Local Laws

CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While traveling in Mongolia, you are subject to its laws, which are different from our own. If you break the law in Mongolia, your U.S. passport will not help you avoid arrest or prosecution. Persons violating Mongolian laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Mongolia are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. In Mongolia, you may be taken in for questioning if you do not have your passport with you or if you take pictures of certain buildings. Mongolia has a “zero tolerance” law regarding drinking and driving; violations could land you in jail.

There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States. You can be prosecuted in the United States for engaging in sexual conduct with children or for using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country regardless of the legality of these activities under that country’s laws. Counterfeit and pirated goods are illegal in the United States and if you purchase them in a foreign country, you may be breaking local law as well.

Arrest notifications in host country: While local authorities are required to notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested in that country, they may not do so in a timely manner or at all. To ensure that the United States government is aware of your circumstances, request that police and prison officials notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate as soon as you are arrested or detained overseas. You may need to make repeated requests to authorities to speak to a consular officer. Authorities may be unaware of your rights to consular access.

Currency and Credit Cards: In Ulaanbaatar, some hotels accept travelers’ checks in U.S. dollars, and several banks convert travelers’ checks to dollars or Mongolian currency, known as Tugrugs. You can use credit cards at some hotels, restaurants, and shops in the city. Cash advances against credit cards are available at some commercial banks such as Trade and Development Bank, Golomt Bank, Khan Bank, and Xac Bank. International bank wire transfers are also possible. There are a handful of VISA and Maestro/Cirrus ATMs in Ulaanbaatar, but they are not reliable. Very few ATMs exist outside the capital. Outside of Ulaanbaatar, cash is the only possible method of payment.

Winter Energy: During the winter, severe fuel shortages and problems with central heating and electrical systems may cause seriously reduced heating levels and power outages across Mongolia. Smaller towns in the countryside may have no heat or electricity at all. You should prepare to leave the country if there is a complete energy failure. General information about natural disaster preparedness is available from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Customs: Mongolian customs authorities enforce strict regulations concerning the import and export of items such as firearms, ammunition, and antiquities. Import of firearms or ammunition requires prior approval from the Government of Mongolia. Exporting antiquities requires a special customs clearance certificate issued by authorized antique shops at the time of purchase. For additional information contact the Embassy of Mongolia at 2833 M Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20007, telephone: (202) 333-7117.

Dual Nationality: Mongolia does not formally recognize dual citizenship. In order for a foreign person to become a naturalized Mongolian citizen, the person must first relinquish any foreign citizenship, either through renunciation or legislation. The law generally confers citizenship upon children born abroad to Mongolian parents, whether or not they attained the citizenship of another country at birth. When the child reaches the age of maturity, there are certain legal requirements that must be followed to either maintain or abandon Mongolian citizenship. More information is available online at the Immigration Authority’s website.

WOMEN TRAVELER INFORMATION: If you are a woman traveling abroad, please review our travel tips for Women Travelers.

LGBT RIGHTS: Consensual same-sex sexual conduct is not specifically prohibited under Mongolian law. However, NGOs, including Amnesty International and the International Lesbian and Gay Association, have criticized a section of the Mongolian penal code that refers to “immoral gratification of sexual desires,” arguing that it could be used against persons engaging in same-sex sexual conduct. There is no law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The Civil Registration Law permits individuals who have had gender reassignment surgery to have their birth certificate and national ID card reissued to reflect the change, and the LGBT Center reported that transgender persons have successfully used this law to identify with their new gender.

The Mongolian National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has reported that LGBT individuals frequently face violence and discrimination both in public and at home based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. There are reports that individuals have been assaulted and intimidated in public due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. LGBT persons also have reported harassment and surveillance by police, and the NHRC has reported that police sometimes verbally abuse LGBT individuals who report bias-motivated crimes. Despite training in recent years for police and investigators on how to handle cases involving LGBT rights, victims reported harassment by officers responding to initial complaints of crimes. No hate crime law or other criminal justice mechanisms exist to aid in the investigation, prosecution, or sentencing of bias-motivated crimes against the LGBT community.

For more detailed information about LGBT rights in Mongolia you may review the State Department’s annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. For further information on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) travel, please read our LGBT Travel Information page.

ACCESSIBILITY: While in Mongolia, individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different from that in the United States. The Law on Social Protection of the Disabled (2010) gives the Government of Mongolia the responsibility to implement measures to protect the rights of persons with disabilities, including physical, sensory, and mental disabilities. However, the government does little to execute such measures, and in practice, most persons with disabilities face significant barriers to employment, education, and participation in public life. Government buildings and public transportation remain largely inaccessible to persons with disabilities. Open manholes, protruding obstacles, and unheeded crosswalks prevent many persons with disabilities from moving freely on sidewalks and roads. There are few paved sidewalks outside Ulaanbaatar, and those that are paved usually lack curbs. A few buildings have ramps, but most buildings remain inaccessible to persons in wheel chairs and on crutches. Elevators are quite small and will not accommodate a standard-sized wheelchair. Service animals are rare, and are often barred from public buildings.