Tibet Travel Permit (Tibet Entry Permit) - Compulsory Permit to Visit Tibet 2024

According to regulation of Tibet Tourism Bureau, all non-Chinese passport holders are required to get a Tibet Travel Permit to travel to Tibet and only authorized travel agency can apply for it. The permit is a mandatory prerequisite for a Tibet tour, no matter you get to Tibet from Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Xining or other cities in China or from Nepal.

As one of the leading local based Tibet tour operators, Tibet Discovery knows the policy and application procedure very well, and has rich experience in quickly getting Tibet Travel Permit for our customers. It’s really simple to obtain a Tibet Travel Permit, you just need to comfirm a Tibet tour with us and provide simple required documents, and we will finish all the application works to guarantee you get it timely and enjoy Tibet journey as planned.

Issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau in Tibet, Tibet Travel Permit, also named as Tibet Entry Permit, Tibet Tourism Bureau Permit, TTB Permit, is an official Tibet travel document which grants non-Chinese passport holders' entry and tour in Tibet. It is the most basic and foremost, compulsory permit you need to obtain before leaving for Tibet.

Tibet Travel Permit is actually an authoritative confirmation letter, a separate sheet of paper with two pages. The first page mainly lists introduction of your Tibet tour (group number, beginning and ending tour date, detailed tour itinerary), and has several vital official seals and one anti-counterfeit code in top right corner. The second page contains a form of all travelers’ basic personal information (full name, nationality, passport number, gender, etc.) submitted to Tibet Tourism Bureau. All foreign tourists must bring the two pages together to travel to Tibet, without any of them, you can NOT travel to Tibet and even can't board a train or flight to Tibet. So, please double check it before departure.

Important to Know Before Application:

⑴ Getting a Tibet Travel Permit without a Tibet tour is infeasible. Foreigners all must book a Tibet tour package from a licensed local travel agency in China and get the Tibet Travel Permit through the operator. You can’t simply let the agency apply for the permit and visit Tibet by yourself.

⑵ Traveling in Tibet should strictly follow your scheduled tour route written in Tibet Travel Permit. That means, you must enter Tibet from the city you choose, visit destinations in Tibet in determined order. For example, if Chengdu is confirmed as the gateway city to Tibet on your Tibet Travel Permit, you can only take flight or train to Tibet from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport or Chengdu Railway Station.

⑶ Tibet Travel Permit talked about in this article is only applicable to normal non-Chinese passport holders' traveling to Tibet. If you hold diplomatic passport or service visa and plan to visit Tibet, please contact Foreign Affairs Department and inquire related procedure.

According to authoritative policy, all non-Chinese passport holders must get a Tibet Travel Permit to travel to Tibet, including foreign passport holders (US citizens, UK citizens, Australians, Canadians, Singaporeans, Malaysians, Japanese, Indians, Germans, Nepalese, etc.) and overseas Chinese (Chinese Americans, Chinese Australians and who do not have Chinese passport or ID card).

Tourists from Taiwan also need Tibet Travel Permit for a Tibet tour. For tourist holding a Hong Kong or Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) passport, or a Home Return Permit (Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macau residents), you can travel to Tibet without a Tibet Travel Permit.

Usually, it takes about 20 working days to receive your Tibet Travel Permit after you send copies of your valid passport and Chinese Visa (if required) to us. Because, firstly, besides getting your copies of passport and Chinese visa, we also need some time to prepare your application form based on your tour itinerary; secondly, once your application form and related documents are submitted and accepted, Tibet Tourism Bureau takes some days to process your application, and may take longer time if you plan to visit Mount Kailash and Manasarovar Lake in Ngari area (about 30 days).

After the permit is successfully issued, we will collect it and deliver it to you, and the shipping takes a few extra days.

If you have a tight or urgent travel schedule, please contact us, we will try our best to submit urgent application and see whether there is a chance of success. Hence, you’re highly suggested to plan your Tibet itinerary and book your Tibet tour as early as possible.

After booking a Tibet tour with Tibet Discovery, you only need to provide simple required documents, because we will apply for Tibet Travel Permit and pick up, send to you to make sure you board your train or flight to Tibet smoonthly and enjoy a worry-free Tibet tour.

Here is detailed procedure to follow to apply for a Tibet Travel Permit:

✔ Step 1: Book a Tibet tour package with Tibet Discovery. Contact our travel consultant and work out a detailed and doable Tibet travel itinerary. Please note that there is no so-called official fixed tour route, your Tibet tour is flexible and can be customized based on your travel time, interested Tibet destinations to visit and other requirements.

