Do I need a visa to film in this country?

That depends on nationality and the purpose of travel. Mongolia allows visa-free entry for some nationals and e-visas for certain tourism travel, but the Immigration Agency states that tourism status should not be used for work or activity outside the stated purpose.

Can crews just enter on tourist status?

That should not be assumed. Mongolia’s Immigration Agency specifically warns foreigners not to work or engage in activities outside the purpose of their visit when entering for tourism.

Is this country good for commercials and documentaries?

Yes. Mongolia is especially strong for commercials, documentaries, branded content, and features needing scale, nomadic culture, or extreme natural landscapes. The Mongolian National Film Commission markets the country across those production categories.

Mongolia

Hoodlum offers expert film fixer services in Mongolia, facilitating international productions of every scale with a full range of services, including location scouting, obtaining permits, full range of logistic support and connecting production teams with local talent and experienced crew.

Ultimate Filming Guide for Mongolia

Capital

Ulaanbaatar

Main Cities

Ulaanbaatar, Darkhan, Erdenet, and Choibalsan

Local Languages

Mongolian, Khalkha Mongolian the dominant spoken form.

Currency

Mongolian tögrög, also written tugrik or togrog (MNT).

Climate

Continental Climate

General Visa Requirements:

For sponsored work or long-stay production travel, the Immigration Agency’s published H1 visa-permission route requires an official invitation letter stating the purpose and duration of stay and the visa collection point, an official request from the inviting Mongolian organization, a passport valid for at least 180 days, the Mongolian entity’s state registration certificate, payment receipt, and the completed online application form. The same page states that visa permission is valid for 60 days after issuance.

Required Documents:

Official invitation letter stating purpose, duration of stay, and visa receiving point.
Official request by the inviting Mongolian organization or legal entity.
Passport copy valid for at least 180 days before intended travel.
Copy of the inviting entity’s state registration certificate.
Receipt of payment.
Completed online application form.

Visa Application Process:

https://www.immigration.gov.mn/en/h1-visa-permission-official/

Processing Time:

For the published H1 visa-permission workflow, the Immigration Agency lists standard processing at 5 working days and expedited processing at 3 working days.

Cost:

For the published H1 visa-permission workflow, the Immigration Agency lists a standard fee of 2,500 MNT and an expedited fee of 5,000 MNT. Crew using a different visa class should expect category-specific fees.

Accreditation Requirements:

Mongolia’s Law on Labour Force Migration states that, once an employer has obtained the employer-side approval, the employer must select the foreign employee, conclude an employment agreement, and submit it with supporting documents to the state administrative body in charge of employment matters, which then issues the foreign employee’s work permit. The law says the work permit term may be up to one year depending on the labour contract. The Immigration Agency’s residence-permit materials for employment categories also require permission from the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection.

Required Documents:

Employment agreement with the foreign employee.
Permission from the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection for the residence-permit stage.
Inviting entity request letter, state registration certificate, job description, passport copy, address statement, payment receipt, and application form for the residence-permit process.

Processing Time:

No official time

Cost:

No official ammount

Issuing Organization:

Under the Law on Promotion of Cinematography, the Film Council is the body responsible for issuing permits to foreign citizens and legal entities to shoot films in Mongolia. The same law also says the Council manages a specialized database related to film production activities

Required Documents:

Application submitted to the Film Council at least 14 days before filming starts.
Screenplay synopsis, producer introduction, and information on the Mongolian partner.
Work schedule and plan.
Information on whether filming will negatively affect the location or environment.
Liability insurance document.
Detailed cast and crew information, including foreign passport copies.
Filming locations and filming period.
List of equipment to be temporarily imported.
Copy of the contract with the local cooperating party, if one has been concluded.

Processing Time:

The Film Council must receive the request at least 14 days before filming, and the law says the Council shall review the request and make a decision within 10 days.

Cost:

The Cinematography Law says applicants must pay a fee under the Law on State Stamp Duties. The State Stamp Duties law lists the fee for issuing a permit to a foreign citizen or legal entity to shoot a film in Mongolia at 300,000 to 500,000 MNT.

Location Scouting / Location Permits Information:

Official Mongolian legislation does not publish a single central “private location filming permit” process for all private properties. In practice, productions should secure owner consent and contractual access terms directly. This matters because the Civil Code allows a person to demand elimination of harm from publication or public display of that person’s image without consent, and the Criminal Code prohibits publicly transmitting or presenting photos, audio, or video of a person’s dwelling or private premises made without the owner’s consent.

Location Scouting / Permitting Cost & Processing Time

Private-location fees are negotiated contractually with the property owner, and no standard official national tariff was identified on the official Mongolian sources reviewed.

Drone Regulations:

For RPAS and unmanned-aircraft operations, the Mongolian Civil Aviation Authority publishes an official application form requiring Part 101 and Part 102 compliance matrices, a company exposition, prime person documentation, supporting attachments, and payment details. The application is submitted to the Flight Operation Division of the Civil Aviation Authority, and RPAS enquiries are directed to OPS@MCAA.GOV.MN

Drone Importation Regulations:

No standalone drone-import procedure was clearly published on the official aviation pages reviewed. If drones are being brought in temporarily for filming, productions should align the drone manifest with the film-permit equipment list and the customs temporary-import regime.

Permit Issuance:

Mongolian Civil Aviation Authority, Flight Operation Division.

Timing:

Initial issue fee is charged at the prevailing standard hourly rate, with a minimum charge of two hours payable in advance; renewals are charged at the prevailing hourly rate.

Cost:

No official fixed flat fee stated.

Carnet Status:

Mongolia operates a temporary-import customs regime for goods entering the customs territory for a limited period. The central customs authority approves the procedures, customs-code use, and document lists required for each regime.

Required Documents:

Customs-regime-specific documents as approved by the central customs authority.
Temporary-import equipment list for film-permit purposes.
Any additional trade/customs documents required under the applicable customs procedure.

Issuing Organization:

General Customs Administration of Mongolia.

Timing:

Not applicable.

Cost:

No official fee stated for a film-equipment temporary-import workflow on the official customs pages reviewed. Separate customs duties, VAT, or exemptions depend on the chosen customs regime and tariff treatment.

General Overview:

Official Mongolian meteorological services state that they provide ongoing monitoring, forecasting, early-warning information, and risk alerts for dangerous natural phenomena. Published hazard summaries show that Mongolia can experience strong winds and heavy snow at dangerous-event levels, which is operationally relevant for remote-location shoots, road moves, winter work, and drone activity.

Security Requirements:

Monitor official weather warnings and hazard bulletins from the National Agency for Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring before and during field operations.
Do not employ foreign crew without the proper work permit.
Ensure the employer complies with labour safety and hygiene obligations, because the authority may revoke the permit where the employer has violated labour-safety and hygiene legislation.
Provide first-time foreign employees with orientation on relevant Mongolian laws, customs, and employment guidance.

Rebates/Incentives:

Mongolia’s Law on Promotion of Cinematography provides an official film-cost reimbursement framework for qualifying productions. It states that a certain percentage of filmmaking costs may be reimbursed for foreign legal entities making a film in Mongolia independently or jointly with a Mongolian legal entity for international distribution.