Mongolian border permits

[Allchin]

We are planning to visit Mongolia this summer and notice that we need a Border permit in addition to the park entrance fee to Altai Tavan Bogd NP. According to 'Lonely Planet' you can get this permit in Olgii at the Border Patrol Office, though they will only deal with Mongolians. As this is a popular destination with tourist we know about it and can obtain one.

My question is are there any other tourist places that require border permits?

How close do to a border can you be before a permit is required?

How and where do we obtain these permits before we visit these areas?

Do all Border Patrol Office's, only deal with Mongolians?

Stephen

[klausmong1]

After the border in Tashanta they sell you the permit no matter if you need it or want it.

they stop you, sell you an insurance and the permit.

And also there is always a guy who changes money to a very bad rate.
always the same guy all the years.And always bad rate.


So if you want to get the permit just ask, they deal with tourists because a Mongolian is not this stupid to pay for al the things he does not need.

[Lovetheworld]

Probably Olgii is a better place to change money?

[Allchin]

Originally Posted by klausmong1

After the border in Tashanta they sell you the permit no matter if you need it or want it.

So if you want to get the permit just ask, they deal with tourists because a Mongolian is not this stupid to pay for al the things he does not need.

Sorry for not getting back sooner.

I ment getting permits in mongolia. We like to travel through remote regions and in the gobi area these get closer to the border.

[Lovetheworld]

With his subtle words he means you probably don't need such a permit.

[Allchin]

Originally Posted by Lovetheworld

With his subtle words he means you probably don't need such a permit.

The following information I have picked up from reading web pages, official or otherwise.

According to the Mongolian Border Protection Authority border permits are free and if you are asked to pay fees at any step in the process, to alert the authorities.
Bordering nationals no not need a permit, it is only foreigners.


Altai Tavan Bogd NP permit at Olgii or Ulaanbaatar


Tsagaan Nuur Area permit at Murun or Ulaanbaatar
even with this permit, you must still check-in with the Border Post in Murun AND Tsagaan Nuur to register your trip with the local authorities.


Border areas such as Dadal, Khalkh Gol and Dariganga. You may need to specify in which order you intend to visit these locations and you will have to register at military posts en route.



When you are traveling in these areas you usually come to these check points at strategic points were it difficult to avoid. Being a foreigner they will ask to see this permit and either turn you back or you would be open to bribes. They then may pass that info on to other check points and more payments will ensue! possibly fines if you refuse to pay. I read you could be checked 3-5 times in a day when in the Tsagaan Nuur Area.


So I take it no one obtains these permits, as its not enforced or no one goes to these areas that need a permit and just cross Mongolia on the 'North / Central / Southern' routes. or from North(Russia) to South(China) via Ulaanbaatar.

[klausmong1]

Originally Posted by Lovetheworld

Probably Olgii is a better place to change money?

It definitely is.

[klausmong1]

Originally Posted by Lovetheworld

With his subtle words he means you probably don't need such a permit.

Well, there are some national parks, where you need a permit, but it is easy to get and you just have to pay for it.

And I dont think that you want to get so close to the border to get in touch with the border permits.

And I have been in Tsaagan Nur area also at Khuvsgul Lake further than Kathgal and never had a border post stoping me.

So you can get yourself in thinking about problems to much.

[Allchin]

Originally Posted by klausmong1

Well, there are some national parks, where you need a permit, but it is easy to get and you just have to pay for it.

And I dont think that you want to get so close to the border to get in touch with the border permits.

And I have been in Tsaagan Nur area also at Khuvsgul Lake further than Kathgal and never had a border post stoping me.

So you can get yourself in thinking about problems to much.

That might be the case but I have been turned back before in Kyrgyzstan and was miles away from the Chinese border. Never been to Mongolia and read about border permits so I thought I should obtain some this time rather than having to be turned back.
For the two NP I mentioned and the far east of the country I will just suck it and see.

[eurasiaoverland]

In 2010 I applied with three fellow travellers (in two cars) for the Altai Tavan Bogd NP permit. We got it in Olgi with no issues.

There were several other border areas I wanted to visit; Dariganga, Shilin Bogd Uul, Khalkhin Gol and Nomrog NP, all of which, according to Lonely Planet, need a border permit.

So in Ulaanbaatar I went to the appropriate office (with a Mongolian-speaker) and was told border permits are only issued to guided groups. Bummer.

Regardless, we went to Dariganga (nice) and Shilin Bogd Uul (awesome). We kept a low profile and had no problems...

...until we got to Erdenetsagaan where we were apprehended and held at the local police station (we were allowed to wander around town but not drive anywhere). Nobody spoke English or Russian and it was a few days before I called the British Embassy and was told that there was an outbreak of foot-and-mouth and possibly anthrax and that everyone was under curfew. So it had nothing to do with being in a border zone directly, but because we were sneaking around we had missed the main checkpoints where we would have earlier been quarantined.

I never made it to Khalkhin Gol or Nomrog NP because of the epidemic. I even drove back into Russia and re-entered Mongolia in the far east, but the lock-down was still on. We had to get travel permits (tedious) and at one point drive the truck into a gas chamber, have it fumigated, then put on a gas mask (still makes me laugh) and drive it out. All good Mongolian fun.

So I would not worry too much about creeping into border zones, just be discrete and have a look at Google Maps before hand to make sure you're not going to drive into an army base. The Mongolia - China border is a bit sensitive.

EO