Independent touring is prohibited in Tibet according to the regulations of China. You must take part in an organized group or have a local travel operator to arrange for you. There are two documents required for foreign tourists who want to travel in Tibet. One is the Chinese Visa, which you can apply for at the Chinese Embassy in country of residence. Another is the Alien' s Travel Permit issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau. The Tibet Permit must be obtained beforehand so that you can be allowed to enter Lhasa. Additionally, foreign tourists must stay in a tour group.
How to get the Alien's Travel Permit?
1) Your local travel agency can be your representative to apply for the Permit. But do contact them in advance and give them enough time for paper work. Tibet Permit can be issued two weeks prior to your entry into Tibet.
2) You can get it right from the following offices of Tibet Tourism Bureau. To apply for the Permit, you should provide the copies of your visa, passport and Foreign Residence Permit (if any) by fax or email.
Tibet Autonomous Region Tourism Bureau
Office in Beijing
Add: No. 149 Western Gu Lou Street, Beijing
Tel: (010)—6410 5822
Office in Shanghai
Address: 6/F, LaoJieFu Building, No.233 Nanjing Road(E.), Shanghai 200002, China.
Working Time:
Mon. ~ Fri. 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sat. & Sun. 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM (Please make appointment in advance)
Tel: 86-21-3313 0524, 86-21-6321 1729
Fax: 86-21-6323 1016
Email: ttbshanghai@163.net
Office in Chengdu
Add: No. 10 Northern Renmin Road, Chengdu
Tel: (028)—333 3988
Office in Hong Kong
Add: Building 37, New Time Center No. 393 Xie Fie Dao, Hong Kong
Office in Nepal
Add: Box 01147 Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: 00977—0111 9787
(Source: China Tibet Information Center)
(China.org.cn February 28, 2007)