How to Apply Tibet Permit with a Z Visa
The Z visa is mainly for foreigners who work in China. When applying for a Tibet Permit, Tourists holding a Z visa are required to provide a work certificate in addition to providing a passport and a scanned copy of the visa (a scanned copy of the residence permit should be provided after the replacement of the residence permit), as well as a work certificate from the working place in China with the name and other information of the applicant.
Tips for Z visa application:
I. Required documents:
Passport: Original passport valid for more than 6 months with a blank visa page and a copy of the information page.
A visa application form and a passport photo: People's Republic of China Visa Application Form with a recent white-background passport-sized photo glued to it.
Invitation letters issued by relevant units or individuals in China. The invitation letter should contain the following information:
Applicants need to submit one of the following work permits obtained through their employers in China:
a. Foreigner’s Work Permit issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security/State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs of the PRC. If the Permit is less than 90 days, a Foreigners Short-term Work Certificate is also required and the applicant need to apply for Z visa before the certificate dues.
b. Registration Certificate of Resident Representative Offices of enterprises of foreign countries (regions) issued by Chinese authorities of industrial and commercial administration.
The Commercial Art Performance Approval issued by the Cultural Administrative Department (applicable only to applicants who come to China for commercial performances) and the Foreigner's Short-term Work Certificate in China – the applicants are also required to apply for Z visa before the Short-term Work Certificate dues.
d. An approval document for commercial performances issued by the Chinese government authorities for cultural affairs.
e. Invitation Letter to Foreigners for Offshore Petroleum Operations issued by National Offshore Oil Corporation. Within 30 days after entry to China, holders must apply for Residence Permit to the Exit and Entry Management Department of the public security bureau of the local People's Government of or above the county level, unless the visa is marked as “30 days stay after entry”.
II. Tibet Permit application procedure with Z Visa
Foreign travelers entering Tibet must be organized tours with a reception unit and a confirmed travel itinerary. Tibet Permit is also required as a must entry pass issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) to board the flight or Tibet train. Overseas Chinese and Taiwan residents need to get the Tibet Permit in the same way as for the international tourists. For residents of Hong Kong and Macau, there is no need to apply for the Tibet Permit. All you need to take is your HK/Macau SAR passport and Home Return Permit.
Step 1: Confirm with us about your travel time, travel itinerary, hotel reservation and other related details.
Step 2: Email us a scanned copy of your passport, your visa, and the invitation letter 25-30 days in advance.
Step 3: After confirming the tour group information, we will submit the documents to the Tourism Bureau to apply for your Tibet Permit. Usually the Tibet Permit will be issued 7 days before your Tibet trip starts. If you are taking a domestic flight in mainland China to Tibet, we will deliver the original Permit to the you. If you are going to take a train, we will send the scanned copy to you and you can just print it out. (the train passengers only need to take a copy of Tibet permit to board the train).
III. Who needs to apply for Tibet Permit?
1. Non-Chinese citizen ID card holder/Taiwan residents
2. Non-Chinese Passport Holder - Foreign Passport Holder
3. Overseas Chinese (Chinese with foreign passports) also need to apply for Tibet Permit
Note: Government officials, diplomats and journalists have to apply for the Tibet Permit through the Tibet Foreign Affairs Office and arrange receptions.
In addition to the Tibet Permit, other documents are required for travel to Tibet:
a. Frontier Pass
The frontier pass is the abbreviation of the “Border Security Pass”. If your itinerary includes border areas such as Medog, Zhangmu, Yadong, Dingri (Everest), Shiquan River in Ngari, Pulan, etc. you need to apply for a Frontier Pass in accordance with the Chinese law.
Domestic tourists are recommended to apply for a Frontier Pass at the police station where your household registration is located. Unless you prefer a Frontier Pass with Tibetan language on it for commemoration, you will have to apply for it in Lhasa. Other places such as Shigatse and Nyingchi can also be done, but they are more troublesome.
If you want to apply for a Frontier Pass in Lhasa, an easy way is to have a travel agency to handle it. Otherwise, you will start a complicated set of procedures.
For foreign tourists: Frontier Pass is generally arranged by the travel agency.
b. Alien’s Travel Permit
A Tibet Permit is good enough to visit Lhasa, Namtso, and Shigatse. But if you want to visit Nyingchi, Shannan, Changdu and other areas, you will need to apply for a Alien's Travel Permit. This permit can be applied by a travel agency with the application for your Tibet Permit. Note: Only foreign travelers and Taiwan residents need to apply for an Alien’s Travel Permit. Mainland and HK/Macau tourists do not need to apply for it.
c. Military Entry Permit
If you are going to Pomi, Ranwu, Ngari and other unopened areas on the border, you also need to apply for a Military Entry Permit.
