An introduction to Mongolia, and its visa procedure infrastructure.
Whether for work, study, or travel, a trip to Mongolia is not a common thing to hear about. This landlocked country in East Asia has gone largely unnoticed by those seeking education abroad and people who want to experience an entirely different culture.
However, if you want a calm and peaceful trip to take a break from the hustle of cities in busier countries, you won't find a better spot than Mongolia. If you're asking how to get Mongolia tourist visa, you can easily get one through both online options or at a Mongolian Embassy.
The extensive visa infrastructure is meant to make visiting Mongolia easier and give people more options if an embassy procedure isn't convenient.
Why should you visit Mongolia?
Mongolia is not on everybody's bucket list, but in reality, it should be. This sparsely populated country is one of East Asia's most secluded spots and is the best spot to get in touch with nature.
You can have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to let a hawk land on your hand and even sleep in a Mongolian ger, a conical tent that is much more comfortable than people think.
The capital of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, holds roughly more than 50% of the country's population with more than 1.5 million residents. Known to be a colourful, vibrant city representing the best things about Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar represents hundreds of years of Mongolian Culture.
Visa policies of Mongolia: a deeper look
Visa Exemption Agreements with Other Countries.
If you are wondering how to get Mongolia tourist visa, don't worry. The Visa policy of Mongolia requires you to have a pre-arranged visa if you are applying for a visa on arrival, along with several other documents like a passport, etc. However, after 1997, document requirements for visiting Mongolia have been greatly relaxed, and today, there are even visa-exempt countries!
What are visa-exempt countries, you ask? It's simple: visitors from these countries don't need a visa for Mongolia for a certain period. However, as per the visa policy of Mongolia visa-exempt visits are by nature temporary, with visitors being allowed to stay for varying periods depending on their passport country.
Visitors from the following countries are allowed to remain in Mongolia visa-free for 90 days:
• Argentina
• Belarus
• Brazil
• Chile
• Kazakhstan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Macao
• Serbia
• Ukraine
• United States
For visitors and tourists from these countries, the visa-exempt period is 30 days:
• Canada
• Cuba
• Germany
• Israel
• Japan
• Laos
• Malaysia
• Russia
• Singapore
• Turkey
• Thailand
• Uruguay
Mongolia also has agreements with the Philippines and Hong Kong, the visa-free periods being 21 days and 14 days.
Requirements for visitors to Mongolia
If you're not from a visa-exempt country or not, there are several requirements for every visitor of Mongolia if you are wondering how to get Mongolia tourist visa. Usually, these are documents that you would have with you when travelling internationally anyway, along with some actions to register yourself with the government in the case of extended stays.
Two things are essential to your stay:
1. Passport
However, even if you're from a visa-free country, you must make sure to have your passport with you for identification purposes when you enter Mongolia. Your passport must also be valid for a total of six months after your date of arrival in case your visit is extended for some reason.
2. Registration at the Mongolian Immigration Agency
If you're planning to stay in Mongolia for more than 30 days, you also have to register yourself at the Mongolia Immigration Agency, located in Ulaanbaatar. It applies to both visa-exempt people and those visiting with a visa for Mongolia and must be done within the first week of arrival.
If you overstay without registering or even cross the period that visa-exempt visitors are allowed to remain in the country, you're going to face some trouble with the authorities.
Overstaying visa-Exempt periods, and the punishments thereof
If you're from a visa-free country, your passport is all you need to enter (and exit) Mongolia. However, you need to ensure that you have transportation out of the country pre-arranged and you have a backup plan just in case, as overstaying the period you're allowed to remain in the country can make you face legal trouble.
You will also be detained until this fee is paid in full to the Mongolian authority, or you're able to arrange special circumstances through your embassy.
The Mongolian authorities are strict about enforcing this rule, as you'll incur fines even if you overstayed for reasons beyond your control.
Obtaining A Mongolian Visa: A Process Not That Hard
Applying for Mongolian visa
Getting a visa for Mongolia isn't that hard process. For one, there are several places you can apply for a Mongolian visa, like:
• A Mongolian Embassy or Consulate in your home country.
