Silly Q Time: Mongolian Driving Visa
 

Folks

Getting ready to head off, but a friend just told me that the Mongolian Embassy in London says that because he is driving he requires a Visa.

But the Embassy page says: According to the Government decision, passport holders of the below listed countries may travel to Mongolia for tourist and/or business purposes without visa and stay up to 30 days, from 25 June 2014 to 31 December 2015.:

But he got this from the embassy:
As an Irish passport holder, you can travel to Mongolia without visa within 30 days as a tourist. This is a temporary visa free regime which has been implementing since June 2014 and ending by the end of 2015. This regime is for passport holders of 42 countries including Ireland. But it is not the same for drivers. Since you will be entering to Mongolia by a motorcycle, I could suggest you to get a Mongolian visa before your travel. The Immigration Authority of Mongolia requires the drivers of any vehicle entering to Mongolia should have visas. Please see more information on our website:
"
No link was given

Is he confused, or the girl he spoke to confused. I have no visa, I went on the page that says I need none.

I am a US citizen and rode to Mongolia two summers ago (2013). I certainly didn't get a visa in advance; at the border they shuffled me around a bit for insurance and customs, but I don't think they gave me a visa at the border either.

US Citizens have been visa-free for years in Mongolia, for Europeans this is a much more recent ruling.

That said however, it does not sound correct to me, having driven in many countries in the region including Mongolia (before the visa-free ruling), I have never come across a country which factors the mode of transport you use into immigration policy. I would ignore it as bad advice, or a misunderstanding somewhere.

If I was you, I would call the London embassy and ask if (as an Irish citizen, no mention of vehicle) you need a visa for Mongolia. Then ask if it matters how you get there (e.g. train / car / aircraft) and see what they say.

Hopefully someone with a European passport will confirm a 2015 experience. You could even contact the organisers of the Mongol Rally and see if they have heard of any such rule.

EO

I entered Mongolia august 2014 with my bike.

I had visa on my passport because it was already on it when the visa free rule came out, but I'm sure it would have been possible to enter without visa.

So, I think the email they sent you is only bad advice.

Italian passport, so it should be the same situation for Irish

It was my friend who misunderstood I think what she said to him. I am in Omsk and heading east tomorrow so will know in a few days


No man is truly married until he understands every word his wife is NOT saying.