Tibet Visa Information
Tourism Bureau is start to issue to Tibet entry permit but with much more restrictions. There are overall four documents required for foreign tourists who want to travel freely in Tibet.
Chinese Visa - you can apply for in Chinese Embassy in your country;
Tibet Entry Permit - It is issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau and is a must for foreigners entering Tibet;
Travel Permit : It is required when you are planning to travel to the closed areas in Tibet,which you can obtain it after you arrive in Tibet
Military Permit - you have to obtain if you are planning to travel to some military sensitive areas.
As a local travel agency, Beyond The Limits Treks is able to assist you to process all of those above documents if you book a Tibet tour with us.
Passports & Visa
All individuals entering Tibet must hold a passport valid for at least six months. If you are entering Tibet from China, your Chinese visa must be valid. Only travelers with tourist visas (not business, resident or student visas) are permitted. Entering Tibet from Nepal, either by friendship highway or by air requires a separate visa valid for Tibet from the Chinese embassy in Katmandu (30-60 day visas are the normal and it normally takes 2 weeks to obtain it.). You may apply for a group visa from us (minimum of two people in a group and you must leave China with this person unless you can change the visa inside China).
Tibet Entry Permit
Customers whose travel arrangements are made by Beyond The Limits Treks will receive their Tibet Entry permit from our local office in the city where they depart for Tibet e.g. Chengdu if by air, Golmud if by Qinghai-Tibet Highway. You are required to present this document when boarding the flight to Tibet. Beyond The Limits Treks will make all necessary arrangements to obtain the correct documentation for you if you book a tour with us.
How to apply for a Tibet Entry Permit?
Tibet Entry Permit is not available by independent travelers at the moment(at least before the Olympics). Travelers have to travel in tour group and ask their travel agent to apply it for you. Please prepare the following documents before asking your travel agent to apply permit.
- a copy of your Passport;
- a copy of your China visa (tourist visa);
- Full names, gender, Date of Birth, Passport number, nationality, occupation;
Travel Permit
Travel Permit, also called Aliens' Travel Permit (A.T.P), is required to visit closed areas. It is issued by Foreign Affairs Section of the Local Public Security Bureau (PSB). The Law on the Control of Entry and Exit of Foreigners (Order of the President of the People's Republic of China (No.31), 22.11.1985, Chapter 4), says:
Article 20: Foreigners who hold valid visas or residence certificates may travel to places declared open to foreigners by the Chinese Government.
Article 21: Foreigners who desire to travel to places closed to foreigners shall apply for travel permits from local public security organs [i.e., the police].
How to apply for it?
We will assist you in applying for it after you entering Tibet. Our guide will ask you for your passport and the Tibet Entry Permit and submit it to the Foreign Affairs Section of PSB.
Which parts of Tibet are listed as the closed areas?
At the present, you have to apply for a Travel Permit if you are planning to visit the following places:
Tsetang: Samye Monastery, Tomb of Tibetan King, Changdruk Temple, Yumbulakhang
Shigatse: Sakya Monastery, The Mt. Everest, Rongbuk Monastery
Gyangtse: Pelkor Chode Monastery & Kubum Stupa
Nqari Region
Basumtso lake in Nyingchi Region
Chamdo Region
Lhasa and Nagqu regions are open to foreign travelers and no need for Travel Permit.
Entry Procedure:
By Road
- Kodari Border near Zangmu from Kathmandu
- Through Golmud road to Amdo
- Purang from Simikot
By Air
- Kathmandu to Lhasa
- Hongkong-Chengdu-Lhasa