• Certain nationalities can arrange for a Mongolia visa on arrival, though these visas are only for short-term visits like tourism.
Steps to apply for a Mongolian visa at an embassy
Consult the following steps to know how to apply for Mongolia visa on arrival at an Embassy or Consulate near you:
1. Contact the relevant Embassy official to make an appointment.
2. Visit them to know more about the documents you'll have to provide for the application.
3. Collect the form from the embassy if you're going through the manual process.
4. Provide copies of the documents requested by the Mongolian Embassy.
5. Submit your application at the Mongolian Embassy itself, or mail it if they provide that option.
6. Lastly, pay the visa application fee to complete the application process.
A point that everybody should note is that the cost of Mongolia tourist visa will differ based on where you're applying from. If you are wondering how much is a visa for Mongolia then keep reading on. The value of your local currency is also taken into account to make sure prices aren't higher than their global equivalent.
So how much is a visa for Mongolia for 30 days? It is approximately between $50 to $70. The cost of Mongolia tourist visa and Immigration Visas are much more expensive, and pricing plans for visas scaling with the Mongolian tourist visa duration of your stay.
What are the requirements for a normal Mongolian visa?
While there are several different types of Mongolian Visas depending on the purpose of your visit, the documents required for them are more or less the same. Employment Visas have to provide proof of employment, but besides cases like that, the Mongolia tourist visa details are the same as any other country.
Generally, you'll have to provide Mongolia tourist visa requirements like:
• A filled out Mongolian Visa Application, complete with all of the Mongolia tourist visa details and information.
• Your passport, which has to be valid for at least six months after the day of your arrival in Mongolia.
• A picture of yourself, taken within the past few months. Preferably, this picture should be 3.5cm x 4.5cm in size.
• Proof of Accommodation in Mongolia. In most cases, a copy of your hotel reservation will suffice.
• A copy of the ticket from whatever transportation you used to travel to Mongolia.
• People travelling for business, employment/education, or diplomatic purposes have to get approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Immigration Agency, or the sending authority.
Mongolia eVisa: a new method of obtaining documentation
An Introduction to Mongolia's eVisa System.
Unveiled on June 1st, 2021, Mongolia's eVisa System is a very streamlined process, featuring an application form that requires travellers to enter various travel and personal Mongolia tourist visa details before they travel to Mongolia.
Even if many people don't realize it, this is a vast improvement over previous conditions. Before 2021, you could only get visas on paper from a Mongolian Embassy in your country or arrange to pick one up when you arrive in Mongolia.
Moving the entire process online means that people wanting to visit the country can sign up for a visa in a short, streamlined process.
How does Mongolia's eVisa system work?
Besides the application form, applicants also have to upload some other types of documentation required for identity proof and other things that are a necessity for visiting any country, like:
• A clear photo of your passport's bio page.
• A recent colour passport size photo of yourself.
• Last but not least, you also have to upload proof of accommodation in Mongolia. Can be hotel reservations, proof of accommodation letters given by tourism agencies, or even signed letters from friends you're staying with.
The application is sent using secure servers to authorities in the country. According to sources in the government, it will take at most a few business days to get processed, and if everything is alright, your eVisa will be delivered by email.
Tourist visas in Mongolia
Currently, the eVisa System remains suspended, as does air and road traffic in the country. However, when applications are open again, and Mongolia starts issuing Visas, you'll be able to apply for three different types of Visas:
1. Tourist Visas (Category K2)
2. Tourist Visas (Category K4)
3. Cultural and Sporting Event Visas (Category K6)
A Mongolian tourist visa duration usually lasts for 150 days and allows you to enter the country a single time during this period. If you're just passing through the country but are facing transportation troubles, you can also apply for a short 10-day Transit eVisa.
Conclusion: getting a Mongolian visa
Today, there's no end to the options you have for applying for a Mongolian Visa. You can choose to apply both online and at a Mongolian Embassy, and the Mongolia tourist visa requirements of the document are minimal and streamlined to make travel to Mongolia easier. Once applications start again, it's the simple matter of downloading the application form, filling it out, attaching the required documents and fees, and submitting it online!
