If you are entering Tibet from Kathmandu, you should get your Chinese visa from the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu (regardless of whether you already have a Chinese visa issued in your country). Please note that if you have already got a Chinese visa at your home country, it will be cancelled and fresh visa will be issued in Kathmandu. So do not apply for a Chinese visa until you reach to Kathmandu and avoid waste of money (in the case you enter Tibet from Nepal).
However if you are entering Tibet form mainland China or Honking, get your Chinese visa in advance. You are required to hold a valid Chinese visa (issued by a Chinese Embassy and stamped in your individual passport), as well as a valid passport to enter Tibet (at least six months valid). When applying for a Chinese visa at your home country, it is better not mentioning that you intend to visit Tibet.
In order to get Chinese visa in Kathmandu, please send us your clear passport copy and other details like your profession to us at least 15 days in advance. We will get Tibet Travel Permit (TTB permit or commonly called Invitation letter to travel to Tibet from the Tibet Travel Bureau – TTB). Once you arrive to Kathmandu, we apply for your Chinese visa along with your original passport and TTB permit. You will get a group visa (it will be not stamped in your individual passport but will be in a sheet of paper).
Tibet Travel Permits
There are two different permits required to travel to Tibet
The entry permit (TTB permit, equivalent of a visa for Tibet, required to enter Tibet region of China. A Chinese visa and Tibet entry permit are both required to enter Tibet). You need to show this to the authorities in airport or surface entry points.
The Alien travel permit (PSB permit) which is required to travel restricted areas in Tibet. In practice you need PSB permit to travel any regions outside Lhasa. Different PSB permits are required to travel to different parts of Tibet. PSB permits are issued by local police authorities called Public Security Bureau ( PSB ).
How to get the travel permits?
You send us the following details exactly as in your passport at least 15 days before the trip date.
1) Your full name;
2) Your gender;
3) Your date of birth;
4) Your passport number;
5) Your nationality
6) Your profession
Or simply send us a clearly scanned copy of your passport.
Please note that mentioning your true profession is important as journalists, government officials, political personnel and diplomats may require more complicated procedures in order to be issued a permit. We do not process for them nor would we be liable if travel permits are not issued at the last moment because you belong to this category of profession but do not inform us in time. Please note that neither we nor any travel agency will / can sell “permit-only” service. One must buy the tour package to obtain it.
