How to apply Tibet travel permit in 2018?
Tibet travel Permit is a single entry permit for traveling to Tibet that is required for all the foreigners to visit Tibet. In general, there are two different types of Tibet travel permits, one is Tibet travel permit to the non-restricted areas such as Lhasa, Namtso lake, Samye monastery, Tsetang, Gyantse, Shigatse, Mount Everest and all the way to Kyirong border which takes 15 days to complete all the process.
Another Tibet travel permit is to the restricted areas such as Mount Kailash, Guge Kingdom, Kartha valley, Nyingtri, the eastern forest region of Tibet, Yunnan to Lhasa overland tour or Sichuna to Lhasa overland tour which takes around 20-25 days complete all the process of the Tibet travel permits. These two permits should be applied before your arrival to Tibet and you need to board the flight to Tibet with the original Tibet permits when you come from mainland China.
Once you are in Tibet, you need to have another permits if you are traveling outside of Lhasa which is called Aliens permits or PSB (People’s Security Bureau). This permit can be only made with your original passports and Tibet travel permits. Your guide will take responsibility of getting this permit.
Who needs the Tibet travel permit?
All the international tourists who are non-Chinese citizens and Chinese who are holding other countries passports. Macau and Hong Kong residents don’t need a travel permit; they need only a Home Return Permit.
The procedure to get Tibet Travel Permit
2018 Latest Tibet travel permit application is that you can apply for Tibet travel permit from 1-3 months ahead before your Tibet tour is started. What you need to do is to send a valid scanned copy of your Chinese visa and passport to the travel agency. If you are a foreigner, working or studying in China, you would need to provide a proof of employment or the admission certificate from your school or company that you are working for.
According to the latest policy of Tibet Tourism Bureau, the traveler cannot apply for Tibet Permit on his own. He or she needs to book the trip through local travel agency who has authorization to apply for the permit. The travel agency will Sort out the main itineraries and hotels in Tibet for your trip and will arrange a package tour including guide and transportation and apply for the permit on your behalf.
If you find a right travel agent, the Tibet permit process is very simple and straightforward. Just a few steps to follow and you are done with applying for the travel permit.
The agency will then send the permit to you or the hotel you have booked in China. If required, one of their staff members will hand over the permit to you at the airport or the railway station if you don’t overnight in mainland China.
How can you get Tibet travel permit if you come from mainland China or if you come from Nepal to Tibet?
There are two ways of applying for Tibet travel permit depending on your gate in cities.
- If you come from mainland China to Tibet, first you need to apply for China visa to the Chinese embassy based in your country or city and then send both of your passport and China visa copies to your local agent so that they will apply for your Tibet permits.
- If you come from Nepal to Tibet, should you not apply for China visa to the Chinese embassy in your country. You should send your passport copy to your local agent and your local agent first apply for China visa invitation to Tibet Tourism Bureau and Tibet Tourism Bureau send your China visa invitation letter to the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu, which is the capital city of Nepal.
In Kathmandu, there must have a representative agent of your contacted agent who has authorization to apply China visa to the Chinese Embassy. You need three working days in Kathmandu to apply your China visa with your original passports. Within three working days, you will get your China visa. Your local agent in Lhasa will get all your necessary Tibet permits and will bring Tibet permits with your guide to Gongkar airport in Lhasa. You don’t need original Tibet permits to board the plane in Kathmandu. The China visa is fine to board your flight to Lhasa.
Who can not travel to Tibet through travel agents?
If you are a diplomatic, official reporter or any other Media people, according to the latest policy of Tibet travel permit, you can not travel to Tibet with travel agents. You must travel to Tibet through China Foreign Affairs Office.
How to arrange Tibet permit for Indian tourists?
If you are Indian tourists who like to travel to Tibet like other foreign tourists to the destinations of Mount Everest, Lhasa, Gyantse, Shigatse, Tsetang, Samye, Namtso lake and Nyingtri etc, you can travel with authorized travel agents like others but if Indians are taking pilgrimage tour to Mount Kailash, you can not go with normal travel agents. You must book your pilgrimage tour with Indian Pilgrimage Service Center which is authorized to organize Indian Pilgrims to Mount Kailash. All the Indians who are taking pilgrimage tour to Mount Kailash must get their China visa from the Chinese embassy in India but Indians who are traveling like a normal tourists, doing above mentioned destinations can get China visa from Kathmandu as well.
How to arrange Tibet permit to Bhutanese?
As Bhutanese always takes pilgrimage tour in Tibet, all the pilgrimage tour to Bhutanese can be only arranged by Indian Pilgrimage Service Center and it takes 15-25 days to complete the permits and Bhutanese has to get China visa from the Chinese embassy in India like Indian Pilgrims.
If you are looking for a trusted local Tibetan travel agency to apply for the permit, you must visit https://shambhala-adventure.com/.
