Tibet Travel Permit

Tibet Travel Permit, or Tibet Entry Permit, is foremost and compulsory for foreign passport holders to enter Tibet. Issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau, it is also called TTB permit. Without the permit, you can’t board a flight or train to Tibet or cross overland from Nepal, also will not be able to get other permits to continue to travel Tibet further.

Notice:

Generally, the people with foreign passports can enter into Tibet when they get the Tibet Travel Permits. However, when people want to go to other cities, they also need other permits. For example, you need Aliens’ Travel Permit if you want to go to Mount Everest. If you want to do Mt. Kailash kora, apart from the Tibet Travel Permit, Military Area Entry Permit is also needed.

Who should apply for a TTB permit?

All foreign tourists should apply for a TTB permit in advance when they are planning to enter Tibet Autonomous Region. They are:

1.Non-Chinese passport holders: USA citizens, Australian citizens, Canadian citizens, Russian citizens, etc.

2.Overseas Chinese people who do not have Chinese passport or ID Card.

3.Taiwanese

Basically, all the international tourists are required to have Tibet Permit to enter Tibet (TAR) legally. If you are a diplomat, journalist or a government official, only the Tibet Foreign Affairs Office can handle your Tibet Permit application.

How to Get Tibet Permit?

1.Discuss your Tibet tour plan and preferences with our travel consultant; agree with proposed tour itinerary and tour quotation and later sign the tour contract.

2.Find the Chinese Embassy close to you. Fill in the Chinese Visa application form. Prepare relevant travel document (such as your passport, personal photos and itinerary with hotel and flight confirmation). Submit your Chinese Visa application and pay visa fee and later get it.

3.Email the photo image of passport information page and of Chinese Visa page to your travel consultant who will help you submit the Tibet Permit application to Tibet Tourism Bureau. Processing of Tibet Permit takes 8-9 working days in Lhasa.

4.After our staff in Lhasa get your Tibet Permit, we will deliver it by express to your hotel in mainland China. Or in some extreme cases, our staff will give it to you in person at the railway station or airport.

How Long to Process a Tibet Travel Permit?

Generally, it takes about two weeks to process a TTP. Theoretically, it can be completed as quickly as 3-4 days but often takes longer, which means that travel to Tibet shall be planned in advance by booking a tour with a registered travel agency, so the related personnel can get the original permit to you before going to Tibet.

How to Use a Tibet Travel Permit?

1.It is good to print at least 2 copies of the Tibet Travel Permit. A copy of the Tibet Travel Permit will be checked at your departure train station. Your original permit will be checked at your departure airport. 

2.When you enter into Tibet, the TTP can be checked at any time, especially, check in at your hotel.

3.When you are in major Tibet attraction sites, the TTP may be checked.

Is Free to Get a Tibet Travel Permit?

The Tibet Tourism Bureau does not charge anything to issue the permit. Any cost associated with processing the TTP is charged by the travel agency that you hire, and is usually just included in your tour price. Such charges are understandable due to the time and hassle required by the agency to send staff in person to both submit the application and return to pick it up.