Here are some of your probable questions and our answers regarding the present visa rule of Tibet.

Your question: Can I travel to Tibet from Nepal with an Individual Chinese visa??
Our answer: If you are planning to travel in Tibet via Nepal, an individual Chinese visa is not valid. The Chinese army will not allow you to enter in Tibet with an individual Chinese visa.

Your question: What type of visa should I obtain to travel in Tibet? Where can I get it?
Our answer: The Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu issues a different type of visa that is called “Tibet group visa” which is valid in Tibet. The Tibet group visa will be given in a different paper sheet. The Embassy doesn’t put visa stamp on your Passport.

Your question: Can I apply the Tibet group visa by myself??
Our answer: No! Tourists are not allowed to apply the Tibet group visa directly. So, you have to take help of Tibet tour operator / agency. First, you have to book a package tour with an agency and the same agency will apply Tibet group visa for you.

Your question: Do I have to go to the Embassy while applying the Tibet group visa??
Our answer: No! Your presence in the Chinese Embassy is not required. Your Tibet tour organizer / agency can apply it on your behalf.

Your question: How long the visa process takes?
Our answer: The visa process doesn’t take several days. It can be applied and collected within a day too but the Embassy will charge rush fee to issue the visa on same day. If you would like to avoid the rush fee, you have to apply a week (5 working days) in advance. This is a normal process.

Your question: What documents do I have to submit while applying the visa??
Our answer: Your original Passport is the most essential document that is required with visa application. Apart from this, you need to fill out “the Visa Application Form” and duly sign it. Also, you need to submit one Passport size photo with Visa form. Photo must be very simple, if you have wore sunglasses and hat in the photo that is not valid one.

Your question: Can I process the visa application with Photocopy of the Passport??
Our answer: Absolutely not! The Embassy directly refuses the visa application without original Passport.

Your question: Can I apply the visa in advance?? How long in advance I /you can process the visa application?
Our answer: We can apply the visa only one week (5 working days) in advance. We can’t apply the visa earlier than one week. But, if there is Chinese festival OR Chinese official holiday (within a week time), they accept the visa earlier than one week too.

Your question: Can I travel in Tibet only with Tibet group visa??
Our answer: No! You are not allowed to travel in Tibet only with Tibet group visa. You must take a complete tour package through a tour operator. The tour package should include a tour guide (for the entire journey), a private transport (Land Cruiser or Van) and all necessary travel permits.

Your question: I want to travel in the group to keep the tour cost lower, but after Lhasa I would like to travel on my own.  Is it possible??
Our answer: Yes! This is possible! We can manage a separate group visa for you and you can still travel in the group up to Lhasa. From Lhasa you can simply split with the group and travel to mainland China or fly out from Lhasa to mainland China or Kathmandu.

Your question: After finishing tour in Lhasa, can I split with my group and travel in Tibet on my own?
Our answer: After finishing tour in Lhasa, you can split with your group and travel on your own but AT PRESENT YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TRAVEL IN TIBET INDEPENDENTLY. This means, after splitting with your group, you should either fly out from Lhasa (to Kathmandu OR mainland China) OR take a train ride to mainland China.

If you are leaving Lhasa by flight, we have to submit the copy of your flight ticket while applying travel permits for you. If you are leaving Lhasa and travel to mainland China by Train, also we have to submit the copy of your Train ticket. The Chinese officials would like to make sure that you are not remaining in Lhasa illegally after splitting with group.

Your question: After finishing tour, can I stay in Lhasa for a couple of days on my own?
Our answer: This is possible! You can remain in Lhasa for a couple of days. But, you can’t go inside any Monastery / Palaces OR monuments. Without a guide, you can enter in Palaces OR Monastery.

Your question: Can I Travel in mainland China with Tibet group visa??
Our answer: Yes! The Tibet group visa is valid in mainland China too. After finishing tour in Tibet, you can travel to mainland China with the same group visa.

Your question: What is the longest possible Tibet group visa can I get from the Chinese Embassy??
Our answer: The longest Tibet group visa that can be arranged from the Embassy is for 28 days only. This means, even you book an 8 days OR 10 days, we can still provide a visa that will be valid for 28 days. After Tibet, the same visa can be used in China.

Your question: Once the Tibet group visa is expired in Mainland China, can I extend it?
Our answer: No! The Chinese government won’t extend it.

Your question: If the Tibet group visa is not extendable, can I obtain an individual Chinese visa in mainland China?
Our answer: No! Normally, it is not possible to obtain an individual Chinese visa in mainland China. But, you can try your luck anyway. If you apply through the local Chinese agency, some times it may work. Most of the time, it doesn’t work.

Your question: What is the Tibet group visa fee??
Our answer: Please check the chart.

Your question: Can you apply the Tibet group visa in Chinese Embassy (Kathmandu) everyday??
Our answer: No! Not everyday. We can apply the visa only on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Working time table of the Chinese Embassy visa section in Kathmandu:

The visa section of the Embassy opens only on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The Embassy accepts the visa application form only in the morning time. In the evening time, they distribute the visa.