Embassy report: Russian Transit Visa in Ulaanbaatar

[steven]

Please read and post reports on the transit visa at the embassy of Russia in Ulan Bator below.
Another forum topic collects reports on the Russian tourist visa in UB.

We summarize all info on the Russia visa page.

See here if you are still in need of a letter of invitation for your Russian visa.

[Catdust]

Recently attempted to get a Russian transit visa in UB in order to get the bus from Olgii to Kazakhstan.

In order to get such visa you need your bus ticket through Russia from Olgii to Kazakhtan. You can only buy this in Olgii, a three day drive away. You can only apply for the visa in UB. This means 9 days of driving, to Olgii, back to UB, and back to Olgii.

There is some success with getting fake tickets through some tour agents (namely Kazakhtours, we met a kiwi guy who was successful getting his transit visa with his 'ticket' purchased from them via email. This is not as easy as it sounds.

I emailed maybe 10 companies and called various people numerous times. I made contact with Kazkahtours a few times but it never actually resulted in a ticket (the lady who runs our guesthouse in UB also called them for us numerous times) because they never called or emailed when they said they would. I also managed to get hold of Canat at Blue Wolf, he said he could get me a real ticket (by the sounds of it) for 120000T each. However he couldn't tell me the schedule for October by the third of October until the following week, as a result of following (below) events we had already lost hope by this stage and given up on the idea, especially considering it would mean staying in UB for another week and a half (at least) by the time we get the ticket and apply and receive the visa. All this hassle may have been because Olgii was busy with the eagle festival and really couldn't give a hoot about a few tourists needing a ticket that doesn't really exist.

We went to the embassy before all of this to gauge what we needed and how hard it was going to be. The man we met there was super friendly and very helpful, even had a little giggle with us at how much Americans had to pay ($250 for 'express' (4 days) visa!). So we thought we might be ok. In the end we decided to give up on ever getting a ticket and just edit our names onto the bus ticket of the kiwi guy we had met who got it from Kazakhtours, I would say we did quite a good job of it and it looked to be a real fake ticket

So we head down to the embassy to apply. Instead of friendliest Russian in the world like we met the time before, we were presented with, biggest a**hole in the world who, from before we opened our mouths was rude and aggressive and obviously had no intention of ever giving us a visa. He asked where our bus ticket from UB to Olgii was. We didn't have it, obviously, because we didn't think travel within Mongolia was relevant for a visa allowing us to transit through Russia for a night. Apparently this meant the visa was 'impossible'. It was also 'not his problem' if it meant that if we had to go away for another day to get a UB to Olgii ticket causing the dates on our Kazakhstan ticket to then be wrong and meaning would have to 'buy' another one. Which if we had actually managed to buy would have wasted $120. So we left disheartened and angry, and have since decided to give up on the idea as we don't want to have to deal with him again. There is also too much potential for wasted money. If we did everything by the book and had all these tickets bought, we would spend about $200, with everything heavily relying on dates and buses going on set days, not to mention getting the visa back in time and counting on friendly guy being on shift. Buses from UB to Olgii leave when they are full. It is near on impossible to find out when the bus will leave from Olgii. So unless we give ourselves a ton of time between all these dates its just to much risk to lose quite a bit of money (we are low on funds at the moment, for some of you it might it be an issue) because of one delay somewhere along the line, which could muck up the exact date you are supposed to enter and leave Russia. And giving yourself all this time means you waste all your time in Mongolia in UB.

To sum it up, if you want to get this visa I would urge you organize this stupid Olgii to Kazakhstan bus ticket via email before you even get to Mongolia. And if you can somehow find out what days friendly man works go then! I suspect the kiwi guy we met got him as he said he barely even glanced at his ticket and didn't take it behind the counter as part of the application. I'm also pretty sure he didn't have the UB to Olgii booked.

[DAEMO79]

Okay so we got (10 day personal vehicle) transit visas for Russia.
It was simple and the young guy serving us was welcoming and even gave us options for our varied purposes.

Dutch visa: 46
British visa: 63

http://www.mongolia.mid.ru/en/cons.html
http://www.mongolia.mid.ru/en/cons_visa.html

Application times for foreigner: 14.00-15:00 M-F.

You are expected to pay in USD cash on application. But, as they only have a 1hr window for all foreigners it's impossible to go get the cash if you don't have it- so they let it slide and we went back the next day at 9am.

