As a foreign visitor, you’ll need to meet a number of requirements and obtain some important documents in advance before you can enter Tibet. Details for how to obtain these are described below:
You will need the following documents:
1. A valid passport (authorized for at least another six months after your entry).
2. A valid visa for China (an L-visa is best, but others may be acceptable).
3. A Tibet Entry Permit.
Chinese Visa
Since Tibet is part of China, you will need a valid visa for entering Tibet. Please note that it’s best to apply for an L-visa for China (tourist visa). It’s also possible that you could use other visa types, such as a business visa, work visa, student visa, or visitor visa, but you must have additional documents for those. For example, if you are living in China and use a work visa, you need to provide your the residence permit and a confirmation letter from your company.
You can obtain a visa from the Chinese embassy, consulates, or any other officially recognized visa services in your home country.
Tibet Entry Permit
The Tibet Entry Permit (or Tibet Permit) is the general entry permit for Tibet. As foreign traveller, you must book your Tibet tour with a officially recognized local travel agency based in Tibet or other regions of China to submit the permit application. When booking a flight or train ticket to Tibet, and at check-in at the airport or the railwaystation, the Tibet entry permit must be presented.
How can I obtain the Tibet Permit?
Since the Tibet Permit can only be applied for through an local travel agency based in Tibet or other Chinese regions, we are glad to take over the complicated process for you. For this, we will need the following information from you:
1. A Scan of your Passport, with your name, gender, date of birth and passport number on it.
2. your Occupation
Please note that if you are a journalist,diplomat, government official, then you will not be able to enter Tibet with Tibet Entry Permit, since travellers with these occupations are not considered to be tourists. For more information about this, you can contact us through Email [email protected].
Additional Information
Type of entry
Please note that you must specify the type of entry to Tibet when applying for the Tibet Permit, and you cannot change it after applying for the permit. For example, if you indicate on your application that you are traveling by flight from Shanghai to Lhasa, then you will not be able to change your route or mode of transportation after submitting the application.
No “Permit Only” service
It is not possible to obtain the Tibet Permiot without booking your tour in Tibet. So foreign tourists must book a organized tour for their entire stay in Tibet and they must be accompanied by a local tour guide during the entire trip. And please remember that obtaining the Tibet Permit doesn’t mean you can travel freely on your own.
Duration
In general, the processing time of the Tibet Permit takes 7-10 working days, with an additional three days of subsequent express delivery, at least.
Refusal of entry
It is possible that you might be denied entry to Tibet, but the authorities very rarely refuse entry for tourists unless you belong to one of the professions mentioned above.
