When travellers ask how to get to Tibet, they often get an answer that they can get to Tibet by train, by air or by overland, which leads some travellers to Tibet ignore a very very important document – Tibet travel permits.
Some tourists might think that a Chinese visa is enough to get to Tibet. No, foreign tourists who only hold Chinese visa are not allowed to get into Tibet. All foreigners going to Tibet must have their travel arranged through a travel agency before arriving in Lhasa. All foreigners must have travel permits, a tour guide and a private vehicle and driver (if you are only staying in Lhasa, no private vehicle is required). Absolutely no independent travel is allowed in Tibet. Any rumor you may have heard that foreigners can travel on their own in Tibet is not true.
You should contact a travel agency at least 3 or 4 weeks before you plan to arrive in Lhasa. This will give you enough time to finalize your travel plans and for the agency to apply for your travel permits. You will need to have a specific itinerary listed on your travel permit. Major changes to your itinerary will not be allowed after your permits have been issued. Travel agencies can arrange your permits for you in advance before you arrive in China to minimize the amount of time you have to wait.
Please keep in mind that there are generally four documents required for foreign touristswho want to travel freely in Tibet.- One is the Chinese Visa, which you can apply in the Chinese Embassy in your country (When you want to go to Tibet via the mainland of China).- One is Tibet Tourism Bureau Permit (TTB), also called Tibet Entry Permit, which you have to obtain in order to enter into Tibet by plane or train.- One is the Aliens’ Travel Permit (PSB), also called Travel Permit, when you are planning to travel to the ‘unopened’ areas of Tibet.- The other is the Military Permit, which you have to obtain if you are planning to travel to some military sensitive areas in Tibet.
Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) Permit (Tibet Entry Permit)
Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) Permit which is necessary for entering into Lhasa or any other parts of the Tibetan Autonomous Region, is obtained through tour operators. When you take a flight or train to Lhasa, you will be asked to show this permit during the process of check-in. Furthermore, TTB permits are also needed by groups traveling by Land Cruiser but this will be arranged by the travel agency organizing the trip.
Important Issues About Tibet Travel Permit1. After having a permit, a travel agency could buy air tickets for you, and you can pass the check-in at the airport and get on board of your plane.2. You are not allowed to bring along with the TTB permit to travel to anywhere outside of Lhasa city. If you want to go out of Lhasa area, you have to apply for another permit, Aliens’ Permit.3. Generally it needs three working days to get the TTB permit if you supply all the necessary documents in time.
Aliens’ Travel Permits (PSB)
Alliens’ Travel Permit is required to visit ‘unopened’ areas. Which is issued by the police (Public Security Bureau, “PSB”). Usually you can apply for it once you arrive at Lhasa. For tour groups, our guide will ask you for the passport and TTB permit and submit it to the Foreign Affairs Section of PSB for the Travel Permit. It normally takes several hours and the cost is 50 CNY/person. If you are an individual traveler, you need to join local tours to ‘unopened’ areas, and the local travel agencies will arrange the PSB for you as well. Pay attention, there is no travel agency can provide ’PSB permit-only’ service.
Notice: If you want to do a Tibet overland tour from Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai or Xinjiang province to Tibet, you must got the PSB permit before your tour starts.
Which parts of Tibet are listed as the closed areas?At present, you have to apply for a Travel Permit if you are planning to visit the following places:Tsedang: Samye Monastery, Tomb of Tibetan King, Trundruk Monastery, Yumbulakhang.Shigatse: Sakya Monastery, Mt. Everest, Rongbuk Monastery.Gyangtse: Pelkor Chode Monastery& Kubum Stupa.Ngari Region: Mt.Kailash, Lake Manasarovar, Tsaparang, Years, ect.Nyingchi Region: Basum-tso, Pomi, Rawo-tso, ect.Chamdo Region: Chamdo, Riwoche, Tengchen, ect.
Military Permit, Foreign-affairs permit and other permits
Sensitive border are as such as Mt Kailash and eastern Tibet also require a military permit and a foreign-affairs permit. For Tholing and Tsaparang in western Tibet you will also need a permit from the local Cultural Antiquities Department. All these will be arranged by our travel agency one month before you enter Tibet. The Military Permit is issued by troop while the Foreign-affair’s permit is issued by Foreign affairs office in Lhasa. It normally takes 10-15 working days to get them all.
How to apply for Tibet Travel Permits
You will need to scan and email your passport and Chinese visa to the travel agency you are using if you wish to have your permit processed before you arrive in China (you can also arrange a tour by walking into a travel agency, but you will have to wait several days for your tour and permits to be processed. Most people prefer to have it arranged in advance to minimize the waiting time). If you have a tourist (L) visa, no other documents are required to be sent to the travel agency. If you have a student (X) visa, you will need a letter from your school stating that you are an official student there in addition to your passport and Chinese visa. The letter must include your full name, passport number and nationality. If you have a business (F) visa, you will need a letter from your inviting company stating your full name, passport number, nationality and position with the company. If you have a work (Z) visa or residence permit, you will need a letter stating that you are an official employee of your company. Tibet Travel Permits normally take 3 to 5 days to be processed. The permit then is mailed to you at a hotel or emailed for you to print and use. If you plan on taking the flight to Lhasa, insist that the original is mailed to you as you could have a problem trying to board the plane with only a copy of the permit. People holding a journalist visa are normally not allowed to travel to the Tibet Autonomous Region.
Permits are almost always checked before taking the train to Lhasa and are always checked before boarding flights to Lhasa. Without a permit, you will not be allowed to board a flight or train to Lhasa. It will be extremely difficult to slip into Tibet without a permit and tour and it will be even harder to stay at a hotel without a permit. Foreigner approved hotels will need to see your permit and passport before you are allowed to stay in them.
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