Living in Mongolia as a French National: Ulaanbaatar, Stay, School, Safety and Climate

Mongolia has about 3.5 million inhabitants over 1,553,556 km², or 2.24 inhabitants per square kilometre. According to the World Health Organization, about half of the population lives in Ulaanbaatar, while 30 to 40% are herders in rural and remote areas. The official language is Mongolian; France Diplomatie specifies that outside Ulaanbaatar, people rarely speak a foreign language, and offers a French-Mongolian interpretation application. The religions cited are Lamaist Buddhism and Islam (4%), the currency the tugrik. The country ranks fourth in the world among those best endowed with natural resources; coal supplies 70% of energy.

The constraints lie in remoteness, often unpaved roads, rudimentary medical infrastructure outside the capital and an extreme winter. The page on the healthcare system in Mongolia details the care on offer and the page on healthcare reimbursement in Mongolia explains who pays depending on your status.

The capital, Ulaanbaatar, concentrates the French embassy (15 Peace Avenue), the consular section, the French school, the Alliance française, the reference healthcare establishments and the majority of jobs. France Diplomatie cites no other large city as a main one and describes the country through its distances: seven airports have paved runways, including Ulaanbaatar, Khovd and Oyu Tolgoi, and minibuses link provincial towns from the capital’s bus stations. The train links Russia to China on a north-south line; the embassy advises travelling first class and booking an entire compartment.

• Ulaanbaatar: the natural base for families and working people. Pickpocketing is reported at the Narantuul market, the State department store, the central station, Genghis Khan airport and Genghis Khan Square, and rises during Tsagaan Sar and Naadam (11 to 13 July).
• Western regions: strong seismic activity according to France Diplomatie; in case of an earthquake, follow local instructions.
• Border areas and protected sites: access to border zones requires a special permit from the border guards, and the Burkhan Khaldun mountain region (Khentii) is of restricted access, a prior permit being strongly recommended.

No official source read sets a standard budget for a foreign resident. GDP, inflation, the exchange rate and GDP per capita are updated continuously in the economic benchmarks block of this page. To place the local standard of living, the legal minimum wage is presented on the page on working in Mongolia. Heating is a major expense item because of a winter of nearly eight months: ask the landlord about the heating method, insulation and billing of charges before signing.

The official pages consulted do not detail the rules for renting and acquisition by a foreigner: have any lease reviewed by a local legal professional. France Diplomatie also recommends avoiding unlicensed taxis, using only registered companies with a meter, and refusing to carry luggage that may contain illegal products.

Under a temporary exemption, the Mongolian authorities allow French tourists to stay up to 30 consecutive days without a visa on each of their entries. This period can be extended on the spot, against payment, by 30 additional days at most, in person at an Immigration Agency office or online at immigration.gov.mn, at least five working days before the initial stay expires. If the trip is not a tourist one, the visa remains compulsory; when the exemption expires, check the regime that applies with the Mongolian embassy in France.

• Registration: French nationals on a long stay register within 48 hours of their entry, under the procedure published by the Immigration Agency; the notion of long stay is not defined by France Diplomatie.
• Residence permit: the Immigration Agency offers services for application, extension, change of category or sponsoring organisation, entry and departure notification and reissue of the residence card for stays on official or private grounds; the criteria and fees are confirmed with the Agency (1800-1882).
• Passport: a 2017 law requires foreigners to carry it at all times; other identity documents and a copy can remain in a safe place.
• Consular registration: the French embassy offers registration on the register of French people living abroad on its website.

See the checklist for the first 90 days.

The French school of Mongolia, supported by the French embassy, presents itself as a partner establishment of the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE). It offers an education based on the values of liberty, equality and fraternity, practice of at least three languages from the youngest age and preparation for the DELF and DALF diplomas with the Alliance française of Ulaanbaatar. The AEFE directory lists it in Ulaanbaatar (Chingis Avenue, Khan-Uul district) with 11 levels, 8 of them accredited (from the petite section to CM2) and 3 offered through the CNED (the French distance-learning centre) (sixth, fifth, fourth), and 118 pupils. Ask for the admission calendar and available places before fixing your arrival date.

The embassy recalls that a child of French nationality enrolled in an establishment accredited by the AEFE or by the Mission laïque française can, under conditions, claim a school grant. For children’s health cover, see the guide to children’s health cover abroad.

The whole territory is classed under heightened vigilance, because of distances, roads and limited medical infrastructure. The following advice is presented without political comment.

• Crime: sometimes violent incidents when moving around town on foot, including at night; sexual assaults regularly reported, notably against foreign women in the tourist season; rise in drug-related crime among 18-35 year olds.
• Road: accidents rising outside the capital, roads in poor condition, ageing vehicles; night driving strongly discouraged; in winter, travel with two vehicles outside Ulaanbaatar.
• Earthquakes: strong activity in the west and significant risk for Ulaanbaatar, which has three active faults nearby; follow evacuation or assembly instructions.
• Risky sports: caution for horse riding and skiing; paragliding is strongly discouraged.
• Trips to Russia: discouraged except for imperative reasons; a visa is needed for China, with persistent difficulties at the Chinese consulate in Ulaanbaatar.

Numbers: police 102, fire brigade 101, emergency medical services 103, French embassy +976 11 32 45 19, Immigration Agency +976 1800 1882.

The climate is extreme continental, with wide temperature swings: winter lasts nearly eight months and temperatures reach about -40 °C in Ulaanbaatar; spring brings strong winds. Equip yourself with cold survival gear, especially outside the capital; winter also causes frequent flight delays and cancellations. Flights with a connection via Moscow often mean a delay of several days for checked baggage: keep medicines and essentials in the cabin.

To drive, an international licence is compulsory and the French licence must also be shown at checks; car insurance has been compulsory since October 2012. Renting without a driver is discouraged, because the renter can be held until damages are paid, even if not at fault; outside the capital, a local driver is recommended. Drinking alcohol in public is prohibited and the sale and consumption of alcohol are prohibited on the first day of each month; there is zero tolerance for drink-driving. Smoking is banned in all public places, including outdoors since 2013. Narcotics, cannabis included, are strictly prohibited: 2 to 15 years in prison, 8 to 15 years for importation. Prostitution is illegal, and filming or carrying out a journalistic project requires accreditation. Homosexuality has been decriminalised since 1993, but LGBTQ+ people have reported stigma and assaults.

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