What the Tibet Travel Permit is for
The Tibet Travel Permit is the entry document required for foreign travellers — including foreign nationals, overseas Chinese, and in some cases visitors from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan — to travel in Tibet. It is applied for on the traveller's behalf by a local travel service in Tibet; travellers cannot apply for it themselves. If an itinerary also enters certain border areas, a separate border pass (Alien's Travel Permit) is required.
Who usually needs one
- Travellers holding a foreign passport need a Tibet Travel Permit before entering Tibet.
- Travellers holding Taiwan-related documents need a Tibet entry approval letter.
- Travellers holding Hong Kong or Macao documents can usually enter Tibet with valid documents, but still need a border pass for certain border areas.
- Travellers holding a mainland Chinese ID card generally do not need a Tibet Travel Permit, but do need a border pass for border areas.
Permit versus border pass
The Tibet Travel Permit answers "can I enter Tibet". It is usually declared together with the itinerary, accommodation and vehicle arrangements, and the receiving party handles it on arrival. The border pass answers "can I go to border areas" such as the Everest base camp direction, Ngari, Yadong and Zhangmu. The two cover different scopes, and itineraries that touch border areas usually need both.
Prerequisites
Applying usually requires confirmed entry and exit dates, a route, and reception arrangements. Submit after the itinerary is settled and allow enough processing time. During peak season and public holidays volumes are high and processing may take longer, so submit early.
