diet in order to withstand the cold winters and their hard work. Winter temperatures are as low as -40 Celsius degrees and outdoor work requires sufficient energy reserves. The nomads on the countryside are self-supporting by principle. Travelers will find ger marked as Guanz in regular intervals near the roadside, which operate as simple restaurants. Cooking in the ger normally happens in a work on a small stove, using wood or dried animal dung as heating materials.