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Getting a Tibet travel permit is easy and very convenient for all International Visitors to Tibet.
When you travel from other China regions to Tibet, you will need to have the Tibet travel permit in your hand. This post will share how you will be getting a Tibet travel permit on the last lap of your journey to Lhasa.
Before you proceed reading this post. I would like to state, entire China is close for International tourist. We will update this post once when the our nation opens up after the pandemic.
This post is not related to those coming to Tibet from Nepal. So you can skip this post.
It is essential to know about other aspects of the permit before going deep into the topic.
Tibet Travel Permit
The Tibet travel permit is an additional travel document you will need to get after your passport and Chinese Visa. As the name states, It is a permit issued by a local authority for you to visit Tibet.
It is solely issued in Lhasa by the Tibet tourism development committee. You will not get it anywhere else. Not at Chinese Embassies or authorities in other parts of China.
They will only finish the permit process within a week of your arrival in Lhasa. Hence we will have just a limited amount of days to send it to you.
Read More about this Travel Document here.
Tibet Travel Regulation
Tibet’s special status lead to its travel policy called Tibet travel regulation.
This regulation’s main point is that all international visitors have to organise tours with a local travel agency in Lhasa. This local travel agency has arranged tour services, including a tour guide, a private vehicle for the tour, and the Tibet entrance permit.
Now we will get back to the main point of getting a Tibet travel permit.
Since permit policy differs based on transportation mode to Tibet. We have broken down the topic into transportation mode for a clearer understanding.
Getting the permit for those taking Flight to Lhasa
Before you broad flight bound for Lhasa, they will check for your Original copy of your permit. With it, you will not be allowed to fly to Lhasa.
Hence following are options to get the permit.
Send permits to your hotel in a transiting city in China.
If you intend to stay a night in a hotel during your flight transition in any Chinese City, we can send the permit to that hotel.
You will have to send us the hotels address in both mandarin and English, their phone number, and your hotel booking number. It is highly recommended to let the hotel know that you are expecting a parcel from Lhasa.
Please, don’t forget to get it when checking in.
Airport delivery of the permit
We can arrange an agent to deliver the Tibet travel permit to Chengdu Airports. If you don’t want to stay overnight in a hotel during the transition. Hence, It is recommended to choose Chengdu as your transition city.
The delivery agent will meet you as you arrive at the airport. You will find her holding your name as you walk from arrival.
In case if you miss her. It is recommended to send us your phone number and massaging App (preferably WeChat) details. So she can contact you easily.
Getting the permit for those taking train to Lhasa
When you take the train to Lhasa, they will check your Tibet travel permit twice. One at the Departure and the other on arrival to Lhasa.
Here, there is no requirement for the original permit. A photocopy of the permit will be good to get you to Lhasa. Therefore we will send a scanned image of the permit through email.
Since the permit will be available only on the last week before you arrive in Lhasa, you will most likely receive the permit by email after arriving in China. Therefore please make sure your email works in China. Many outside email providers don’t work in China like Gmail.
Once when you have the permit in your inbox, you can ask your hotel reception or hostel to print it out for you.
Permit situation for Chongqing to Lhasa train journey
For those taking a train journey from Chongqing to Lhasa, the permit situation is a little different. Here you will need the original permit at the Chongqing train station. Without it, they don’t allow you to get on the train.
So, we will have to send the original copy to your hotel in Chongqing. Therefore, we will need your hotel address, phone number and your hotel booking number.
Permit for the overland journey to Tibet
Besides train and flight, you are not allowed to take any public transportations to Tibet. Yet, if you arrange a private vehicle and tour guide with us to travel overland or a Tour guide with your RV to Tibet. Travelling overland to and from Lhasa is possible.
Your tour guide will meet you with the Tibet travel permit at the TAR border or the departing city like Chengdu or Kashgar.
Conclusion
With the above information on Tibet travel permit, I hope it will make it easier for all travelling to Tibet. If you have any questions about travelling to Tibet, please feel free to write to me any time. My email address is [email protected].
If you plan to travel to Tibet, I-Tibet travel is a local travel agency I co-own with my friends. Please let us help make your dream trip to Tibet into a reality.
I would also like to encourage you to visit lamamanitours.com, The travel blog and the website by a Tibetan women tour guide and tour operators in Lhasa. She had a great post on the Tibet travel guide and this exact topic.
Finally, Getting Tibet travel permit possible for anyone planning to travel to Tibet. We welcome you to Tibet, the Shambhala of the world.