✔ Step 2: Send us copies of your valid passport and Chinese Visa. Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months and the photocopies need to be clear and complete. If you will travel to Tibet from Nepal, please visit our Group Visa from Nepal to get specific instruction.

Tips: 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.

✔ Step 3: Offer an accurate address. The address can be your hotel, your friend’s home or local agency office in China's other cities. After Tibet Travel Permit is issued, we will collect it and send it to you by express, before you take train or flight to Tibet.

✔ Step 4: Get Tibet Travel Permit. Take your passport, Tibet Travel Permit and all travel items to begin your trip to Tibet.

Important Reminder:

Tibet Travel Permit is valid only with both two pages and the anti-counterfeit code on. After you receive the permit, be sure to take good care of it and don’t lose it.

Tibet Travel Permit can NOT be applied separately. After booking a Tibet tour with Tibet Discovery, all you have to do is to email us necessary documents. We will help you apply for and acquire all needed permits, including the Tibet Travel Permit. There are some labor and time we spend on applying from Tibet Tourism Bureau, but no application fee and extra cost will be charged since it’s included in your Tibet tour package already. So, you can say the Tibet Travel Permit is free as indicated in the bottom left corner, first page of Tibet Travel Permit.

Tibet Travel Permit will be checked on many occasions, such as when you taking train at train station, taking flight from airport, passing Gyirong Port on Nepal-Tibet boder, arriving at Lhasa Airport. You also need it to check in hotel in Tibet. Please rest assured, it won't cause any inconvenience, because your Tibet tour guide will keep it for you during your entire trip in Tibet and show it to inspector when needed.

☞ When Taking a Train to Tibet

China National Railway Administration stipulates that, all foreigner travelers need to have a Tibet Travel Permit to take a train to/off Tibet. The permit will be checked several times, especially when you book Tibet train ticket at railway station, get into the train station to get on your train to Tibet and your ticket check-in onboard. Sometimes, it is required for coming out of station after arrival in Tibet.

Attention: If you take trains to Tibet from train stations in Chongqing, Xian and Lanzhou, the original Tibet Travel Permit is indispensable. Don't worry! Tibet Discovery will mail it to you prior to your departure. But if you take trains to Tibet from Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou and some other cities, you can use colored photocopies to take your Tibet train. Your tour guide will bring the original permit and pick up you after your arrival in Lhasa.

☞ When Taking a Flight to Tibet

Based on policy of the authority, foreigner travelers must provide a valid passport and original Tibet Travel Permit for taking a flight from Chinese domestic cities to Tibet. ( Necessary Permits for Tibet Flight Travel). Without the permit, foreign travelers are not allowed to board the flights to any airports in Tibet.

Tips: 1.）Tibet Travel Permit is often required to present when booking flight to Tibet.

☞ When Traveling from Nepal to Tibet

If you travel from Nepal to Tibet by flight, the Tibet Travel Permit will be checked when you arriving at Lhasa Gonggar International Airport. If you enter Tibet by land, Tibet Travel Permit will be check at Gyirong Port. Your tour guide will take it and meet you at Lhasa Airport or Gyirong Port.

Aliens' Travel Permit

Tibet Military Permit

Tibet Travel Permit is a must travel document for Tibet. With it, you can visit the holy spiritual center - Lhasa where has majestic Potala Palace, sacred Jokhang Temple and lots of Buddhist monasteries. For traveling to farther remote and border regions in Tibet, like Ngari, Mount Everest, Shannan and so on, other Tibet permits are required, such as Aliens' Travel Permit and Tibet Military Permit. Just take it easy, travelling with us, you only need to focus on enjoy the tour. We will get all required Tibet permits for you.

1. Aliens' Travel Permit: It is a permit issued by Tibetan Local Public Security Bureau, allowing foreigners travel to Mount Everest, Shannan, Nyingchi, etc. It is also called PSB Permit and can be easily applied in Lhasa, Shigatse, Nyingchi and other prefectures in Tibet.

2.Tibet Military Permit: If your itinerary includes some military sensitive places, such as Ngari (Mt. Kailash, Lake Manasarovar, etc), Nyingchi (Bomi, etc.) and some distant places in Shannan area, you must apply for and get a Military Area Entry Permit before you get to Tibet.

For all non-Chinese passports holders planning to travel to Tibet from Nepal, you have to get the Tibet Travel Permit from Tibet Tourism Bureau in Tibet and a Tibet Group Visa which is a special kind of Chinese Tourist Visa, whether you have a Chinese Visa or not. The Group Visa is a single-entry Chinese Visa which can only be applied from Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu by a travel agency, and usually need 3~5 working days to obtain. Booking Tibet tour with Tibet Discovery, we will arrange application in Kathmandu and guarantee you get all demanded visa and permits for your trip to Tibet from Nepal, even the extended trip to other cities in China after Tibet tour.