We had old passport photos and just the basic supporting documents, they barley checked them nor question the photos which were not to the exact measurements.
My experience is that the hoops are just for jumping not jailing.

BTW- the online application is simple for most Europeans. For Brits there are additional sections on education and occupation. plus a ten year travel history. My wife just entered the dates from her current passport which was this trip London to Mongolia - 18 countries though.
As we have no home nor jobs anymore, we omitted this and were not questioned about it. We thought it erroneous due to having had filled the exact and laborious data on the original visa

[Tipitapa]

May 2017

Travelling by bicycle. Spanish passport. Chinese visa rejected and after got easily a transit rusian visa (four days, specific dates). You need to book the direct bus that links Olgii (west Mongolia) and Astana. 70 dolars. If you are in Ulan Bator you should contact someone in Olgii (I contacted Traveller's Guesthouse, owner is Nazka, speaks english), put the money in their bank acount, they will buy the ticket and send you a picture. Everything was quickly done on the same day.Go to the embassy with this booking and proof of travel insurance.That's enough. Three or four days to get the visa.

[lapanne]

July 2017 - at Russian Embassy in UlaanBatar, Mongolia

Applied for a 8 days transit VISA, from Ulaanbatar to Omsk, Omsk --> Astana, 8 days VISA with 2 nights in Omsk, by train
Opening hours : monday to friday, 9 to 13.
French passport
Cost : 46 USD

Procedure
- Instructions : http://www.ambru.nl/en/page.php?a=13
- Online application : https://visa.kdmid.ru/PetitionChoice.as ... eSupport=1
- Where to get the insurance needed : http://alfa.russiatravelinsurance.com (all online in 10 mn)
- Go to the embassy and give all the documents (train ticket are mandatory)
- Within the days of process, go to any TDB bank, (big one, east of the embassy, about 1km, same avenue (peace avenue)) and pay on the account number you were given at the embassy.
- At the given day (mine took 4 days, in non urgent mode), go the embassy (12:00 --> 12:30), give the bank receipt (proof that the money has been put on their bank account) and get your Visa.

Pretty easy and straight forward.

[Zevla]

The opening hours are not 2-3 PM anymore, it's 9-12 AM (August 2017). More here: http://caravanistan.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3539.

[roro]

Hi fellow travellers,

So If I understand well, I (french with my car) can get a transit visa in U.Batoor for 10 days max in 3,4 days.
Seems ok for me to come back to Ukraine (691km, 68h 55 (Via Michelin)).

But what happen if I have a problem (mechanic or other) during these 10 days?

RR.

[CallumT]

Successfully applied for a 4 day transit visa today. As of February the embassy now only accepts visa applications on mondays, wednesdays and fridays from 9-12.

Australian citizen costs: $70USD
Spanish citizen (and all of EU I think): $46USD

We were quoted these prices for a 4/5 business day turnaround. We needed it earlier though so for three business days (the minimum due to opening days) the price is doubled.

We will be taking the bus from Olgii to Astana. The man we spoke to at the embassy was very easy to deal with. He said he was unfamiliar with the bus route, so perhaps he is new or just wanted to make sure we were genuine. Very simple though, just hand over the documents and you receive a paper slip stating the visa pick up time and payment details. Need to take this to a nearby bank to make the payment and return to the embassy on the day of pick up between 12-12:30

[ronaldvandermeijs]

Hi Steven,

As I saw some positive news about Russian transit visa to apply for in UB Mongolia, I still have a question do!
I'm from the Netherlands and traveling to Mongolia with my car this summer. I'm using a tourist visa of 30 days with a double entry for crossing Russia and Kazachstan first. In the Netherlands they told me that I can only visit labouring countries of Russia with this tourist visa! that's a bummer do.. any suggestions on that matter?
But the main question; When I'm in Mongolia for 1,5 month or so I have to leave the country again and want to drive to Kazachstan.
But I need a transit visa for the Russian part to get there... I saw some possibilities but none with a private car.
Do you know if I can get a Russian transit visa in UB Mongolia to cross the country in 4-5 days?

It's quit hard to get myself informed in the Netherlands about this topic.

greetings,
Ronald van der Meijs

[steven]

Hi Ronald,

You can get a transit visa for any type of transport, including car. Should be possible in UB, at least no problem at the moment.