Published on
December 8, 2025
Croatia joins Austria, France, Belgium, and more as Mongolia continues to boost its tourism sector by extending the 30-day visa exemption for 34 countries. This initiative, aimed at simplifying travel, has proven effective in attracting international tourists, making it easier for travelers from these nations to visit. With the exemption policy in place, Mongolia hopes to maintain the momentum of its growing tourism industry and continue its efforts to become a top destination for global travelers in 2025 and beyond.
As 2026 approaches, uncertainty surrounds travelers planning a visit to Mongolia. The country’s visa-exemption policy, which has been in place since 2023 for 34 nationalities, is set to expire on December 31, 2025. This leaves future visitors unsure of what entry requirements they may face in the coming year.
Introduced in early 2023, Mongolia’s 30-day visa exemption allowed citizens of 34 countries to enter the country without the need for a tourist visa. This initiative was part of a broader effort to support a national tourism promotion campaign aimed at boosting Mongolia’s global tourism presence. However, with the exemption policy set to end at the close of 2025, travelers are left with questions about what changes, if any, will be made to the country’s visa policy moving forward.
The countries that have benefited from the 30-day tourist visa exemption include:
Countries like Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom are part of this list.
As of now, there has been no official announcement from Mongolian authorities regarding whether the exemption will continue or end after December 2025. This lack of clarity has left many travelers uncertain about what to expect when planning trips to Mongolia in 2026.
This visa-exemption policy was initially introduced as part of Mongolia’s “Years to Visit Mongolia” initiative, which began in 2023. The program, originally designed to last for three years, was aimed at promoting the country’s tourism industry and making it easier for international visitors to travel. In a positive turn, Mongolian authorities recently announced that the initiative would be extended through 2028. This extension suggests that the visa exemption could potentially be prolonged as well. However, no official confirmation has been made about whether the visa-free entry policy will be extended beyond 2025.
While the program’s extension gives hope that Mongolia will continue to adopt traveler-friendly policies, the lack of specific details about the visa exemption’s future remains a significant source of confusion for travelers. Many are left waiting for an official announcement to clarify whether the exemption will continue or if new visa requirements will be introduced in 2026.
The ambiguity surrounding the visa exemption has been compounded by inconsistent information from Mongolian diplomatic missions. Travelers have reported receiving varying responses from embassies regarding the policy’s status. Some embassies suggest that the visa exemption may be extended through 2028, while others are uncertain, advising travelers to wait for an official announcement. A few diplomatic offices have indicated that the exemption is still expected to end at the close of 2025.
Adding to the confusion, Mongolia’s official e-Visa portal, evisa.mn, continues to list the 34 eligible countries as visa-exempt, meaning citizens of these countries are unable to submit an electronic visa application. This contradiction has left many travelers unsure about the validity of the current visa policy, making it crucial for Mongolia to provide consistent and up-to-date communication regarding the visa exemption’s future.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the visa exemption, there is growing evidence that Mongolia’s tourism sector has been benefiting from these relaxed entry requirements. According to recent data from the Mongolian Tourism Organization, the country has seen a record number of international visitors in 2025, with over 810,000 tourists arriving since the start of the year. This figure surpasses the previous record set in December 2024, demonstrating a rising interest in Mongolia as a travel destination.
This surge in tourism highlights the country’s growing appeal and the strategic importance of tourism to Mongolia’s economy. Traditionally reliant on mineral exports, Mongolia has made efforts to diversify its economy, and tourism is now seen as a critical pillar for its growth. The government has set an ambitious target to attract 2 million international visitors by 2028, under the “Go MonGOlia” branding. The success of the visa-exemption program, combined with the increased number of international arrivals, indicates that tourism could become a key driver of economic development in the coming years.
Despite this optimistic outlook, it is clear that the future of Mongolia’s visa-exemption policy remains uncertain.The ongoing extension of the “Years to Visit Mongolia” initiative signals that the country may keep fostering traveler-friendly policies, yet visitors should stay cautious when organizing trips for 2026. As the year draws to a close, both tourism professionals and prospective visitors are eagerly awaiting official clarification from the Mongolian government regarding the status of the visa exemption.
For anyone planning a trip to Mongolia in the near future, it is important to stay informed and prepared for potential changes to the country’s visa requirements. Whether the exemption is extended or replaced with new regulations, travelers should keep a close eye on official announcements to ensure a smooth and hassle-free journey in 2026.
