FAQ: Travel Document

1. What documents do I need if I am planning to travel to Tibet?
2. Do I need Visa for China?
3. What should I be aware of when apply for the China Visa?
4. How can I get China visa in Hong Kong?
5. Do I need double/multi-entry visa if I come to Tibet from China mainland and return China mainland after the trip?
6. If I travel via Nepal to Tibet, are there any special requirements on China visa?
7. What’s the procedure to get China visa in Katmandu?
8. What is Tibet Travel Permit?
9. What do I need to do to obtain the Tibet Travel Permit?
10. Can I get the Tibet Travel Permit easily?
11. When do I need to apply for the Tibet travel Permit?
12. With this Tibet Travel Permit, where can I go in Tibet?
13. How can you send the Permit to me, or how can I receive it?

ATT Answers:

1. What documents do I need if I am planning to travel to Tibet?

You need to have a valid passport, a valid China visa and a Tibet travel permit (sometimes people call it Entry permit or TTB, or Tibet visa).

2. Do I need Visa for China?

All visitors traveling to mainland China, whether for business or pleasure, require a visa. No Visa is required prior to enter Hong Kong, a Visa will be issued upon arrival. If you travel beyond Hong Kong, even for a few hours, you will need a China visa to enter China.

3. What should I be aware of when apply for the China Visa?

Access Tibet Tour recommends that you obtain your visa before leaving the country where you live. When you are applying for the China visa, ATT advises you try not to mention Tibet or to write anything about Tibet on the application form. It is advisable to refer to other places in China like Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, etc. otherwise, visa officer may reject your application and you won’t get the visa to China.

4. How can I get China visa in Hong Kong?

It is usually very easy to apply for a China visa in Hong Kong. You can get a visa yourself at:

Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China

5th Floor, Lower Block
26 Harbor Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
Tel: ++852-25851657 OR ++852-25851680 OR ++852-25851794

Please Note:

1) You need to go there Monday to Friday during business hours.
2) 'Fast Process' means: the visa should be processed the same day.

Requirements to obtain a Visa in Hong Kong

A. One recent passport photo.
B. Passport which needs to be valid at least more than 3 months.
C. Call the office before your visit.
D. China Tourist and Business (F) Visa can be obtained easily in Hong Kong. It can be obtained with the help of a travel agent but at least 3 full working days should be allowed for this procedure.

5. Do I need double/multi-entry visa if I come to Tibet from China mainland and return China mainland after the trip?

No, because Tibet is a part of China, if enter Tibet from other cities in China mainland and after the trip in Tibet, get back to China mainland again, only a single entry visa is required.

For example:

BeijingàTibetàShanghai

For this, a single entry visa is okay.

6. If I travel via Nepal to Tibet, are there any special requirements on China visa?

Before you are coming to Lhasa from Katmandu, you must get China visa from Katmandu because no matter you've already got the visa in your country or not, you must get a visa in Katmandu, which is regulated in an official memo between China and Nepal. The fastest way is that we send the Invitation Letter to Katmandu at least one day prior to your arrival in Katmandu, then you can apply for China Visa in the second day easily, which will cost around 1-2 days. Chinese Visa fees: US$ 50.00 payable in cash upon arrival in Katmandu [US$ 70.00 for US Citizens].

The Chinese embassy in Katmandu only opens for visa application on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00am to 11:30am. The application will take at least one working day, please confirm your schedule to fit the visa application.

7. What’s the procedure to get China visa in Katmandu?

Step 1: After you book the tour from us, provide me your copy passport information and copies of your passport

Step 2: We will apply the ‘Visa Invitation Letter’ from Tibet Tourism Bureau, after we get, we will fax it to our Nepal business partner before you arrive in Katmandu

Step 3: After your arrival in Katmandu, our Nepal business partner will try to find you in your hotel, then go to the Chinese Embassy together to apply the Chinese Visa. With the ‘Visa Invitation Letter’, you can get your Chinese Visa very easily.

8. What is Tibet Travel Permit?

Tibet Travel Permit is the official document that allow foreign traveler to enter Tibet. It is granted by the Tibet Tourism Bureau. Tibet Travel Permit sometimes is also called Tibet Entry Permit or TTB permit.

>>> More about Tibet travel permit

9. What do I need to do to obtain the Tibet Travel Permit?

You need provide us with the high quality scanned copies of your passport and China visa, and the following information as well. Then we can hold these things to help you get the Tibet Travel Permit.

1) Full name
2) Gender
3) Date of birth
4) Passport number
5) Nationality

10. Can I get the Tibet Travel Permit easily?

Travelers can get the Tibet Travel Permit easily 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.

11. When do I need to apply for the Tibet travel Permit?

You need to apply for the travel permit at least 10 days prior to your entry date, which means you should prepare all the information and documents in hand before this period of time.

12. With this Tibet Travel Permit, where can I go in Tibet?

Tibet Travel Permit (or TTB) only endorses you to enter Tibet, to stay in Lhasa area and two another major towns of Tibet like Gyantse and Shigatse. If you are planning to travel beyond and farther, you are required to prepare the PSB Permit for which Access Tibet Tour could help you to apply.

13. How can you send the Permit to me, or how can I receive it?

a. If your last stop before entering Tibet is in China mainland, we can mail express the travel permit to the place you will be staying, e.g. your home address, postal code if you work and live in China, or the hotel name, address, postal code if you are travel in China. You will be receiving an EMS (Express Mail Service) envelope in which the permit is put.

b. If you only have a flight connection in one certain city, we have some one come to the airport to pass you the permit in person.

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FAQ: Travel Document

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