> How to Get a Tibet Group Visa for Nepal Tibet Tour

> Tibet Permit Guide for Indian Citizens

Indians’ folk pilgrims for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in Ngari, Tibet must register and join in special group tour organized by the government. Indians without intention of visiting Mount Kailash and Manasarovar Lake should join in a travel agency and apply for Tibet Travel Permit as other regular foreign tourists.

> Tibet Permit Guide for Indian Citizens

Your Tibet travel can be flexibly arranged based on your time, budget and interests. Making a well-scheduled Tibet tour plan helps you catch the best highlights during your holiday. A classic Tibet itinerary usually takes about 4 ~ 8 day, 2 days’ essential discovery in Lhasa with Potala Palace and 4 to 5 days for extended trip to Gyantse, Shigatse and Mount Everest, apart from 2 days for arrival and departure. For an in-depth Tibet exploration, you can also take 1 day trip to sacred Namtso Lake near Lhasa, around 5 to 7 days to visit Mount Kailash, Manasarovar Lake of Nagri, or spend several days on enjoying romantic Peach Blossom in Nyingchi during Spring, or seek Tibetan history in Shannan, etc. You can choose from our most valuable Tibet tour packages, private or group tour, in different theme or length, or let us customize a special once-in-a-lifetime Tibet journey as you required.

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

√ 8 Days Lhasa Shigatse Mount Everest Private Tour

Top Tibet Tours

China Tours including Tibet

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.

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Questions & Discussions

Following are latest questions and answers from our webusers and customers. You can learn many useful information from the discussion and cases. You can also join in the discussions or ask your own question. Our experts will help you ASAP.

Lee Hua

Tibet Entry Permit

Hi~ Would like to check any requirement to apply Tibet Entry Permit for different nationality to travel to Tibet together? For example 1 Singaporean+2 Malaysian+2 Taiwanese to travel Tibet together...

2017-01-05 09:05

Hello Lee,

Thanks for your question. There will be two different kinds of Entry Permits for your group, one for Singaporean and Malaysian, and another different one for Taiwanese. And your group won't be seperated though different kinds of entry permits issued. All you have to do is to provide us your travel plan and passport and Chinese visa information, we will apply the permit for your group.

Louis at Tibet Discovery 2017-01-05 09:38

Channa

Tibet Entry permit

I am planning to do the 8 day mount Everest package with you,I am coming from Colombo ,sri lanka,I don't have Chinese visa.Is it possible for me to get the Tibet Visa without Chinese visa please,

2016-06-01 10:11

Hi Channa,

Thanks for your message. It is our honor to serve for you. You have to obtain a valid Chinese Visa first, and then let us apply Tibet Permit(visa) for you. According to policy of Tibet Tourism Bureau, travelers can not apply Tibet Permit independently. A helpful tip is you'd better not mention your plan to visit Tibet to the embassy when you apply Chinese visa, or your application may be rejected. To give you more details, I will now deliver your message to one of travel specialist. He/she will reach you as soon as possible.

Louis at Tibet Discovery 2016-06-02 02:13

LEE SIEW GEK

PERMIT FEE

HOW MUCH DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE PERMIT FEE?

2016-03-27 07:43

Hello Lee Siew Gek,

Thanks for your question. You don't have to pay for the permit fee if you book a tour package from a travel agency who will apply the permit from Tibet Tourism Bureau for you. And so far, tourists are not allowed to travel in Tibet independently, also not allowed to apply for the permit personally.

Tibet Discovery is glad to take you to have explore the best experience in Tibet. If you are planning a trip to Tibet, you can browse our collections of tour packages to find a suitable one, or just tell us your plan, our specialist will help you create a unique trip.

Tibet Discovery 2016-03-27 15:18

Jerry

Do i must get the Tibet Tourism Bureau Permit before my tip?

I am planning to travel to Tibet in July, and want to take flight to Tibet from Chengdu. My question is do i must get the Tibet Tourism Bureau Permit before my tip? And If yes, how many days should it be obtained before my trip?

2016-03-08 02:50

Hello Jerry,

Thanks for your question. Yes, the Tibet Tourism Bureau Permit must be obtained before your trip. You will need it to board fl-ight to Tibet. Usually, the Tibet Tourism Bureau only issues your permit about 20 days before your arrival at Tibet.

Tibet Discovery 2016-03-08 06:45