Mongolian Border and Customs

Every traveler arriving in Mongolia must complete a customs declaration, which should be retained until departure. This allows the free import and re-export of articles intended for personal use for duration of stay.

These are prohibited to import and export:

1. guns
2. weapons
3. ammunition without special permission
4. explosive items
5. radioactive substances
6. opium
7. hashish and other narcotics
8. pornographic publications, records, films
9. drawings opposing Mongolia

If you are legally exporting any antiques, you must have a receipt and customs certificate from the place you bought them. Most reliable shops in Ulaanbaatar can provide this. If you don’t get one of these you’ll need to get one from the Department of Culture (a 320 024) at the Ministry of Enlightenment in Ulaanbaatar (behind the Uaanbaatar Hotel). You’ll need to fill in a form giving your passport number, where the antique was purchased and two photos of the antique itself. If you have anything which even looks old, it is a good idea to get a document to indicate it is not an antique. That goes for Buddha images and statues as well.

During your trip you will probably be offered furs of rare animals , antique items like-snuffboxes, bits and pieces from the Erdene-Zuu monastery, and even fossilized dinosaur bones and eggs. Locals will only sell these things as long as foreigners buy them, so please do not buy anything rare, old or precious to Mongolia’s history. The fine for illegally exporting fossils is from US$1000 to US$1500, or five years in jail.

Research materials, paleontological and archaeological findings, collection of various plants and their seeds, birds, wild and domestic animal, wool, raw skins and hides and furs without permissions of appropriate Mongolian authorities.

Mongolia allows the following items to be brought in duty free:

• 1 liter of spirt
• 2 liters of wine
• 3 liters of beer
• 200 cigarettes
• 250 grams of tobacco