Mongolia Travel Information

As a result of the coronavirus, Mongolian authorities have introduced extensive anti-infection measures and restrictions. Among other things, closing the borders with China and Russia and canceling all air traffic to and from Mongolia – until April 30. Foreign nationals may, upon arrival, be asked to undergo health checks and be quarantined in specially designated premises. Norwegian citizens traveling to/in Mongolia should register at www.reiseregistrering.no, keep abreast of news and be prepared for delays and other disadvantages as a result of the restrictions. See more under “Health”. According to Abbreviationfinder, MNG stands for Mongolia in geography.

Safety

Mongolia is generally a safe country to travel to. However, there is always a possibility that travelers may be exposed to unpleasant surprises, violence and other crime. Travelers should be vigilant and take precautions. Stay up to date on the news situation before departure.

Norway does not have an embassy in Mongolia, but is represented by an honorary consulate in Ulaanbaatar. Responsible Norwegian Embassy for Mongolia is the Embassy in Beijing.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that anyone staying for a shorter or longer period in Mongolia register on www.reiseregistrering.no. The travel registration replaces previous registration of Norwegian citizens at the embassy or consulate general. Registration only takes a few minutes to complete.

Local emergency numbers are: Fire Brigade 101, Police 102, Ambulance 103.

Mongolia’s cities are experiencing increasing crime. It is advised to take general precautions. Theft and robbery are the most common forms of crime, so you should be careful about staying alone at night or in exposed areas. Crime can be widespread especially near bus and train stations and public transport. There have been cases of violence against foreigners both inside and outside the capital Ulaanbaatar.

  • Countryaah: Ulaanbaatar is the capital of Mongolia. Check to find information of population, geography, history, and economy about the capital city.

Traffic in Ulaanbaatar is very burdensome and roads outside the cities can often be poor, so you are advised not to drive yourself, especially at night. Read Mongolia Travel Guides for details on individual locations, and keep in mind travel insurance before leaving.

The risk of terrorist incidents in Mongolia is considered low. Mongolia is in an active seismic area, and there may be a risk of earthquakes. The country’s location allows it to be affected at times by the weather phenomenon “dzud”, with drought in the summer followed by extremely cold winters. Periods of drought can cause sand storms, forest fires and water shortages. Winters are long and can get very cold.

Major Landmarks in Mongolia

Entry

Please note that entry regulations may change. The Foreign Service is not responsible if the following information on entry regulations or visa requirements is changed at short notice. It is the responsibility of the traveler to ensure that travel documents are valid for entry and to familiarize themselves with the current entry rules for each country.

Visa : Norwegian citizens must apply for a visa before entering Mongolia. This can be done at Mongolia’s honorary consulate to Norway. The Mongolia Embassy in Stockholm is accredited to Norway .

Travel documents: When entering Mongolia, the passport must have a validity of more than six months. You can only travel to Mongolia by ordinary passport. Travel documents for refugees (green travel document) and travel document for people on humanitarian grounds (blue travel document) cannot be used for entry to Mongolia. Emergency passports can only be used for transit when traveling home. However, reservations are made that the entry rules may be changed at short notice. It is therefore recommended that the country’s authorities be contacted when traveling is planned.

Health

Coronavirus (covid-19): As a result of the coronavirus, Mongolian authorities have introduced comprehensive anti-infection measures and restrictions, including closing the borders with China and Russia and stopping all commercial air traffic to and from Mongolia until April 30. Foreign nationals may, upon arrival, be asked to undergo health checks and be quarantined in specially designated premises at their own expense.

Furthermore, restrictions on infection/transport between cities have been introduced and prohibition of large crowds, conferences, etc. Schools and educational institutions are temporarily closed, and bars/restaurants operate with reduced opening hours. New restrictions and measures can be introduced at short notice.

