Asia and Oceania

No restrictions in this travel advice

Avoid all but essential travel to part(s) of country

Avoid all but essential travel to whole country

Avoid all travel to part(s) of country

Avoid all travel to whole country

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• General
 

• If you are entering Mongolia by road, you should be aware that only a few specified border crossings are open to foreigners. See Entry Requirements - Border Crossing.
  
  
• There is a low threat from terrorism but you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be in public areas including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
  
  
• Over 6,200 British nationals visited Mongolia in 2010 (Source: Ministry of Road, Transport & Tourism). Most visits are trouble-free but you should avoid going out on foot alone at night. Foreigners stand out and can be targeted for attack because of their comparative wealth. See General - Consular Assistance Statistics.
  
  
• You should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. See General - Insurance.
  
  

Safety and Security - Terrorism

There is a low threat from terrorism but you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks. These could be in public areas including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. For further information see Terrorism Abroad.

Safety and Security - Crime

Mongolia is relatively safe, but violent muggings and attacks do occur. Petty crime is common in Ulaanbaatar, particularly in markets or other crowded public places. Watch out for pickpockets. Also be wary of large groups of street children and teenagers, particularly at night, who sometimes harass pedestrians for money when they are entering and leaving vehicles, pubs and restaurants. Keep your passports, money and other valuables well secured.

You should avoid going out alone on foot at night, using a taxi instead. Taxis are clearly identifiable and inexpensive. Many bars and restaurants will arrange one for you if you ask.

If you are the victim of a crime in Mongolia you should call the police on 102 or +976 102 from an international mobile phone. There should be someone available on this number who can speak to you in English.

See Victims of Crime Abroad.

Safety and Security - Local Travel

Travelling across the Mongolian countryside can be both difficult and potentially dangerous if you are not familiar with the terrain. Mongolia does not have an extensive road network. You may need to follow tracks in the dust, mud or sand and there will not necessarily be other traffic to follow if these give out. Global Positioning Systems do not always function reliably and there are areas of the country without mobile phone coverage. We recommend that you take back-up communications (e.g. a satellite phone) with you. You should also bear in mind that Mongolia experiences extremes of weather, from +35C in summer to -40C in winter. Even in summer, evenings can be cold because of the altitude and weather conditions can change without warning. There are long distances between settlements. You should therefore take appropriate provisions, including warm clothing, food and water if you are travelling outside the main urban areas.

Safety and Security - Local Travel - Road Travel

You need an International Driving Licence to drive in Mongolia. The standard of driving and vehicle maintenance is poor, with heavy congestion in Ulaanbaatar. There are a high number of road traffic accidents, so you should wear a seat belt whenever possible. There are few all-weather roads, especially outside Ulaanbaatar.

See our Driving Abroad page. 

Safety and Security - Local Travel - Air Travel

Evidence suggests that domestic services (including helicopter services) in Mongolia do not always comply with international safety standards. FCO and UN staff use Eznis for internal flights. We are not aware of concerns about the maintenance of aircraft operated by internationally based charter operations or scheduled internal airlines. There have in the past been safety concerns about Aero Mongolia’s aircraft. On 8 January 2009 an Aero Mongolia aircraft had to make an emergency landing at Murun airport because of a technical problem and the Mongolian Civil Aviation Authority temporarily prohibited the company from operating any flights. The Embassy has also received occasional reports of maintenance problems interrupting some long-haul international flights operated by domestic airlines. Bear this in mind when making your travel plans. Bad weather can also delay many domestic and international flights, sometimes for several days.

Safety and Security - Local Travel - Rail Travel
Trans-Mongolian express trains (Beijing-Moscow via Ulaanbaatar) are noted for smuggling. Search your compartment and secure the cabin door before departure.

Safety and Security - Political Situation

Mongolia country profile

Possession and use of drugs is illegal and if found guilty you could face a long prison sentence in an institution with very basic facilities. Although not illegal, homosexuality is a subject many Mongolians are uncomfortable with. Some Mongolian men are unhappy to see Mongolian women in relationships with foreign men. In both cases it is sensible to be discreet to avoid causing offence. See our Your trip page.

Entry Requirements - Visas

All British passport holders must obtain a visa from their nearest Mongolian Embassy before entering the country. A Mongolian visit visa is usually valid for a stay of up to 30 days within six months from the date of issue.

Foreigners who do not hold Mongolian registration cards (see Entry Requirements - Registration) are required to carry their passports at all times.  A photocopy is not sufficient.  Failure to carry your passport may lead to a fine. We recommend that you keep separately and somewhere safe, a copy of both the bio data page in your passport and your Mongolian border immigration stamp. This will help you both to obtain a new travel document and to demonstrate that you entered Mongolia legally should you lose your passport.

British passport holders need visas to enter China and Russia. Many travellers have reported difficulties in obtaining Russian visas in Ulaanbaatar. We therefore recommend you obtain all the visas you need for your onward travel before entering Mongolia. British passport holders may transit China without a visa provided they are in transit for less than 24 hours and do not leave the transit area. However not all airlines offer a transit facility and your transfer may therefore involve retrieving baggage and returning to the check-in hall. Mongolian Airlines are in this category. You may want to consider obtaining a Chinese visa to smooth your journey. British passport holders may transit Russia without a visa provided the route does not involve changing airports or leaving the transit area.

Entry Requirements - Passport validity

You must hold a valid passport to enter Mongolia. Your passport must be valid for a minimum period of six months from the date of entry into Mongolia.

Entry Requirements - Travelling with children

Adults accompanying children other than their own should have a notarised letter from the legal guardians of the child confirming the arrangement. For further information please contact the Embassy of Mongolia in London.

