Passport & Visa
Chinese visa and Tibet Travel Permits:
The government regulates travel into Tibet autonomous region of China in order to minimize the negative effects of tourism upon its fragile environment, culture and politics. Independent traveling, backpacking or hitching is considered serious offence of the laws and you invite a lot of legal and financial troubles if you are caught. All visitors must travel with an authorized Tibetan Tour Operator or its overseas representatives with a prepaid and pre-planned itinerary; equipped with necessary permits .You will be assigned a licensed guide to escort you through out the tour.
There are two kinds of permits for traveling in Tibet: The Entry Permit (TTB permit) and the Alien's Travel Permit (PSB permit). We can get you those permits as a part of the tour package that you buy with us.
TTB Permit - Tibet Entry Permit: TTB permit or Entry permits must be produced when you check in Lhasa bound flight or at the port of entry. While entering Tibet overland, besides TTB permit, the guide must be holding PSB -Alien's Travel Permit and numerous other permits needed for different regions.
PSB Permit - Alien's Travel Permit: If you want to go further to the "un-opened" areas out of Lhasa, you need an Alien's travel permit issued by Public Security Bureau (PSB) of Tibet. It is called "Alien's Travel Permit" or "PSB permit".
Traveling Tibet via mainland Chinese Cities: If you want to travel to Tibet via mainland Chinese cities, you will obtain Chinese visa in advance. In order to avoid complicated Group Visa method, do not mention Tibet as your travel destination. For group visa, you will have to pre-book the trip and acquire Invitation Letter from Tibetan Tourism Bureau. Chinese embassy provides a special Group Visa form, in which you have to print the necessary information and submit it along original passport and Invitation Letter. Invitation Letter is not a big deal but Group Visa has certain limitations. Group visa comes in a letter size paper sheet which lists the names and passport information of all the participants. Travel Itinerary should be fixed and dates of entry and exit are specified. If you are looking for a flexible itinerary and in the event that you have to split from the group, there are complications. You can travel to Tibet with Individual visa on your passports plus you should be holding necessary permits as described above. Permits are part of package and we will take care of all these documents.
Traveling to Tibet via Kathmandu: Nepal If you are using Kathmandu as the gateway city to Tibet, it’s an obligation that you must travel with Group Visa and that visa has to be obtained in the Chinese Embassy of Kathmandu!!! If you are holding any kinds of Chinese visa already on your passports, it will be cancelled without any prejudice. Although it all sounds so complicated, it’s so simple when you leave it to the hands of our experts.
