How to get Tibet travel permit

Many travelers are asking us to send them their Tibet travel permit before they depart from home. And it is nearly impossible. The Tibet tourism bureau finishes processing the permit about a week before the actual arrival date. Therefore, we would have it in our hands three to four days before your arrival.

There is no way we could send it to your home country. Therefore, a Tibet travel permit waits for you in the domestic jurisdiction of the PRC. The following are different scenarios for getting the visa.

• If you are planning to enter Tibet from Nepal.

  Previously, it was necessary to obtain a Chinese Group visa from the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu for all individuals traveling from Nepal to Tibet. I just wanted to let you know that this is no longer required. Now you can enter Tibet from Nepal only with China’s free visa policy or an individual visa for visiting Tibet. However, obtaining a group visa is a good option for any group traveling to Tibet with a very fixed travel plan. Hence, your travel agency in Tibet has to send you a visa invitation to Nepal. You will get your visa invitation letter once you are in Nepal. In Nepal, you must seek assistance from someone for your visa. For that, we have an agent in Kathmandu to help you with the visa. It takes 3 to 4 business days (please consider checking for national holidays of the PRC and international holidays) to obtain your visa. The visa processing fees and the service may differ.

• Your permit will stay in Tibet. It will be in your guide’s hands either at the land border or the airport if you take a flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa.

• If coming in from other parts of China

  Suppose you are traveling to Tibet from other parts of China, including transiting through any major city in China. Your permits are stored in the city where you initially landed. There are two ways of getting your permit in other cities in China.

1. Suppose you are staying overnight in those first landing cities. For example, if you are touching down in Beijing and staying one night or more. We will send your permit to the hotel or lodging where you will be staying.
2. If you are only taking the transits in those airports, Our Agent will come to the airport to deliver your permit during your transit time. Please ensure that you ask your travel agency to provide the person’s phone number so that you can obtain your permit. We do the transit delivery only to Chengdu and Beijing Airport.
3. If you are traveling by train from other parts of China, you do not need to present the original Tibet travel permit so far. The print copy will do. Our travel agency will send you a scanned copy of your permit via Email. Would you please make three copies of it: two black and white copies and one colour copy?

It is very important to have updated information about the tourism policy of the regional government of Tibet and regulations every year. Here is a link to Tibet Travel Update.

It is very important to have updated information about the tourism policy of the regional government of Tibet and regulations every year. Here is a link to Tibet Travel Update.