Norwegian citizens traveling in Mongolia should keep abreast of news and be prepared for delays and other disadvantages as a result of the restrictions. It is up to the individual to assess the need for change in travel plans. The above restrictions may make it difficult for Norwegian authorities to provide consular assistance to Norwegian citizens in Mongolia. Travelers should check the conditions of their destination carefully before departure, and register at www.reiseregistrering.no.

You can find more information and guidance from the Norwegian health authorities on the website of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. See also UD’s answers to frequently asked questions about travel and coronavirus.

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The standard of local medical offices and hospitals in Mongolia can be poor outside the major cities. Counterfeit drugs occur. If an accident should occur, an ambulance can be called by calling 103. Medical treatment in Mongolia is not free and should medical evacuation become necessary, a very high bill is expected. Travelers are therefore encouraged at all times to have valid travel insurance. Also, be aware that treatment of known diagnosis is usually not covered by travel insurance.

Before leaving, you should contact the Public Health Institute or the nearest health station to check which vaccines are recommended for travel and stay in Mongolia.

Basically, the tap water is said to be safe to drink, but it is still recommended to buy bottled water. Outside the major cities, water quality can be very poor.

The air pollution is severe in Ulaanbaatar, especially in the winter season. Soot, smoke, exhaust and dust can cause health problems, especially for people with respiratory disorders.

Practical information

The official language of Mongolia is Mongolian (khalkha, 90 percent). Russian is also relatively widespread, as well as Turkish and Chinese. English is not widely used in hotels, restaurants etc. in the capital Ulaanbaatar. It is recommended that you bring along a travel guide/guide that contains information on local customs that visitors should pay special attention to (eg dress codes, etc.). You should familiarize yourself with the laws and regulations beforehand. There are particularly severe penalties for drug possession.

Norway is represented at an honorary consulate in Ulaanbaatar. Responsible Norwegian Embassy for Mongolia is the Embassy in Beijing.

The time difference is seven hours ahead of Norway. According to allcitycodes, national phone code is +976.
The currency unit in Mongolia is tugrik (MNT).

Visa and MasterCard are accepted at larger hotels, as well as some restaurants and shops. There is an increasing number of ATMs where you can withdraw local currency with cards. When traveling outside the capital, it is safest to bring USD or Mongolian weed.

Mongolia has a continental, temperate steppe climate with long, cold winters and short, hot summers. Sheltered location, high altitude and dry air provide great temperature differences between day and night and between winter and summer. The average temperature around January is around -25 degrees, while the minimum temperatures can drop to -50 degrees. The average temperature for July is 15-18 degrees, but can rise up to 35 degrees. In the capital Ulaanbaatar, especially during the winter, you can experience high air pollution due to, among other things, coal burning.

The power grid in Mongolia is at 220 volts/50. There is a regular power supply in all cities and county centers, but in rural areas, the supply is usually based on a solar panel and may be somewhat uneven. The mobile phone network is constantly improving, and the use of mobile phones is widespread both in cities and in the countryside. The largest mobile operator, Mobicom, currently covers 90 percent of the country.

Banks are open Monday-Friday 0900-1200 and 1400-1700. Usual opening hours for shops are 1000-1800, but in e.g. Ulaanbaatar can be found supermarkets that are open until midnight.

Contact information :
Embassy of Norway in Beijing
Phone: +86 10 8531 9600
Email: emb.beijing@mfa.no
Website: http://www.norway.no/china /

Honorary Consulate in Mongolia
SOS Medica Mongolia LLC, 4a Building, Big Ring Round, 15th Microdistrict, 7th khoroo, Bayanzurkh, Ulaanbaatar
Tel: (+976) 11 464325/26/27
Email: norway@consulate.mn
Website: www. norway.no/china/

In urgent need of help, Norwegians in Mongolia can call the embassy directly on (+86 10) 8531 9600. Outside working hours the call is transferred to the Foreign Ministry’s Operational Center (UDops) in Oslo. UDops is open 24 hours a day. You can also call via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ central table on (+47) 23 95 00 00.