What kind of documents are required for the application of Tibet Travel Permits
There are several permits are required according to the destination of your Tibet tour. Tibet Travel Permit is a basic permit you need to apply for any of Tibet tours, which is a kind of entrance permit for Tibet tour itineraries, you need to show your Tibet Travel Permits when your boarding (whenever you enter from, mainland China or Nepal).
If you just travel around Lhasa area, you only need to obtain Tibet Travel Permit ( of course, after your Chinese Visa is issued), and the time of your Tibet Travel Permit application is shorter, you can obtain the permit within 10 days for the Lhasa tour.
Here is a classic Lhasa tour itinerary (the time of Lhasa tour can be extended to around 15 days if you would like to stay more time in Lhasa)
Day1: Arrival in Lhasa
Day2:Lhasa Sightseeing: Jokhang Temple - Potala Place
Day3:Lhasa Sightseeing: Drepung Monastery - Sera Monastery
Day4:Lhasa - Holy Lake Namtso
Day5: Departure from Lhasa
Alien’s Travel Permit & Military Allowance. Tibet travel permit often be issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau (hereinafter we call it TTB) if you, as a tourist, go to Tibet only for a tour.
A second permit or travel document is also needed after you arrive in Tibet, and you want to travel to places out of Tibet Travel Permit limit (you should list these places in your itinerary before you apply your Tibet Travel Permit & it only takes around one working day to be issued). This is called Alien’s Travel Permit and the permit can only be obtained from Foreign Affairs Division, Public Security Bureau Tibet and your tour agency will help you get it when you are in Tibet.
Alien’s Travel Permit is needed if you travel to regions below:
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.
The third kinds of permit are called Military Allowance & Foreign Affaire Permit which often can be issued by the concerning military offices & Foreign Affairs offices. If the places you will travel to under the military control, you have to get the permit and your travel agency will tell you which places you need to apply this kind of permit.
Sensitive border, such as Mt Kailash & eastern Tibet also require a military permit and a foreign-affairs permit. These will also be arranged by our travel agency one month before you enter Tibet. It normally takes around 20 working days to get them all. Hence, you should inform contact your tour agency earlier and the sensitive areas you are going to travel to also should be listed in your itinerary.
What documents do I need to provide for applying my Tibet Travel Permit?
Different documents are required for applying your Tibet Permits in terms of the type of Chinese Visa that you hold:
If you hold ‘L’ visa (tourist visa), please kindly email us clear scanned copy of your information page of passport and your Chinese visa around 25 days before you arrive in China and we can help you to apply your Tibet Travel Permit.
If you hold ‘F’ (visiting) or ‘Z’ (business) visa, please kindly email us clear scanned copy of your information page of passport, your Chinese visa, and a recommendation letter from your company, and please be aware that if you hold business visa, then please send us your work permit as well.
If you hold ‘D’ visa (permanent residence), please send us photo copy of your passport, Working Permit and Residence Permit.
If you hold ‘X’ visa (student visa), please send us photo copy of information page of your passport, Chinese visa, the recommendation letter from your school with stamp for certifying your are currently studying in China and a scanned copy of your student ID card.
Please be aware that you need to send your itinerary before you apply Tibet Travel Permit and any traveller cannot book flight ticket or train ticket to Tibet without the Permit. And the permit will clearly lists every destination that you would visit in Tibet and this list cannot be change once you arrived in Tibet. Hence, please provide every destination you would visit in Tibet before you make decision about your trip plan.
For those who hold Singapore, Brunei and Japan passport are no visa required to visit China for up to 15 days for travel or visiting relatives etc. However, they still have to apply Tibet Travel Permit for travelling around Tibet Autonomous Region, and photo copy of information page of passport and travel itinerary also should be sent to a local tour agency in Tibet.
How can I travel to Tibet from Nepal?
You have to apply Tibet Group Visa from Chinese embassy in Nepal if you have decided enter to Tibet from Nepal and your individual Chinese visa will be cancelled automatically by Chinese embassy once you received your Tibet Group visa and this means you only have around 20 days for your travel in China. Tibet Group visa are categorized in Normal, Urgent and Top Urgent and number of working days and the cost are varied. For example, normal group visa takes 5 days and costs 140 US dollars for American passport holders and 50 US dollars for other nationalities. However, top urgent group visa only takes a day and cost 170 US dollars for American passport holders and 85 US dollars for other nationalities.
When is the best time to travel around Tibet?
April to October may be the best period of time for traveling around Tibet under the consideration of weather for most of the travelers. Moreover, many religious festivals, such as Saga Dawa and Sholton Festival (also called Yogurt Festival), Bathing Festival, Ongkor Festival will also hold during the spring and summer time.
However, winter in Tibet may also not be a bad time for travelers to come since there is decrease in the prices of hotels and air tickets in Tibet during the winter time. Travelers can also witness flocks of Tibetan pilgrims from different areas in monasteries and temples in the holy city Lhasa. (We suggest that People with heart diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, severe colds, and high-risk pregnant women should avoid this period).
Can I come to Tibet without contact any travel agency?
Unfortunately, independent travel in Tibet has been prohibited since the year 2008. Hence, it is compulsory for every traveler join in an organized tour group of a private tour through a local tour agency in Tibet according to the special policy in Tibet.
Is it possible for me to have one or more free days in Tibet without accompanied of a guide?
Unfortunately, it is compulsory for every traveler to have a guide wherever you go to Tibet. However, please keep in mind that our guide will give you maximum freedom with his or her accompany.
How about the Responsibility of tourists ?
We are not responsible for the consequences of your actions which result from your improper behaviors related to political issues in Tibet, and please consider about the consequences of your involving in political issues will destroy the future of your guide, driver, tour operator and everyone who you contact with during your trip in Tibet. You should know that Tibet is politically very sensitive and Easy Tibet Tour Operator never involve in any political issue at all. Hence, please never participate in any political issue during the period of your travel with us. )
Is it possible to buy an international phone card in there?
You can easily find an international phone card in most of the cities in Tibet.
Can I get the permit in my country before arriving in China?
Generally not, since this will make the cost high if international delivery is used and the time of sending mail or package from Lhasa to foreign countries are often unpredictable. Generally, you will get your original Tibet Permits after you arrive in a major city in mainland China, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, or Chengdu where you enter Tibet by train or plan. We will deliver the permit to the hotel that you book in a specific city in mainland, and your travel agency need you to provide address and phone number of this hotel(usually your travel agency will help you to book your hotel in mainland China.
Is it possible to visit a local family in Tibet?
Yes, you can visit local family in Tibet. If you wish to visit a local family, we can arrange a lunch tour for you to visit a typical Tibetan local family.
Should I have to and how much I have to tipping my guide and driver?
Generally, local guides and drivers have to support their families and most of local Tibetan is poor. For local drivers, they often have their own vehicles and have to make effort to take care of their vehicles for making sure the safety of clients since the poor road condition in Tibet. For our guides, they not only lead you to your destination, but also have responsible to take care of you and dealing with unforeseeable problems you may face when your travel in Tibet. Hence, if you think your guide and driver performed well and you are satisfied with their services, please kindly give some tips to your guide and driver. Although tipping is not compulsory for you to give your driver and guide, you may kindly give your guide around RMB 50-100 per day and your driver around RMB 40-80 per day in terms of the number of participants in your tour group at the end of your tour.
Can I withdraw money from banks in Tibet?
Many international credit cards are accepted by local banks in Tibet, such as American Express, Diner Clubs, JCB, Master card and Visa are accepted by most of large hotels and stores. You may also want to withdraw your money from ATM machines of the Bank of China and a certain amount of fee is applied for your transaction. ATM machines of the Bank of China can be easily found in Lhasa, Shigatse & Tsedang. Please be aware it might be hard for you to find ATM or even a bank in rural areas of Tibet. Therefore, you might want to carry some cash with you when you are leaving a major city or area like Lhasa or Tsedang.
Could you please arrange a Tibetan Festival Trip?
Yes,definitely. There are many Tibetan festivals, such as Tibetan New Year Festival, Sholton Festival, Horse Racing Festival, Bathing Festival..... We can arrange a Festival Trip for you if you are interested in any of these Tibetan Festival. For example, we can arrange a Sholton Festival Trip for you and you can explore the interesting Sholton Festival with your local tour guide.
+86-153 4891 0666 (Dawa)
