Getting a Tibet travel permit. In this post, we outline the process of applying for a Tibet Travel Permit and guide on how to obtain it.
This post is relevant to travelers visiting Tibet from other parts of China. If you are traveling to Tibet from Nepal, you can skip this post, as there is no need to obtain a permit before arriving in Tibet.
What is Tibet Travel Permit
Before discussing the topic, we will have to understand the Tibet travel permit and its scope.
Tibet Travel permit is not a Tibet Visa. Since Tibet is a part of China, there is nothing called Tibet Visa. To travel to Tibet, you will need only one visa, that is, a Chinese visa.
Tibet Travel Permit is an additional travel document that all international travellers need to have to visit Tibet. Without this permit, one foreign tourist can visit Tibet Autonomous Regions of China.
Yet please remember, there are many Tibetan Inhabitat areas in other China provinces where you don’t need to get the Permit to Visit.
It is also required to understand the basic travel regulation to Tibet.
According to the regulation, Independent travel is prohibited in Tibet. All the tours for International Tourist have to be a guided tour. Hence it has to be arranged with a local Travel agency in Tibet.
This travel agency has to hire a Tibetan Tour Guide and Private Vehicle and make the Tibet travel permit.
Applying for Permit
You will need to send us an image of your passport and the Chinese Visa. The Tibet Tourism Bureau in Lhasa is the only government institution authorized to issue this permit.
The permit cannot be applied for in any other provinces of China or at any Chinese embassy.
It takes 15 to 25 days to make a Tibet Travel Permit. The number of days to complete it depends on the travel destinations and the duration of the tour.
Getting Tibet Travel Permit
Now, we return to the main topic of the post. It is only relevant for travelers traveling to Tibet from other parts of China. If you are coming to Tibet via Nepal, you can skip this post.
Getting a Tibet Travel permit for Flights to Tibet.
If you are taking a flight to Lhasa from other cities in China, It is compulsory to have the original copy of the travel permit in hand while boarding the flight to Tibet. Without the original permit, You will be not allowed to board the flight.
For this, we will have two option; we can send it to your hotel in any cities in China, or we can send someone to deliver the permit to Chengdu airport and Beijing Airport.
You must provide us with your hotel address, booking information, and Phone number. At the same time, you will have to tell the hotel that you expect a parcel from Lhasa.
Suppose you prefer to receive the permit at the airport in Chengdu. You will have to send us your complete flight details and contact info, if possible, WeChat contact.
Getting a Tibet Travel Permit for Train journey to Tibet.
If you are taking a train journey to Lhasa, you will only need to have a printed copy of the Tibet travel permit. We will send a copy of the license to your email, and you can take a printout to show at the train stations.
For those traveling from Chongqing to Lhasa by train, you will need to present the original permit at the Chongqing train station. So we will send the permit to your hotel in Chongqing.
Getting a Tibet Travel Permit for Overland journey to Tibet.
Travellers taking an overland journey from other China provinces to Tibet are infrequent, and the tour is usually costlier. Yet, we always have a few motorcycle tours and RV self-drive tours to Tibet annually.
In such a case, though you will drive your vehicle, You need to have a tour guide and the original travel permit with you. Many travellers would accommodate the guide in their van. If you cant adjust the tour guide, you will have to hire a car for your guide.
You will meet the tour guide either at the entrance to Tibet or a related city before entering Tibet. He will the permits with him.
Conclusion of getting a Tibet travel permit
Though it is a minor topic on getting a Tibet travel permit, it is essential information that many travel websites often forget to mention.
If you have any questions about travelling to Tibet. Please do contact us through info@itibettravel.com.
How to get a Tibet travel permit
How to get the Tibet Travel Permit?
Read more about Tibet Travel InformationandTibet Tours. Please visit our blog:Nomadictibet.com.
Tenzin Travel is the best Tibetan Travel agency in Tibet. Our agency is one of Tibet’s most experienced tour operators, with over 20 years in the industry. Founded by a local Tibetan family with decades of expertise as guides, managers, and route planners. We craft personalized itineraries for every traveler. Our agency is the highest-rated and most recommended Tibet travel agency on TripAdvisor, Google, and Lonely Planet.
We can make holistic arrangements for your trip to Tibet. Including a Tibet Travel Permit, a Tibetan tour guide, flight tickets, train tickets, vehicle arrangements, and hotel bookings in Tibet.
Our Lhasa office is just steps from Barkhor Square. All our Tibetan team ensures deep cultural, linguistic, and religious insights, setting us apart from other agencies.
Beyond tourism, we support Tibetan communities by donating a portion of each tour to local projects. Your travel to Tibet is about more than profit—it’s about the opportunity for us to give back.
