Passport and China visa
There are overall four documents required for foreign tourists who want to travel freely in Tibet;
- one is the Chinese Visa, which you can apply for in Chinese Embassy in your country (If you go to Tibet via mainland China);
- One is Tibet Tourism Bureau Permit (TTB), which you have to obtain in order to enter Tibet;
- one is the Alien Travel Permit (PSB) when you are planning to travel to the 'unopened' areas in Tibet;
- the other is the Military Permit, which you have to obtain if you are planning to travel to some military sensitive areas.
China Visa
1. Entering Tibet via Mainland China
Tibet is part of China, under the Chinese Central Government's Sovereignty. Thus to travel to Tibet, you have to obtain a China Visa at first stage before all are followed up. Visas for individual travel in China are very easy to get from most Chinese embassies. Most Chinese embassies and consulates will issue a standard 30-day, single entry tourist visa in three to five working days (an 'L' means travel). If you are lucky, some embassies abroad may give you a 60 or even 90 days. But in Hongkong it is very easy to get a 90 day visa, most agencies can arrange it in one day. If you want more flexibility to enter and leave China several times, most Chinese embassies will issue a double-entry visa. Usually only ' L' visa can travel in Tibet, but recent with a resident or business visa still can travel in Tibet.
Tips from when you apply for a China visa to Tibet:
It's better not to mention Tibet as your travel destination when you are applying for a visa to China (China Embassy in Kathmendu is the exceptional). Because you may be refused by stating that you will go to Tibet. Otherwise, you need to get a Tibet Permit beforehand and apply for a China visa with it then. It is very difficult to apply for a Tibet Permit when you are abroad, or you need to join some groups.
2. Entering Tibet via Nepal
If you want to enter Tibet from Nepal, you have to get your GROUP VISA in the Chinese embassy of Kathmandu, whether you have already Chinese visa or not. Group Visa is a A4 size sheet of paper, with all members of the tour and their passport number, date of birth and profession listed. The dates of entry and exit are precisely mentioned. Usually, the visa is valid for the length of the trip you have booked but it's possible to get visa for few additional days, for stay in Lhasa only. There will be two original copies of Group Visa, one for each immigration at the entry and exit. As the processing can be done by local travel agencies in Kathmandu.
Tips from our us:
If you enter Tibet via Nepal, it's better not to apply for any individual China visa in your country. Because when you arrive at KTM, you need to join a group to Tibet with a group visa, the Chinese embassy will cancel your former individual china visa.
It is very difficult to get a individual china visa back or the group visa extension if you still want to travel in other places in China after Tibet, usually the PSB in China will ask you to leave China before the group visa expires.
