Tibet Permit
There are two main documents required for foreign tourists who want to travel in Tibet.
1.Chinese Visa
Firstly, please be noted that Chinese visa and Tibet permit is two things totally different. To enter Tibet, or any part of China excepting Hong Kong and Macao, a Chinese visa is necessary. It may be best to obtain it before leaving your home country unless you are taking a package tour to enter Tibet overland from Nepal. The first rule when applying for a visa as an independent traveler is to expect that you will be refused a visa if you mention plans to visit Tibet. There is a trick that when you apply for the Chinese visa, you can't tell the officer that you have the plan for traveling to Tibet; you can only inform them you want to travel to somewhere else of China. Or else the application would become complicated and arduous.
2.Tibet Permit
Tibet permt is an official document issued for the protection of Tibetan tradition, Tibetan cultural heritage, and environment as the short of transportation condition and reception capacity. It is not a Visa, but gets similar function of a Visa. It is issued to foreigner travelers (Except the diplomats, journalists, government officials, Taiwanese, and overseas) who traveling in Tibet. There are 3 kinds of permits, Tibet Entry Permit (TTB permit), Tibet Travel Permit (PSB permit) and Military Permit. You will require getting different permits when you go to different areas. Exactly speaking, you just need to TTB if you just stay at Lhasa, but you will need the PSB if you will go further to Shigatse, EBC, Nyingchi, etc.
(1)Tibet Entry Permit (TTB)
It is also called TTB permit, issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau. You need it to help you enter Tibet. When you fly or take a train from any city to Lhasa you will need to show this permit when you check in at. Furthermore, whenever you buy a flight or train ticket to Lhasa you need to show this permit. TTB permits are also needed by groups traveling by Land Cruiser but this will be arranged by the travel agency organizing the trip.
(2)Alien's Travel Permit (PSB)
It is also called PSB Permit, it is issued by People's Security Bureau. If you want to go further to the "unopened" areas, you will need an Alien's travel permit issued by PSB of Tibet. As for the updated restrictions, he must apply the PSB through the same agency who had helped him to arrange the TTB if one would like to apply the PSB to go further to the unopened area.
We can only arrange your Tibet Travel Permit (Aliens' Travel Permit) after you arrive in Lhasa, because we need your original passport and China visa to arrange it. Please hand your original passport and visa to your guide upon your arrival.
There is a short list of unopened areas up to now:
(1). Shannan: Samye Monastery, Tomb of Tibetan King, Trandruk Monastery, Yumbulakhang
(2). Shigatse: Sakya Monastery, the Mt. Everest, Rongphu Monastery.
(3). Gyangtse: Pelkor Chode Monastery & Kubum Stupa
(4). Ngari Region: such as Mt.Kailash, Lake Manasarovar, Tsaparang, Ali, ect.
(5). Nyingchi Region: Such as Basum-tso, Pomi, Rawo-tso, ect.
(6). Chamdo Region: Such as Chamdo, Riwoche, Tengchen, ect.
(3) Military Permit
It is issued by military affairs office. You need it to pass the check-in when you travel to un-open area such as Mt. Kailash area.
All kinds of people can get Tibet permit through a travel agency except diplomats, journalists, and government officials who should travel to Tibet under the arrangement by the Foreign Affairs Office of Tibet Government.
Applying permits
At the time you book the tour with us with all your personal information and necessary documents, we need 2 to 3 working day to arrange your Tibet Entry permits well and one or two more days to send it to your last stop before you enter Tibet. In peak season, especially, August, September, it costs you more days.
Please download the application form and fill in the application form of your personal information and then E-mail it to us at Fax it to us at +86-010-51938552 as well as the required documents (Copy or photocopy of your Visa and the front page of passport).
Notice
1. Generally it takes three days to get the Tibet permit if you could supply the full necessary documents. After having a permit, a travel agency could buy you the air tickets, and you can pass the check-in at the airport.
2. The following details of the travelers are required for Permit: name, nationality, passport number, sex, date of birth and occupation.
3. If you do not book any tour (Like Land cruiser with driver, guide ) from us, we can not help you get the permits. No travel agency can provide "permit-only" service.
4. Only the guide could hold the permit after you are in Tibet. You are not allowed to bring it and travel to anywhere you want because except Lhasa you need another permit named as "Alients Travel Permit". Otherwise if you are stopped by the police you will be sent out of Tibet or have trouble politically and economically. Furthermore, the travel agency which helped you to get the permit will also be in trouble.
5. If you are coming to Lhasa from Kathmandu, you'd better get China visa from Kathmandu because no matter you've already got the visa in your country or not, you must get a visa in Kathmandu, which is regulated in an official memo between China and Nepal.
6. If the Tibet authority refuses to issue the Tibet entry permit because of tourists themselves' reasons, we won't be responsible for it.
|
