Tibet Travel Permit Requirements - What Documents Are Needed?

05 July 2024 Last updated at 11:05

Tibet Travel Permit is a must to enter Tibet and it is only applicable for Travel agency in China (like Tibet Discovery) on behalf of the tourists. Generally, the application of Tibet Travel Permit requires the valid copies of your passport and Chinese Visa.

Tibet Travel Permit Standard Scanned Copy of A Passport - Full, Clear, Colored
Tibet Travel Permit Standard Scanned Copy of A Chinese Visa - Full, Clear, Colored

1. Passport Copies Requirements

Your passport shall remain valid for at least 6 months.

A clear, complete, and colored scanned copy of the valid passport’s data page, which contains the passport's data page and the photo page. (make a separate copy if they are not on one page.)

2. Chinese Visa Copies Requirements

Here are certain types of valid Chinese visa to apply for the Tibet Travel Permit, including Tourist visa (L Visa), China Business Visa (M Visa), China Work Visa (Z Visa), China Student Visa (X1/X2 Visa), China Family Reunion Visa (Q1/Q2 Visa), etc. Generally, you only hold one valid type of them.  

① For Tourist Visa (L Visa) holders, besides copies of your passport info page, please send us the full and clear scanned image files of your Chinese L visa, and the L Visa shall remain valid before your departure in China.

② For other certain types of visa holders, besides the copies of your passport and visa, are needed, please do contact us for a little more extra procedures on a work proof, invitation letter or other supportive documents.

The followings are typical Chinese L visas. If you already have one, please take a look as a reference and check its validity.

Tibet Travel Permit Chinese Tourist Visa (L Visa)
Tibet Travel Permit Chinese Tourist Group Visa (L Visa)

Exceptional Cases

▶ If you are qualified with China's visa-free policies, for example you are Singapore passport holders, you can apply for Tibet Travel Permit without a visa. However, the maxmium duration of stay cannot exceed the permitted visa-free duration. If you are take a China tour longer than permitted visa-free duration, you're required to apply for a Chinese Visa.

▶ Tourists leave for Tibet from Nepal only need valid copies of your passport to apply for a Tibet Travel Permit.

Tip: Generally, it takes about 15 to 20 working days to apply for and obtain your Tibet Travel Permit after submitting application request.

Questions about Documents Needed for Tibet Travel Permit

♦ Q1: I am from the UK and want to travel to Tibet from China's other regions, what documents do I need to apply for a Tibet Travel Permit?

Please check if you have a valid Chinese L Visa. If you already had one, please send us your valid scanned copies of your passport and your visa. If not, please contact us for more information.

♦ Q2: I am from Australia and want to travel to Tibet from Nepal, what documents do I need to apply for a Tibet Travel Permit?

You only need your valid scanned copies of your passport to apply for it.

♦ Q3: I am a Japanese and want to travel Tibet directly from Tokyo, what do I need to apply for a Tibet Travel Permit?

Staying in China (including Tibet) within 15 days, you only need the valid copies of your passport to apply for it, for the Chinese visa exemption policy for Japanese citizens lasts for 15 days. If you would like to stay longer, you shall submit copies of both your passport and Chinese Visa to apply for a Tibet Travel Permit.

How to Obtain Tibet Travel Permit with Tibet Discovery's Help

Tibet Travel Permit

Here is a detailed procedure guide on obtaining a Tibet Travel Permit step by step.

▪ Step 1: Contact us to discuss your needs and work out a most suitable itinerary for you in Tibet.

▪ Step 2: Confirm and reserve your preferred Tibet Tour.

▪ Step 3: Send us the required valid documents (copies of your passport and Chinese Visa for general cases) at least 15 working days before your tour starts. If you need the permit quite urgently, please do not hesitate to contact us.

▪ Step 4: Provide your designated address (your hotel, travel agent, friend's home, etc) in China's other regions to receive your permit after it is issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB for short).

▪ Step 5: The permit will be delivered to your preferred address or handed to you at the airport/train station before your trip.

Note: Please note that there are two pages for your Tibet Travel Permit, you cannot enter Tibet without any page of them, please double check your Tibet Travel Permit before you take the flight.

Other Concerned Questions about Tibet Travel Permit

How to Plan A Tibet Tour

Tibet is a place with majestic landscapes and splendid culture. There might be hundreds of ways to travel Tibet, especially its most appealing destinations - Lhasa, Everest, Namtso, Kailash, etc. We suggest you start your tour from the capital Lhasa. You can take 3~4 days to acclimatize high altitudes and explore the highlights of Lhasa city. Then you can spend 1~2 days to visit Lhasa's surroundings, such as Namtso, Yamdrok Lake, Ganden Monastery, etc. Beside Lhasa and its surrounding regions, you shall not miss the 3rd pole of the earth, Mt Everest, which is no longer a privilege site for just mountaineers and spending 3~4 more days to explore it. Later, you can head back to Lhasa or go further to the south via Gyirong to Nepal and have a Nepal Tour and a Bhutan Tour, or continue your journey to the west to reach Ngari and kora around the holy Mount Kailash and Manasarovar. It totally depends on your schedules and preferences.

Top Recommended Tibet Tours

☛ 4 Days Holy City Lhasa Private Tour - Heart of Tibet

☛ 8 Days Lhasa Mount Everest Private Tour ( Lhasa / Shigatse / Everest)

☛ 7 Days Kathmandu to Lhasa Private Tour via Mount Everest

☛ 13 Days Tibet to Nepal Overland Tour via Tibet Holy Mountains Everest and Kailash

Tibet Travel Permit Awesome Tibet Trip Stories of Our Customers
Tibet Travel Permit Private Tibet Tours
namtso-travel/ Small Group Tibet Tours
Tibet Travel Permit Travel Tibet with China
Tibet Travel Permit Nepal Tibet Tours

Recommended Tour Packages

Tibet has too much to offer. And our aim is to bring you the best experience in Tibet. Following are some other recommended Tibet tour packages that you may be interested in. All of our Tibet tour packages are customizable to meet your personal requirements. You can also contact us to customize a trip if you want or check more Tibet Tours>

Prefer to tailor a trip that totally suits your requirements and interests? Our 20+ professional, helpful and friendly travel experts are ready to help! Tell us your needs, and one of our experts will get to you with trip details within 0.5~23.5 hrs. You can also call us at 86-28-85227275 / 86-28-85223672.

Customize your tripemail

Our specialists are always ready to help!