Entry Requirements - Registration

If you intend to remain in Mongolia for more than 30 days or if you do not have an entry/exit visa, you must register your stay with the Mongolian Immigration Agency in Ulaanbaatar within a week of arriving: once registered you will be issued with a residence permit. This will be a different colour depending on your residency status; for example grey for investors, yellow for people with work permits, purple for students and so on. The permit will include your date of birth, passport number, address, photograph and fingerprints. You should carry it with you at all times when you are in Mongolia.

Visitors who have been in Mongolia for more than 90 days must obtain an exit visa to leave the country. The exit visa is obtained from the Mongolian Immigration Agency office (address below) and usually takes 10 days to process. Visitors to Mongolia for less than 90 days do not need any kind of exit permit or visa. However you should be aware that requests to exit Mongolia can be denied for reasons such as civil disputes, pending criminal investigations or immigration violations. In such circumstances you will not be allowed to leave the country until the dispute is resolved or a court has made a decision.

The Mongolian Immigration Agency office is at Buyant-Ukhaa, 10th khoroo, Khan-Uul District, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Service hall: 1882

Fax: (976)7013-3448

E-mail: info@immigration.gov.mn

Web: www.immigration.gov.mn

Entry Requirements - Border Crossing

There are only six border points open to British passport holders. They are at Chinggis Khaan International Airport in Ulaanbaatar, the road/train crossing to China at Zamin Uud, the road crossing to Russia at Tsagaannuur in the far west, the train crossing to Russia at Sukhbaatar and the road crossings to Russia at Altanbulag and Ereen-Tsav in the north east. You may not cross into China or Russia at any of the other border points as they are either seasonal or are open only to Mongolians and/or Chinese/Russians.

If you are planning to bring a vehicle into Mongolia at any of the border crossings you should inform the tax authorities and border troops in advance.

Passengers travelling by train across the China/Mongolia border should expect a delay of a few hours because of the need to change the bogies as the railways use different gauges.

You may encounter problems when entering Mongolia by train from Russia particularly with Russian border or customs officials who scrutinise documentation, in particular customs declarations very carefully. If you are crossing overland to or from Russia we recommend reading our travel advice for Russia and that you pay scrupulous attention when completing all the necessary paperwork.

Entry Requirements – Medication
You are only allowed to bring medicines for personal use into Mongolia. These include medicines for urgent aid for up to seven days or for the treatment of diabetes, cancer, mental illness or HIV/AIDS for which you have a Doctor’s prescription. If you are arriving by plane, all medicines should be carried in your checked baggage.

Healthcare is not provided free of charge in Mongolia and medical bills, especially when medical evacuation is required, can be substantial. We strongly recommend that you ensure you have comprehensive travel insurance covering healthcare for the duration of your stay. The UK Government does not pay travellers' healthcare costs overseas.

The standard of healthcare is variable, especially outside Ulaanbaatar. Even in Ulaanbaatar only basic health care is available. Doctors and hospitals may require cash payment in advance of treatment. Because of the lack of medical supplies locally, their low quality and prevalence of counterfeit medicines you should bring with you basic supplies of over-the-counter medicines you use regularly as well as any regular prescription drugs you need.

Your Doctor or Travel Clinic can provide up-to-date advice on immunisations and other preventative measures relevant to Mongolia. You should  ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date.  We strongly recommend that you visit the National Travel Heath Network Centre (NaTHNaC) website or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 for guidance on vaccination requirements and current information on health issues in Mongolia.  The following websites can also provide useful information:

www.hpa.org.uk - The UK Health Protection Agency supplies accurate and detailed information on infectious disease.

www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk - an NHS Scotland website.

http://www.who.int/countries/mng/en/ - World Health Organization information on health issues in Mongolia.

www.cdc.gov - world-renowned US govt site on diseases worldwide,

The high levels of air pollution in Ulaanbaatar, especially in Winter, may aggravate bronchial, sinus or asthma conditions.

Mongolia has occasional outbreaks of hand, foot & mouth disease, a viral infection which most commonly affects children and infants.  Other infectious diseases  including hepatitis, meningitis, rabies, typhoid and tuberculosis are also prevalent with more serious outbreaks occurring from time to time. During these outbreaks affected areas may be quarantined and you may not be able to travel there.  Conversely if you are in an affected area, you may not be allowed to leave. During the summer hunting season there may be isolated cases of bubonic plague. These are usually confined to the marmot hunters who pick up the disease from fleas when skinning their prey but visitors should be aware of the risk.

In the 2010 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic, the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that fewer than 500 adults aged 15 or over in Mongolia (around 0.1% of the adult population) were living with HIV. This compares with 0.2% of adults in the UK. See our HIV and AIDS page.

See our Travel Health page. 

General - Insurance

You should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling to Mongolia. Exclusions should be checked carefully and your policy should cover all the activities - especially adventure activities - you want to undertake. See Travel Insurance for further advice. 

If things do go wrong when you are overseas then please refer to When Things Go Wrong.

General - Registration 

Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad, so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency. Keep a photocopy of your passport data page and visas as well as numbers of your travellers' cheques in a safe place and separate from the originals. This makes it easier to replace them if they are lost or damaged.

General - Money

Mongolia is still very much a cash-based society. You can use credit cards in some hotels, shops and restaurants in Ulaanbaatar but not all. ATMs are becoming more prevalent in towns and some international debit cards can be used to withdraw Mongolian Togrogs. US Dollar travellers' cheques can be cashed easily and converted to Togrogs. You can transfer money to Mongolia using commercial means such as Western Union or Money Gram.

General - Consular Assistance Statistics

There were 6,228 visits by British nationals to Mongolia in 2010 (Source: Ministry of Road, Transport & Tourism). Most visits are trouble-free. Four British nationals required consular assistance in Mongolia in the period 01 April 2010 - 31 March 2011, including for one death.