Obtaining a Visa to Tibet

Group visitors overseas are welcome to Tibet with special permission granted by the travel agencies under the Tibet Tourism Administration.

Individual visitors are also welcome to Tibet with a special permission granted by the branch offices under the Tibet Tourism Administration in Beijing, Chengdu, Germu, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Kathmandu, Japan, and the United States.

In consideration of the limitation in transportation, tourist facilities and the capacity of reception, the government encourages group traveling in Tibet.

Foreign visitors can visit Tibet with their passport authorized by their own country and the visa examined and issued by the Chinese consulate abroad. Foreigners whose governments have signed visa agreements with the Chinese government should follow those agreements.

Tips:
1.Overseas tourists recruit this routes ,which will provide your correct name ,gender, vocation(journalists, Diplomats are forbidden to travel Tibet),nationality ,passport number for us so as to apply for TTB permit(Tibet travel permit) in advance .

2.Taiwanese tourists must fax your copy of Taiwanese compatriots' identification certificate one week in advance and please write down your vocation as the first tip in order to benefit us to apply for TTP.

3.Foreigners and Taiwanese (excluded Hongkong and Macao people ) will add 500RMB as TTP's cost .please fax us your copy of passport or related certificate 1 or 2 week in advance .welcome to fax us . we can also reserve air tickets for you .
(air insurances ,tips to driver and guide you should handle it by yourself ).

How to get the travel permit to Tibet

Travel permit to Tibet is issued by Tibet Tourism Administration. To apply for it, the copy of your passport and Chinese visa, together with other information such as your occupation should be provided. Journalists and people that could be involved in political matters could be revoked. The local travel agency can help.

Letter

Hi, I am an American wishing to travel to Tibet in a couple of weeks. My husband went to the Chinese embassy to obtain a Chinese Visa yesterday, but we were told that Tibet requires a permission form for entry into the area. How do we go about obtaining that?

Please respond as soon as possible, as my husband is leaving DC tomorrow.

Thank you!

Caroline Malatesta

Reply

Tourist Visa and Permits for Entrance in Tibet

There are two documents required for foreign tourists who want to travel in Tibet. One is the Chinese Visa, which you can apply for in Chinese Embassy in your place. Another is the Alien's Travel Permit issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau.

Non-Chinese passport holders (including those of Taiwan, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and other countries) must have an Alien's Travel Permit as well as a valid passport and a visa (Travelers from countries having visa exemption agreement with Hong Kong do not need a visa) to visit Tibet. Visa can be obtained from the local China consulate in your country. Since the government encourages group tours to Tibet the permit is issued only to tour groups traveling with a Chinese tour operator. Your travel agency will represent you to facilitate the application process. A Tibet permit usually costs around RMB 200 yuan.

Permit for Entrance in Tibet

For the Tibet Tour you'll obtain a permit. It'll take 3 - 7 days. The following details of the travelers are required for the processing of the visa: name, nationality, passport number, sex, date of birth and occupation. All of these you can offer to the tour services you have pointed, and they can do for you.

Visa Obtained

If you are in China, the visa can be obtained from Tibet Tourism Bureau American Office or some offices of Tibet Tourism Bureau in the city your husband will stay. Tibet Tourism Bureau has some offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Sian, Xining, HK, and we will give the contact of these offices to you in the bottom of the letter. Application has got to be made a minimum of 7 days before the commencement of the trip. Visa can be obtained by paying a surcharge up to 3 days before the trip departure date. Original passports are required for application of visa. The following details of the travelers are required to be submitted to the Chinese Embassy for the processing of the visa: name, nationality, passport number, sex, date of birth and profession along with one passport size photograph. Please note that visa for Tibet obtained elsewhere has still got to be endorsed by the Chinese Embassy in Katmandu. Regular visas for China are not valid for travel into Tibet from Nepal.

Surcharge: A surcharge of US $40.00 on Tibet visa is applicable for British, Canadian, Belgian, Cameroon, Brazilian, Irish, French and Dutch Nationals.

1. Tibet Tourism Bureau Shanghai Office

Address: Suite B, 2/F, QiHua Tower 1375 Middle Huaihai Rd., Shanghai 200031, China.

Working Time: Mon. - Fri. 9:00AM - 5:00PM

Sat. & Sun. 10:00AM - 4:00PM (Please make appointment in advance)

Tel: 86-21-64311184 86-21-63211729

Fax: 86-21-63231016

Email: ttbshanghai@163.net

2. Tibet Tourism Bureau Beijing Office

Address: M021 Poly Plaza, Dongzhimen Nandajie, Beijing 100027, China.

Tel: 86-10-65001188-3423

E-mail: tibettour2001@sina.com

3. Tibet Tourism Bureau Xi'an Office

Address: Jianshe Road 169, Sian City, Shanxi, China

Tel: 86-29-87896584

Email: news@xztong.com

4. Tibet Tourism Bureau Chengdu Office

Tel: 86-28-3333988-228

Fax: 86-28-3347048

If you have decided to take the Tibet tour, you should pay us 10-20% of tour costs as deposit, the rest can be transferred to us before your starting or paid once your arrival in China. You will get a detailed tour confirmations from us.