Naturalisation and citizenship in Mongolia

From what I remember reading a while back, to gain Mongolian citizenship one needs to understand the customs and language (I have no idea how they test that), be a permanent resident for at least 5 years, be able to support yourself financially, and have not committed any crimes.  I think the President of Mongolia can grant citizenship too.  Maybe there's more, but that's what I remember.

I don't personally know anyone who has gone through the process, but given dual citizenship is technically not permitted, an applicant is supposed to give up their prior citizenship.  And since the Mongolian passport is not as useful for visa-free travel than many other nations, I imagine not many foreigners are willing to give up their native citizenship.  Personally speaking, I like Mongolia and would be open to becoming a citizen, but not at the price of my American citizenship and the ability to visit family and friends in the U.S.  The only real advantages I see to it for most foreigners from Western countries would be the ability to vote and visa-free travel to Russia and China.  Now, I don't know to what degree the prohibition on dual nationality is actually enforced for new citizens (by some accounts they don't pay a lot of attention to native Mongolians who acquire citizenship elsewhere, particularly those with connections to important people).  But even if it's not enforced, I don't see much advantage to doing so unless one's home country is very repressive or a complete wreck.

My personal opinion:

There is absolutely no way to get naturalized. It was difficult enough for me to get a 12 month permit for study purposes, and my own people let me hang in the air, the so-called "cultural embassador" didn't even bother to talk with me... although it was his job to promote mongoolian culture in foreign countries (especially in DACH), he and me live in the same country but no help. Just door shut. 

One could sigh up at one of the universities, that gives you a one or 5 year permit, then with multiple entry. US citizens could opt for a volunteership at the peace corps, that lasts for 18 months.

There  various other  ways to get a more or less long residence permit, e.g. so long you're married to a mongolian citizen you get a 2 year residence permit, but that will be revoked if staying abroad longer than 180 days a year and has to be renewed every 2 years.

Businessmen get also a 1 year permit, threatened of being thrown out every single year in case figures are too low... hiring up with a local company as english teacher gets you an entry visa, and yu can't leave without consent of the employer... then sum of them cut off part of the wage and force you to work...

Let's say the gouverment just doesn't like it that foreigners sit longer in the country than the permitted visa-free weeks or even having a visa, this is just a fact. The only persons who have at least a chance for a naturalization are ethnic Mongols living in Russia or sometimes in China... noone else is even considered to be a candidate for this. It's easier to become Canadian or Swiss I guess. I know people who are married and live there for 22 years, still having trouble with immigration.

And yes, there are some benefits.
- every citizen gets a "mining share". That's the queue at every bank counter at 1st of every month, people then claim their profit share of about 21.000 Tugrik.

- you're entitled to get basic benefit from mongolian healthcare. That costs you 30.000 T a month, and the doctors who accept this they put you on a waiting list that could last for months.

- you're entitled to register ground for a lifetime and that ground can be inherited by children or relatives.

- last but not least no longer trouble making a drivers license, start a bussiness and of counrse paying taxes... foreigners with a permit mostly need a "babysitter" who is mongolian citizen for doing so, meaning a support letter or warrant or whatsoever. But most of them don't know how the bureaucracy works either...

I would agree with most of what ojutan stated, particularly with the difficulties in the process of getting residency as well as the advantages he mentioned.  The bureaucracy is simply a huge pain in the rear end, and there's no getting around that.  I was originally going to register with an investor's visa, but some of the headaches and hurdles made it better to opt for a residency visa as the spouse of a Mongolian citizen (obviously only an option if you're already married to one like I was and am).

I have a different experience though in what I perceive as the government's or government officials' desire to see me stay or leave.  For the most part the immigration official(s) were either totally indifferent or mildly friendly/helpful.  One of them even offered the suggestion that I can apply for citizenship after 5 years, which surprised me a little bit to hear that offered without me or my wife asking.  So I highly suspect the experience varies with the official(s) involved and one's personal circumstances.  As an American with an engineering degree who's already married to a Mongolian citizen, perhaps that was a factor in how I was treated.  That all being said, though, I have not (and given dual citizenship restrictions, will not) taken the step to apply for citizenship, so for all I know the opinion/suggestion of that one immigration worker may have no reflection on the actual process or obstacles involved.