Documents Needed to Get into Tibet from Nepal

Tourists can enter Tibet from mainland China or from Nepal. However, the documents required are different. In this post, I'm going to talk about entering Tibet from Nepal.

Documents Required to Enter Tibet from Nepal

To enter Tibet from Nepal, 3 documents are required: a Tibet travel permit (some people also call it a Tibet visa), an invitation letter, and a Chinese visa issued by the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu.

In this case, the Chinese visa is a Group Visa issued by the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu. Any type of Chinese visa obtained in other places other than Nepal would be invalid. Therefore, if you intend to enter Tibet via Nepal, do not try to apply for a visa for China in your own country, just apply for it in Kathmandu.

The Tibet Permit and Invitation Letter are issued by the Tibet Tourism Bureau. With the invitation letter you can apply for the Chinese group visa in Kathmandu, while with the travel permit, your travel agency can pick you up for entry at the Lhasa airport.

Mount EverestMount Everest

Please Note:

- Tibet is a special region. While it is easy to get a Tibet group visa for regular passport holders, it can be hard and uncertain to get a visa for diplomats, journalists, government officials and expatriates who should contact the Political and News Section of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Nepal. Tel: 00977-1-4416485. Fax: 00977-1-4414045.

- Currently, the only way to get to Tibet from Nepal is by flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa. Zhangmu, the gateway between Tibet and Nepal, has been cut off.

Other Related Questions

1. Can I Apply for the Tibet Travel Permit or the Group Visa by Myself?

No, you can't apply for the Tibet travel permit by yourself (the same case with entering Tibet from mainland China). Tourists are not allowed to apply for a permit and visa directly. You have to book a tour with a qualified travel agency that can get the invitation letter and permit and apply for the visa for you. If you need to book a tailor-made Nepal & Tibet tour and apply for a visa or have any questions, you can write to odyssey@tangdynastytours.com and let me know.

2. If I Entrust a Travel Agency to Arrange for Me, Do I Need to Go in Person when Applying? What Documents Will I Need to Provide?

No. When your travel agency applies for the visa on your behalf, you're not required to be present.

The documents you will need to provide:- A scanned copy of your passport information and photo page to get the Tibet travel permit and invitation letter before your departure. -Upon arrival in Kathmandu, you will need to provide your original passport and entrust your travel agency to submit the application for you. Though it's possible to apply for a visa for you with a copy of your passport, there is a risk of being denied.

3. How Long Does it Take to Get the Tibet Travel Permit and Group Visa?

It takes some 2-3 working days to get the Tibet travel permit and invitation letter. The visa can be obtained on the next working day. Please note that the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu only works on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. So this requires at least 2 nights' stay in Kathmandu (on working days).

4. What's the Validity and Duration of Stay?

The visa is valid only for the length of the trip you have booked with the travel agency and can not be extended. You have to enter and leave China in a specific period of time, which will be stated in the Invitation Letter according to your tour itinerary and normally no more than 28 days.

5. Do I Have to Travel in a Group to Get the Group Visa?

No, you needn't. It is possible to get a group visa with just your name on it (the cost might be higher though). But if you're using the group visa with others, you will need to enter and exit with other group members together at the same place, because the group visa is not issued on your passport but on a separate paper that lists all the names of the group members along with nationalities, birth dates and passport numbers. So, if you want to split with your tour members to visit other parts of China after the Tibet tour, you can get a separate group visa for yourself only.

6. What's the Cost of the Group Visa?

The visa fee varied according to nationalities. For American Passport holders, currently (2014) the Group Visa fee charged by the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu is USD175 per person. Please note that the visa fee is subject to change. Additional fees might be charged by your travel agency.

7. I Would Like to Continue Traveling to Other Parts of China after Tibet, Would This be Possible?

Yes, the group visa is valid in mainland China too. After finishing your Tibet tour, you can travel to mainland China with the same group visa. However, you will need to provide a copy of your flight/train ticket departing Tibet for the travel agency to apply for the travel permit for you. Meanwhile, your duration of stay in Tibet and China will be stated in the Invitation Letter to make sure you will not stay illegally in Tibet.

8. Can I Get a Nepal Visa on Arrival?

Tourist Visa is available on arrival for citizens of most countries at the designated land borders of Nepal. For more details, check out the Nepal visa page.

Do you have any questions about Nepal or Tibet travel? Welcome to ask me. If you find this article helpful to you, share it with others!

What Our Clients Say About Us

"Trip of A Lifetime"  "Awesome Itinerary"  "Great Value"  "Highly Recommended"
Travel expert

CONTACT A TRAVEL EXPERT

1-to-1 Service | Reply within 24hrs | Expert's Advice

Posts Update

SUBSCRIBE TO WIN A FREE TOUR

Subscribe to our newsletter for a chance to win a free 7-day Morocco tour! And more insider travel news, exclusive offers, and inspiration will be sent straight to your inbox.

Subscribe
We respect your privacy. You could unsubscribe at any time.
Top