How Do I Get A Visa For Mongolia
One of the biggest adventures you can experience by traveling overseas is to learn about different cultures and to see different places of interest. Among tourists, one of the most interesting destinations to visit is Mongolia. This beautiful and foreign country has unique customs and cultures that will ooze out as you are in this place. If you are planning to come over to this place, then you need a vacation visa for Mongolia before you can plan your travel.The Mongolian Embassy (also known as the Mongolian consulate) is located in many countries across the globe and it has jurisdiction over these countries. When you plan to travel to Mongolia, there are some official steps that you need to take depending on your country of residence. It is good to note that appointments with the visa section of the Mongolian Embassy in Washington DC can be scheduled while ones with the visa section of the Mongolian Consulate General New York can’t be scheduled in advance.
How Do I Get A Visa For Mongolia
There are quite a few things to consider when you are planning an international trip. Of course there’s the flight, accommodations and figuring out what you want to pack but you also need to figure out how you’re going to get from one place to another once you land in your destination country.
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:
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- Greece
- Ireland
- Kuwait
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- United Arab Emirates
To get a Mongolia tourist visa on arrival, you must have the following documents with you:
- A completed visa application form
- A recent passport-size picture with 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm dimensions
- Proof of accommodation (e.g. hotel reservation)
- A return or onward ticket
Note: The Mongolia visa on arrival is only for tourism or transit. If you are travelling for a reason other than tourism or transit, then you must have a sponsor to pre-arrange the visa for you from within Mongolia or contact the nearest Mongolian embassy or consulate.
Pre-Arranged Mongolia Visa on Arrival
If you are from a country where there is no diplomatic mission of Mongolia and you are travelling or business or official purposes, you can get a visa on arrival at the Ulaanbaatar airport. You must have a sponsor in Mongolia who can submit a visa request to the Mongolian Immigration Authority on your behalf before you travel.
Upon arrival at the airport, you must have:
- Visa approval from the Immigration Agency of Mongolia or the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia.
- A completed visa application form.
- A passport picture with 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm dimensions.
- Proof of accommodation in Mongolia (e.g. a hotel reservation).
- A return or onward ticket.
You must also pay a fee of 108,000 Mongolian Tughrik (appx. USD 38).
How Long Is a Mongolia Visa Valid?
A Mongolia tourist visa allows the holder to stay in the country for up to 30 days, whereas a transit visa is valid for 10 days. Other Mongolian visas are issued depending on the reason for travelling and can have a duration from 90 days up to 1 year with single or multiple entries.
Ultimately, the Mongolian embassies or immigration authorities will decide for how long to issue the visa.
Extending a Mongolia Visa
You can extend a Mongolian visa by submitting an application to the Immigration Agency of Mongolia before your current visa expires. If you want to extend a tourist visa, you have to apply for a visa extension at least four days before it expires.
How Much Does the Mongolia Visa Cost?
The cost of a Mongolia visa changes slightly depending on the country of application and local currency. A single-entry 30-day visa is approximately USD 50 to USD 70. Visas with a longer duration will be more expensive.