Do Us Citizens Need A Visa For Mongolia
Do Us Citizens Need A Visa For Mongolia
Taking a vacation can be expensive, especially if you want to travel around the world. I’ve always been a big fan of tips and tricks to save money on a trip. Some how I discovered that there are no US citizens requirements for a visa in Mongolia. Let’s discuss the ins and outs to this visa free destination.
Whether you plan on arriving with a visa or not, read through this article to know how things work. The process is much easier than one would think. You can either apply for your visa from the Mongolian Consulate in your country or get it upon arrival at the airport. If you decide to arrive with your visa, you will be given two options at the point of entry into Mongolia – which I will explain later in this article.
Do Us Citizens Need A Visa For Mongolia
Traveling to Mongolia is an amazing experience. Landscapes are fantastic, friendly people warm and welcoming, but there is one problem. Mongolia is a closed country and US citizens require a visa.
Types of Mongolia Visas
The main types of Mongolian visas are:
- Mongolia Tourist Visa. As the name suggests, it is for foreign nationals who want to visit Mongolia as tourists for a short period of time. Some nationalities (as detailed above) are exempt from applying for a tourist visa.
- Mongolia Business Visa. This type of visa is issued to foreign travellers who will enter Mongolia for short-term business purposes, such as to attend a meeting, negotiations, etc. In other words, you cannot actually work for a Mongolian company with a business visa.
- Mongolia Work Visa. With this type of visa, you can work in Mongolia, but you will first need to find an employer who can get authorization from the Mongolian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Agency.
- Mongolia Student Visa. This type of visa will allow you to study in a higher education institution in Mongolia or to undergo vocational training or scientific research and study.
- Mongolia Family/Visit Visa. This visa is for foreign nationals who have a family member already in Mongolia and want to join them.
- Mongolia Transit Visa. The transit visa will allow you to spend up to 10 days in Mongolia if you need to transit through the country on your way to a third destination.
Mongolia Visa Requirements
To apply for a Mongolian visa, you must have the following documents:
- A completed Mongolia visa application form. You can find the form either online at the embassy’s website or pick it up yourself when you submit your application.
- Your original passport. The passport has to be valid for at least another six months starting from the date you plan to enter Mongolia.
- A recent picture of yourself with 3.5cm x 4.5cm dimensions. E.g. Your hotel reservation.
- A copy of your flight or train ticket.
- Proof of sufficient financial means to sustain yourself during your stay. E.g. bank statements from the past six months.
- If travelling for business or with a non-governmental organization: Approval by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- If travelling for employment, studying, or other long-term purposes: Approval from the Immigration Agency
- If travelling for diplomatic purposes: An official request from the sending authority or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or foreign diplomatic missions
- Any additional documents that the embassy or consulate asks you to submit.
Note: The required documents change depending on the reason you are travelling to Mongolia.
Ways to Apply for Mongolian Visas
You can apply for a Mongolia visa in one of two ways:
- At one of the embassies or consulates of Mongolia abroad.
- On arrival at the airport or border crossing (for certain nationalities). This is only for short-term purposes, like tourism and transit.
Applying for a Mongolian Visa at the Embassy
You have to apply for a Mongolian visa at the nearest embassy or consulate of Mongolia:
- Contact the relevant embassy/consulate to make an appointment*. You can find a list of Mongolia’s diplomatic missions abroad here
- The embassy/consulate will inform you about what documents you have to submit for the visa application.
- Download the Mongolia visa application form. You can usually find this on the embassy/consulate website.
- Collect the required documents.
- Submit the application at the embassy/consulate or send it through the mail.
- Pay the visa application fee. The fee changes from one country to another, as well as depending on the duration of the visa.
*Sometimes you don’t need to make an appointment since they may offer the option of submitting your application via mail.
The application will be processed within approximately five working days, depending on the country you are applying from as well as the application method.
Note: If you are applying for a long-term visa, such as for employment, you need a sponsor in Mongolia who get approval on your behalf from the Office of Immigration, Naturalization and Foreign Citizens in Mongolia. Once your sponsor gets the approval, the sponsor or the relevant government agency will forward it to the diplomatic mission where you will apply for the Mongolia visa.
Applying for a Mongolia Visa on Arrival
You can get a Mongolian visa on arrival at the Ulaanbaatar airport (Chinggis Khaan International Airport), without prior approval if you are from one of the following countries: