CHINESE VISA AND TIBET TRAVEL PERMIT REQUIREMENTS
Most travelers arriving in Tibet from China must obtain a Chinese visa. For those who arrive from Nepal, the group visa is issued in Kathmandu. In addition, we are applying for a Tibet Travel Permit for you.
Please read carefully the information below regarding it. If you follow the guidelines for applying for a Chinese visa, there are usually no problems with getting approval.
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COUNTRIES THAT CAN TRAVEL WITHOUT VISA
Please, note, that citizens of the countries listed below can travel visa-free only when you are entering Tibet from China. With the recent expansion of visa-free countries and travel duration, planning a tour to Tibet has become a lot easier!
Citizens of countries that can travel to Tibet visa-free:
Americas (30 days): Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Dominica, Ecuador, Grenada, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay
Europe (30 days unless noted): Albania (90 days), Andorra, Armenia (90 days), Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina (90 days), Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino (90 days), Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan
Asia-Pacific & Pacific Islands: Australia, Brunei, Fiji, Japan, Malaysia (90 days), Maldives, Mauritius (60 days), Mongolia, New Zealand, Samoa, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Thailand, Tonga
Middle East: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates
Citizens of all other countries must apply for a visa before traveling to China.
While citizens of the United States have to apply for Chinese visas, they can enjoy more relaxed requirements. For US citizens only, it is not necessary to submit airline tickets or proof of itinerary, making planning your trip more flexible and the application process easier.
Citizens of the USA and many other countries can now submit their application online for review before visiting the Embassy. Once this review process is complete, you will only need to submit your passport to the Chinese Embassy, making the entire process more streamlined.
Before entering China, all foreigners, with or without a visa, can now submit their entry registration (arrival card) information online. If you won’t complete it online before arrival, you will still be able to use the paper version handed out on your flight to China. Fill it out:
- Online on your laptop
- On your smartphone
- On the NIA 12367 mobile app
- Through mini-programs on WeChat and Alipay
The online arrival card service is free of charge. You should only use official NIA channels and avoid fake websites charging fees.
IF YOU ALREADY HAVE CHINESE VISA
COMING TO TIBET FROM CHINA
- Tourist visa: you only need to send us a copy of your visa and passport in advance. With these documents, we will apply for a Tibet Travel Permit. Details»
- Student visa: in addition to your visa, you need to ask for a letter from the school stating the purpose of your visit and a copy of your student ID card.
- Work visa: in addition to a visa, please prepare a letter from work with details of the purpose of your visit with an official stamp and a copy of your work permit.
- For all other visa types, please contact us for details.
COMING TO TIBET FROM NEPAL
If you are coming to Tibet from Nepal, you must apply for a group visa. Details»
Please, note, that if you already have a regular Chinese visa, your current Chinese visa will be cancelled when you cross the border. If you don’t want to lose your visa, consider traveling to Tibet from China instead. After your tour in Tibet, you can travel to Nepal.
CHINESE VISA APPLICATION
Important! Don’t list Tibet on your travel itinerary when applying for a Chinese visa. It can delay the visa processing time. The embassy might require you to present a Tibet Travel Permit, which is impossible to get without a valid Chinese visa. Simply list any city in China as your travel destination such as Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, etc.
It is absolutely legal to travel to places that you didn’t list in the itinerary in your visa application.
You can apply for a Chinese tourist visa from your home country. You can also do so at most Chinese embassies or consulates based around the world.
Document requirements and the cost of a visa vary depending on the country of your citizenship.
The typical list of required documents for a tourist (L) visa:
- Online application: fill it out in advance and print confirmation
- Passport, valid for at least 6 months
- Copies of passport and previous Chinese visas (if you have any)
- Passport Photo
- Travel documents: flight tickets and hotel reservations (have to match the itinerary listed on your application). This requirement is waived for US citizens applying for Chinese visas in the United States.
CHINESE GROUP VISA FOR TRAVELERS FROM NEPAL
Important! If you already have a Chinese visa and you are entering Tibet from Nepal, you still have to apply for a group visa. We will assist you with the application process.
2024-2025 update:
Starting in 2023, a Chinese group visa is issued to a group of at least 5 travelers. All 5 people have to follow the same itinerary and enter and exit Tibet and China on the same dates.
Group visa allows single entry to China. It is issued on a list of paper and not stamped in your passport. Applications for the group visa are not accepted from individuals by the Chinese Embassy. We will help you to submit your application through our trusted partner in Kathmandu. Please allow at least 3 business days for processing.
The group visa will include personal information on everyone in your group, as well as entry and exit dates. To apply for this visa, you will need to have a visa invitation letter sent by a tour agency located in Tibet. Our office can prepare this for you, helping you secure the paperwork needed for travel.
APPLICATION PROCESS
- Our trusted agent will meet you in Kathmandu.
