Mongolia
Entry requirements
This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of Mongolia’s current rules for the most common types of travel.
The authorities in Mongolia set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UK.
Passport validity requirements
To enter Mongolia, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive.
Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.
Visa requirements
You can visit Mongolia without a visa for up to 30 days within a 6-month period.
Applying for a visa
To stay longer, to work or study, for business travel or for other reasons you must meet the Mongolian government’s entry requirements. For more details, contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UK.
Make sure you get your passport stamped.
Make sure the border control officer puts a stamp in your passport or you could face issues when leaving the country.
Travelling with children
Adults accompanying children other than their own should have a notarised letter from the parents or legal guardian to confirm the arrangement.
Vaccine requirements
For details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s Mongolia guide.
Registering with the authorities
Your hotel or landlord will register you using an app. If you are travelling independently or staying with friends, you must register yourself with the Mongolian Immigration Agency. You do not need to go in person.
The agency will issue you with a digital residence permit that shows your passport number, address, photograph and fingerprints. Always carry it when you are in Mongolia.
Borders with Mongolia
Mongolia takes border security very seriously and foreign nationals are not routinely allowed access to border areas. The authorities can regard zones of up to 100km inside the border as a border area. If you wish to travel in these areas, you must get permission from the State Frontier Guard Authority. Only a few specified land border crossings are open to foreigners.
Border points open to British citizens
There are normally 8 border points open to British passport holders:
- Chinggis Khaan International Airport in Ulaanbaatar
- Zamin Uud – road and train crossing to China
- Bulgan – road crossing to China in the west
- Bichigt – road crossing to China in the south-east
- Tsagaannuur – road crossing to Russia in the far west
- Sukhbaatar – train crossing to Russia
- Altanbulag – road crossing to Russia
- Ereen-Tsav – road crossing to Russia
You may not cross into China or Russia at other border points, as they are only open to Mongolians, Chinese or Russians.
If you travel by train across the China-Mongolia border, expect a delay of a few hours as the railways use different gauges.
It is difficult to get visas for China or Russia in Mongolia. Ask the Chinese and Russian embassies in London about their visa requirements before travelling to Mongolia.
Mongolia-Russia border
You can only enter Mongolia from Russia on public buses, trains, taxis or private vehicles. All international flights are suspended.
Russian border officials will carefully examine your travel documents.
If you have arrived in Mongolia from Russia and need assistance, call +976 (11) 458 133 and select the option ‘consular services for British nationals’.
Customs rules
There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Mongolia. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.
If you become involved in a commercial dispute or a criminal investigation about a customs matter, you may be held in Mongolia until it is resolved. Ask to speak to the British Embassy, especially if the authorities say you must accept a travel ban.
Bringing your vehicle to Mongolia
If you plan to enter Mongolia at a land border crossing in your own vehicle, inform the tax authorities and border troops in advance. Contact Mongolian Customs (in Mongolian). You must complete a customs declaration form. You can do this at the border or at Ulaanbaatar City Customs Office, next to the train station. Make sure you have your driving licence and all the vehicle documents, including ownership records and insurance.
If you do not leave Mongolia in the vehicle you used to enter the country, you must pay customs tax. The amount of tax depends on the vehicle’s engine size and value. For information, see Mongolian Customs (in Mongolian).
If your vehicle breaks down and cannot be fixed, you must pay for it to be transported out of Mongolia or sell it to a local mechanic.
If you sell your broken-down vehicle to a mechanic, you must still pay customs tax when you leave. You must show the customs office evidence you sold the vehicle (proof of sale document, photos, a letter from the mechanic and a police report).
You must not leave your vehicle unattended or abandon it. If you do, Mongolian Customs will contact the British Embassy and send you a fine. If you leave your vehicle in Mongolia, you must pay to store it with a mechanic or at an official customs warehouse. When you leave the country, you must submit a customs declaration form and show your driving licence, car ownership records and proof of valid insurance.
Taking money into Mongolia
You can take in up to 15 million in Mongolian tugriks.
Declare cash or travellers cheques if the value is 10,000 US dollars or more. You will get a certified declaration to show you brought it with you. If you do not, your money could be seized when you leave.