Tibet Travel Permit 2026

The following are the requirements for obtaining the Tibet permit.

1. Book a tour with a local travel agency in Lhasa

   
   First, to apply for the Tibet travel permit, you must book a tour with a local Travel agency, including a tour guide and private vehicle in Tibet.
   Many Tibet travel websites state that all international travel must join a group tour to travel to Tibet. This is completely wrong information. However, you must organize your trip with a local travel agency so they can issue a Tibet travel permit. You can choose to do the tour as a private tour or join our Tibet group tour.

2. Documents required to apply for a Tibet travel permit.
   

   You will need to send a copy of your Valid passport and Valid Chinese Visa (if applicable) to a Lhasa travel agency to apply for the Permit in Lhasa. If you are from a country with visa exemption for Tibet, you don’t need a visa to visit Tibet either. It is best to submit these documents a month early to avoid a last-minute rush.
   If you are coming to Tibet from other parts of China on a flight or train to Lhasa, you will need to apply for a visa from home or your host country.
   
   I understand that getting a Chinese Visa from home is challenging without the right supporting documentation. To avoid confusion, all travel agencies in Tibet can help you send the Visa invitation.
   
   With these invitations, you can only apply at the Chinese embassy, not the consulate. Also, it is for a group visa. For a group visa, you will need a minimum of four pax, and it is very restricted for entering and exiting China.
   
   When you apply for the Chinese Tourist Visa, it is best not to mention your plan to visit Tibet. Otherwise, the embassy will ask you to get the Chinese Group Visa. Or you may need a visa invitation from Tibet, which is only valid for a China Group Visa.
   
   If you are coming to Tibet from Nepal. You can now enter Tibet on a Chinese Tourist Visa or on visa exemption in China. You can also apply for the Chinese Group Visa at the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu. In this case, we can make your permit with only a copy of your passport. You will not be allowed to enter Tibet from Nepal on other types of Visas (non-tourist visas).
   
   It is mandatory to have minimam 5 paxs listed on the tibet travel permit. If you are less then 5, we might add additional pax on the list. When entering in to Tibet, you can tell rest of the poeple has canceled the tour.
   
   Application for the Chinese group Visa can be made only by a licensed travel agent in Nepal. The embassy will accept visa applications directly from individual applicants. Hence, your visa invitation will be sent only to the travel agency in Kathmandu.
   
   Use the passport you will use to apply for the visa. If your visa is on an old passport, you need to bring both passports for the journey.
   

3. Duration of Tibet Travel permit application

   Currently, the Tibet travel permit process takes 1 week. If your Tibet tour itinerary covers more areas, the Tibet travel permit process takes longer.
   
   When applying for your Tibet travel permit, your travel agency must also complete other permits to finish the process.
   
   The Tibet Tourism Administration’s online permit application platform is excellent and efficient. With this platform, the permit application time has been greatly reduced. Now it takes about a week to get a permit for Lhasa and a week and a half for a permit for Kailash and Mount Everest Base Camp.
   
   But so far, I think it is best to send the documents a month in advance to make sure it’s finished well ahead of time.

4. Information required for the permit

   While applying for the permit, the Travel agent will have to submit the following mentioned information about you. It is best for travelers to type and send this information as a soft copy to avoid costly typos. Typo errors are common occurance and If there are mistake made on the following mention information, We will have to reapply the permit which is could hinder your travel plans.
   
   Please type your Names, passport numbers, Date of Birth, Nationality, Gender, and Professions in a table. In addition, we will need to submit information such as your tour itinerary for Tibet, how you will arrive in Lhasa, and the hotel address for shipping the permit.

5. Must have a Tibet Travel permit in hand while entering Tibet

   All travelers must have a the Original permit while entering Tibet; it no longer matters if you are coming by flight to Lhasa or by train to Lhasa. They will check for the original permit at the departing airport and train station in other cities in China, as well as at the train station or airport in Lhasa. Tenzin Travel agencies can send your permit to any hotel or personal address in another part of China.
   
   We often ask the tourism bureau to stamped and sign a photocopied to allow it to use as a original permit. But from time to time, personal at the airport and train might make it impossible to board train or flight without the real original permit. It is important to mention to your travel agency if a part of group members are entering in seperate flights or train. Suppose, you and your husband are entering into Lhasa from Chengdu on flight and your daughter and son in law are flying to Lhasa from Beijing, you must ask us to make a seperate permit. We can make a permit per person when it is required.
   
   In many cases, travelers were asked by securuty personal and airline staffs to show a copy of the permit when flying to China from home and upon arrival in major Chinese cities like Beijing. Suppose you are flying to Chengdu from Rome, they ask you to show a copy of the permit at the Rome ariport and at Chengdu international airport upon arrival.
   
   In such cases, we are not allowed to send the permit outside China’s domestic jurisdiction, so we will send you an image of your permit, which you can show at the airport if asked.
   
   We can arrange for someone to deliver the permit to the transiting airport anywhere in China specailly in Chengdu and Beijing. We would strongly recommend making the transit cities, Chengdu and Beijing, more convenient for both parties.

6. Items to check on the Tibet Travel permit

   Once you receive the permit or a copy, please check the following two things. First, check your Name, date of birth, nationality, and Passport Number on the second page of the permit. On the first page, please check your entry point, which will be written in Chinese. You can use AI to help translate it into your language.
   
   If there is any mistake, please contact Tenzin Travel urgently, and we will help you resolve it. The earlier you contact us, the more time we will have to fix it. Otherwise, you will face trouble getting into Tibet at the last minute. Our agency uses a multiple-check system to ensure there are no issues before sending the permit to our clients.

7. Check your personal information on the second page of the permit.

   This may be due to cultural differences or unclear passport copies. Many travel agencies often make mistakes when typing names, Dates of birth, and passport numbers.
   
   Please check for any mistakes and have your travel agency fix them before your Tibet journey begins.