- You will fill out an application and submit payment for the visa depending on the urgency and country of your citizenship (please refer to price section)
- Once the visa is approved, the agent will pick it up at the Embassy and return your passport and visa to you.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
- Application
- Passport, valid for at least 6 months
- Copies of passport and previous Chinese visas (if you have any)
- Passport Photo
In addition, you will be asked to visit the embassy for a biometric appointment.
PROCESSING TIME
We can submit visa applications from Monday to Friday excluding holidays.
Depending on the urgency, a visa can be issued within 3-5 business days if we apply before 11 am. Please allow at least 3 full working days in Nepal to receive your visa.
CHINESE GROUP VISA FEES
The visa price consists of two parts: the visa fee and the processing fee.
The processing fee is $20-$45 per person depending on the number of travelers in a group.
The visa fee depends on the nationality of the applicant. Please, refer to the table below for processing fees in 2024:
| Nationality | Ordinary Service (5 business days) | Urgent Service (3 business days) | Extreme Urgent (2.5 business days) |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Citizen | 147 | 179 | 205 |
| Canadian Citizen | 96 | 128 | 153 |
| Argentinian Citizen | 65 | 100 | 125 |
| Brazilian Citizen | 140 | 171 | 198 |
| Israeli Citizen | 58 | 90 | 116 |
| Romanian Citizen | 96 | 128 | 153 |
| Panama Citizen | 85 | 118 | 144 |
| Serbian Citizen | 35 | 70 | 95 |
| Uruguay Citizen | 65 | 95 | 115 |
| For Citizens of all other countries | 65 | 100 | 125 |
TIBET TRAVEL PERMIT
The travel permit sometimes is referred to as a “Tibet Visa”, which is not entirely correct. It is not stamped in a passport. This is simply a paper listing the dates of your visit and your itinerary, allowing you to enter Tibet.
Note: Depending on your itinerary and the places you are visiting, you might need an Alien’s Travel Permit and/or some other permits. We will apply for all necessary permits for you.
TTP is issued by the Tibetan Tourism Bureau Travelers cannot apply for the permit, only a local travel agency in Tibet can apply for the permit on visitors’ behalf. The permit will be effective for the time of your trip to the region.
TIBET TRAVEL PERMIT REQUIREMENTS
We will apply for the permit for you. Please provide the following documents:
- Scan or photo of your passport page with the photo
- Scan or photo of your visa
COST AND PROCESSING TIME
The TTP is free. Submitting an application for TTP and mailing it to you (when needed) is included in your tour cost.
It usually takes about 2 weeks to receive the Permit.
HOW TO RECEIVE YOUR TIBET PERMIT
If you are entering Tibet from China:
We will mail a Tibet travel permit for you in this instance. Let us know where you are staying: the name and the address of your hotel, so the paperwork can be sent to the correct location.
Allow at least 2 business days to receive the permit.
You will be able to board the plane or take a train to Tibet only with the permit.
If you are entering Tibet from Nepal
A guide will meet you at the time of your arrival at the airport or at the border crossing if you are traveling overland with all the necessary paperwork.
Can you please forward regular updates to my email address regarding tours to Mt Kailash.
Dear Pausanius,
Thank you for contacting us! Right now, traveling in Tibet is not possible until the situation with coronavirus around the world improves. We will, of course, inform you as soon as we have news and updates on the situation.
Thank you!
Kalsang
How can we contact you? Is these Tibet based Tour operator? Would appreciate if you could drop me the information and travel expense and are we allowed go for city sight seeing alone for sometime.
Can you please give the proper information?
Dear Tobden,
Thank you for contacting us!
We are Tibetan agency based in Lhasa, Tibet. I am Gyaltsen, I was born in Lhasa and still live here.
You can always reach us via email: tours@wondersoftibet.com, leave a message on the website or add us on wechat or whatsApp: +86 158 8909 2907.
Right now Tibet is only open for foreigners living in China, and only residents of provinces with low covid cases in China can travel. As the situation changes quickly, we cannot know when traveling will be possible for visitors from other countries. Hopefully, it will be allowed soon!
Generally, you can spend some time to explore Lhasa on your own but you need a guide to visit the most important places and to travel outside of Lhasa.
The most popular was to explore Tibet is by joining a group tour. Here you can find all our popular group tours with prices:
https://www.wondersoftibet.com/group-tours/
Thank you!
Gyaltsen
Kindly update if Lhasa visit is open for Indian Nationals visiting China for Business tour.
Hello Dear Jatin,
All foreigners can visit Lhasa and central Tibet anytime including Indian citizens, but Indian passport holders need to apply for Chinese Visa first, and then to travel to Tibet, we also need to apply for Tibet travel permit through travel company like us.
We recently had 12 people group from India and they took 10 days Central Tibet tour.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us anytime.
Thank you!