Mongolia General Information and Travel Information

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT MONGOLIAN VISAS (4/2/01)
(Thanks to Alan Saffery at the Competitiveness Initiative)

The information below is sourced from Col. Enkhjav, the director of the Council for Foreign Issues, in Ulaanbaatar. The information is believed to be correct to the best of our knowledge as of 30th March 2001. However, it should only be seen as a guideline to the current laws and regulations. If you have any questions or doubts concerning this nformation, please contact us.
Webmaster note: (IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, IT IS ADVISABLE TO OBTAIN YOUR VISA BEFORE ARRIVING IN MONGOLIA)

The Council for Foreign Issues is the government agency responsible for issues concerning the registration of both Mongolian and Foreign citizens. Their tasks currently include the registration of foreign citizens upon arrival in Mongolia. Under the amendments to the Foreign Registration Law, this role will be transferred to a new Foreign Registration Agency. The new agency is due to be established shortly and is awaiting parliamentary approval.

Until the agency is established, there is some confusion concerning visa and police registration requirements. Visas are still obtainable upon arrival at the airport and there are no plans to change this at present. Nationals from some countries will be prohibited from obtaining visas but the list of countries is not yet available. However, it is anticipated that tourists from Western Europe, North America and Australasia will have no problems. The cost for the visa is still $50 and only transit or tourist visas will be available. Tourists and transit travellers do not require a letter of invitation to get their visa but will need to “prove” that they are tourists. Apparently, just verbally stating that they are tourists will be sufficient. It may be possible to get other types of visas at the airport with an invitation letter but this was not clear. It is also possible to obtain transit and tourist visas at Zamyn Uud and Sukhbaatar for road and rail travellers. The new agency and the visa department at the Ministry of External Relations will share visa issuing responsibilities. Tourist and transit visas will be the responsibility of the new agency and businessmen and diplomats will be the responsibility of the visa department.

Police Registration : There have been concerns issued regarding foreigners being charged $100 for not registering or deregistering with the police before departure. This has apparently been stopped and fines will not be imposed until the new agency (Foreign Registration Agency) is operational. It is anticipated that foreign visitors will be able to register and deregister with the police at the airport, therefore easing this situation. Also, it is anticipated that police registration and deregistration facilities will be in place in Sukhbaatar and Zamyn Uud border points. Individuals invited by state authorities are not required to register with the police. Everyone else should be registered and deregistered, even if they are here for less than one week. If visitors are flying directly to an Aimag after arriving in Mongolia, they can be registered at Aimag centres. There is no need to register in an Aimag centre if the individual has registered in Ulaanbaatar and will be in the Aimag for less than 30 days.