Mongolia: immigration authorities urge tourists to respect the purpose of their visit

The Immigration Agency of Mongolia advises foreigners traveling for tourism to refrain from engaging in activities beyond the purpose of their visit.

In a bid to support its tourism sector and attract more international visitors, Mongolia has declared the years 2023 to 2025 “Years to Visit Mongolia”.

As part of this initiative, the country has decided to apply visa-free entry to citizens of 34 countries, including European states. In total, citizens of 65 countries can travel to Mongolia without a visa during this period.

Additionally, visitors from 99 countries can now apply for an electronic visa (e-Visa) for a 30-day tourist stay.

However, in a statement published today, the Immigration Agency of Mongolia regrets that some travelers claiming to be tourists are taking advantage of these visa facilities to exceed the scope of their stay…

“Use tourist visas only for their intended purpose”

“In recent years, there has been a sharp increase in the number of violations by citizens of countries who have obtained e-visas for tourism purposes and have been exempted from visa requirements for working in Mongolia without the permission of the authorities and for carrying out activities other than the purpose of their visit”, announced the Mongolian immigration authorities.

The authorities remind that the law prohibits foreigners entering Mongolia as tourists from engaging in trade, working in healthcare, education, and other establishments without authorization, or carrying out activities that do not correspond to their objective, such as religious propaganda.

“So use tourist visas only for their intended purpose, prevent such violations, and it is recommended not to repeat it”, warns the immigration agency.

Targeting 1 million tourists in Mongolia by 2024

To achieve Mongolia’s goal of attracting one million tourists in 2024, the authorities are considering extending the “Years to Visit Mongolia” initiative beyond 2025, possibly until 2030.

Before the pandemic, in 2019, 500,000 tourists visited Mongolia, while in 2023, 650,000 tourist arrivals were recorded in the country.

The number of foreign travelers who visited Mongolia in the first quarter of 2024 reached 86,200, an increase of 10.5% compared to the same period the previous year.

In terms of nationality, among all incoming foreign passengers, 37.1% were Chinese, 35.1% Russian, 10.2% South Korean, 2.5% from Kazakhstan, 2.0% from Japan, and 13.1% from other countries.

Additionally, 55.8% of incoming foreign passengers came from East Asia and the Pacific region, 39.7% from Europe, 2.1% from the American continent, 1.2% from the Middle East, 0.8% from South Asia, and 0.4% from African regions.

The 34 countries benefiting from visa-free travel to Mongolia until the end of 2025: