Tibet Travel Permit

Latest Information on Tibet Travel Permits

What is Tibet Travel Permit?

Tibet Travel permit

To preserve Tibet’s unique cultural heritage, safeguard its ecological environment, and accommodate regional logistical considerations, the Chinese government requires foreign nationals (non-Chinese passport holders) to obtain a Tibet Travel Permit before visiting the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). This regulation applies to all foreign tourists and underscores the importance of sustainable tourism and cultural preservation in the region.

The Tibet Travel Permit ensures responsible tourism by:

  • Protecting ethnic traditions and cultural relics.
  • Managing visitor impact on fragile ecosystems.

  • Aligning with Tibet’s infrastructure capacity, including transportation and hospitality services.

Key Requirements for Foreign Travelers
  • Mandatory Group Tours: Independent travel is prohibited. All foreign visitors must join organized group tours with licensed Tibetan travel agencies.

  • Valid Chinese Visa: A Chinese visa is required before applying for the Tibet Travel Permit.

  • Restricted Areas: Permits specify approved entry points and destinations (e.g., Mt. Kailash requires additional documentation).

How to Obtain the Tibet Travel Permit

  1. Submit Documents: After booking your tour and signing a contract, email copies of your passport and Chinese visa to your travel agency.
  2. Processing Time: Permits typically take 7–14 days to process. For visits to restricted areas like Mount Kailash, allow 14–20 days. Delays may occur during Chinese national holidays.

  3. Permit Details: The two-page document includes entry points, itinerary details, and group passport information.

Plan Ahead for a Smooth Journey to Tibet

  • Book Early: Start the process 6–8 weeks before departure to account for processing and unexpected delays.

  • Stay Flexible: Itinerary changes post-permit approval may require reapplication.

  • Trust Your Agency: Reputable agencies streamline logistics, including permits, accommodations, and guided tours.

Ready to Explore Tibet?

By securing your Tibet Travel Permit through an authorized agency, you contribute to responsible tourism while unlocking access to one of the world’s most awe-inspiring destinations. Contact us today to begin your journey—we’ll handle the paperwork so you can focus on the adventure!

How to get Tibet Travel Permit?

Contacting a Tibet-based travel agency: The most formal way to receive the Tibet travel Permit is to contact a Tibet-based travel agency, that specializes in organizing trips in Tibet. They will apply your Tibet Visa application from the Tibet Tourism Bureau.

5 Days Namtso Lake Tour

Plan Tibet Tour itinerary: Once you decide to visit Tibet, you will need to speak with the travel agency about your detailed tour itinerary in Tibet. Which will include all the places that you plan to visit, the dates of your travel, and accommodations.

Get receive a China visa: You will need a valid China Visa before applying for the Tibet Travel Permit. You can apply for a China Visa from the China Embassy or China Consulate based in your home country.
If you plan to come from Nepal, then you’re not allowed to apply for a China visa from your home country. Instead, you’ll have to apply for the China Group Visa also known as the Tibet Group Visa. This visa will be provided from China Embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal for foreigners who intend to enter Tibet from Nepal side.

Tibet travel permit: Your travel agency in Tibet will connect the soft copy of your China Visa and Passport and submit them for applying for the Tibet Travel permit to the Tibet Tourism Bureau. Normally, the procedure will take around one to two weeks depending on your travel destinations in Tibet. If you are planning to visit Mt. Kailash, then the process may take around 20 days or more. The Tibet Tourism Bureau will be closed during the official holidays; therefore, it is best to apply before a month’s tour departure date.

Once your Tibet Travel Permit is approved by the Tibet Tourism Bureau, your travel agency will send the original hard copy of the permit to your hand. You will have to present your Tibet Travel Permit along with your passport while you’re boarding flights or entering Tibet from Tibet-Nepal Border.

Additional Documents to visit remote areas in TAR

Tibet Travel Permit
Travelers who wish to visit the unopened Areas, such as Mount Kailash and the Everest Base Camp. The Alien's Travel Permit is one of the supplementary documents you need. It is distributed by the Public Security Bureau, which has offices in some districts, like Shigatse, Tsedang, Nyintri (Bayi), etc. We require your passports, visas, and Tibet Travel Permit in order to apply. If the offices are open, this procedure would go swiftly.
Alien's Travel Permit
Tibet Travel Permits can be used in touristically opened parts of Tibet, therefore we will apply based on the itinerary you have arranged with us. However, the majority of Tibet's autonomous regions, including Kailash, the Everest Base Camp, and the majority of the Eastern and Southern Parts, are closed. For that, we will arrange other papers, such as the Alien’s Travel Permits & Military Permits.
Border Permit
For visitors wishing to enter restricted regions like the border, Mt. Kailash, and similar places, military permits are necessary. Without causing you any problems, we will apply for this permit.

FAQ for Tibet Travel Permit

What Is Tibet Travel Permit?

The corrected message is:

Tibet Travel Permit is the most indispensable travel document to enter the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). Without it, foreigners will not be allowed to enter the region. Therefore, every foreign traveler must obtain this travel document from a Tibet-based travel agency.

  • Taiwan Citizen:
  • Overseas Chinese with No Chinese ID
  • All Foreigners
  1. Choose a Lhasa Tibet-based Travel Agency Like Us;
  2. Speak with us about your travel in Tibet, to get a perfect itinerary.
  3. Provide your necessary documents to the Travel Agency(passport & Chinese visa).
  4. We send you the Tibet Permits once the process is done.

Once your trip is confirmed with us, the Tibet Travel Permit application will be sent to the Tibet Tourism Bureau.

  • If you are entering Tibet from Nepal, you must provide us with a clear scan of your passport.
    The New Regulation for 2023 Every member of the group must go to the China Embassy to obtain a Tibet Group Visa (China Group Visa).
    In order to process the visa, travelers must spend at least five days in Kathmandu, Nepal.
  • If you are entering Tibet from Mainland China, please provide us with clear scanned copies of your passport and China visa by email.

The duration of the process will depend on your trip schedule; for example, if you plan to visit Mt. Kailash or the western region of Tibet, the process can take between 15 and 20 days.

If you want to go to Mount Everest Base Camp(EBC), it can take you 8 to 14 days.

It will take roughly 7 days if you are having a brief tour in the Lhasa area for 4–6 days.

The Tibet Tourism Bureau will be closed on the days of China’s national holidays, making it impossible to process the permission.

We’ll send the hard copy of the document through Fastest mail Services to your temporary address in China. 

  • That could be your hotel in China;
  • hand delivery at the Airport.

We will send you the soft copy of the Tibet Permit through email. Then, you will have to make 3 copies of the permits to show at the Train stations.

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What Travelers say about us?

Li  Siwei from Singapore
I traveled with Tibet Nature Tour for two weeks on a private, customized tour of Amdo, Lhasa, and the surrounding area. Together, we created a tour that fit my needs and utilized their vast experience. I was given access to knowledgeable drivers and guides who were familiar with the landscape and who deepened the cultural, historical, and spiritual experience. There isn't a better way to combine planning, assistance, information, and direction, in my opinion. Everything about the plan—the accommodations, the tempo, and the scope—was ideal. Being adaptable is necessary for this environment because unforeseen incidents or schedule changes are probably going to happen. Everything was handled expertly.