Tibet Permits for Travelling Tibet

What are the Typical Tibet Permits?

The main Tibet travel documents are the Tibet Entry Permit or TTB Permit (issued by the Tibet Tourism Bureau) and theAliens' Travel Permit or PSB Permit (issued by the local police or Public Security Bureau). More details are provided below.

Tibet Entry Permit (TTB Permit)

The Tibet Entry Permit is the key to entering and traveling in Tibet. It is the most important permit and is a must for foreigners entering Tibet. With this permit, you can visit Lhasa, the Potala Palace, Shigatse, and Namtso Lake. Usually a travel agency needs 20 days to apply for this permit. So please send the required documents to your travel agency as early as possible.

Who needs a TTB Permit?

· All foreign citizens need a Tibet Entry Permit to enter Tibet.

· Hong Kong and Macau residents don’t need a Tibet Entry Permit, but Chinese SAR passports and Home Return Permit (or Mainland Travel Permits) are needed.

· Taiwan residents still need to apply for a Tibet Entry Permit. Chinese people living overseas need to apply for the permit if holding a non-Chinese passport.

Aliens' Travel Permit (PSB Permit)

An Aliens' Travel Permit is required to visit restricted areas.

With this permit and Tibet Entry Permit, you can visit Mt. Everest, Nyingchi, and other places listed below. This permit can only be applied for after you enter Tibet, and it requires your original passport.

Places Requiring TTB Permit + PSB Permit

· Tsetang: Samye Monastery, Tomb of Tibetan King, Trandruk Temple,Yumbulakhang

· Shigatse: Sakya Monastery, Mt. Everest, Rongbuk Monastery

· Gyangtse: Pelkor Chode Monastery & Kubum Stupa

· Nyingchi Region: Basum-tso, Pomi, Rawo-tso

Places Requiring TTB Permit + PSB Permit + Military Permit

If your itinerary includes some areas in Ngari (listed below), your travel agency will help you to get a Military Permit from the Military Office in Lhasa before you enter Tibet. Then your tour guide can take this certification and TTB Permit to apply for PSB Permit in Tibet.

· Nqari Region: Mt. Kailash, Lake Manasarovar, Tsaparang, Ali

These three places are CLOSED to foreign travelers

· Chamdo Region: Chamdo, Riwoche, Tengchen

How to Apply for Tibet Travel Documents

To apply for Tibet permits, you have to book a Tibet tour first and hold a valid passport and China visa.

How to Apply for a TTB Permit

A Tibet Entry Permit is available for independent travelers now. You can either travel in a tour group or one man guided tour. To apply for your Tibet Entry Permit, a booked Tibet tour with an approved Tibet tour operator is required (tour itinerary must be shown on the permit). After you book a tour with your travel agency, they will help you arrange it.

Additional Requirements for F visa & Z visa customers: If you are F visa (business visa) or Z visa (working visa) holders, you are required to provide additional information to the Tibet Tourism Bureau to get a Tibet Entry Permit. Your travel agency will send you the requirements after you book the tour, but they are basically as follows:

· If you are working in China, these are required: 1) a current Residence Permit (居留许可证, like a visa in your passport), 2) certification in Chinese from your company/school in China (工作证明, using your company’s letter paper, with your name and passport number, and company seal on it).

· If you are invited to China for business, research, lecturing; scientific, technological, or culture exchange; short-term advanced studies, or intern practice for a period of no more than six months, certification from your Chinese travel agency is required.

How to Apply for a PSB Permit

Your tour guide will assist you in applying for an Alien Travel Permit. Your tour guide will ask you for your passport and Tibet Entry Permit and submit it to the Foreign Affairs Section of the local PSB with your tour itinerary.

Using Tibet Permits

Only with an Entry Permit can your travel agency help you buy a flight/train ticket to Tibet.

Receiving Your Tibet Permits

Customers whose travel arrangements are made by China Highlights will receive their Tibet Entry Permit from our local office in the city where they depart for Tibet, e.g. in Chengdu if traveling by air. We will send you a scanned copy of your Tibet Entry Permit by e-mail if you enter Tibet from Golmud by the Qinghai-Tibet Railway.

When the Permit Will Be Checked

· A scanned copy of your Tibet Entry Permit will be checked at your departure train station.

· Your original Tibet Entry Permit will be checked when you check in at your departure airport.

· In Tibet the original Tibet Entry Permit could be checked at anytime, but typically when you check in at your hotel and when you enter Lhasa.

· You must give the permits to your Tibet tour guide for safety.

Passport and Visa Requirements

Entering Tibet from China

All foreign 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, business, or working visas (not student visas) are permitted.

Enter Tibet from Nepal

Entering Tibet from Nepal, either by the Friendship Highway or by air, requires a separate group visa (a group may be any number of travelers, and may be just one traveler) valid for Tibet from the Chinese embassy in Katmandu. 30–60-day visas are the norm, and it normally takes 2 weeks to obtain it.