Passport & Visa Information

What passport and visa do I need to visit Tibet?

Passports
It is a requirement of both the Chinese & Nepalese Governments that British visitors possess a valid 10 year passport and that the passport has at least 6 months validity from the date of your entry into China/Tibet or Nepal. Please check that your passport complies with this decree well in advance of travel.

Visas - if travelling from China
The Chinese government requires British passport holders to have both a Tibet Entry Permit and a Chinese visa to enter Tibet. If your journey to Tibet originates in China then you will need to get a China visa before travelling. 

The Tibet Entry Permit can only be secured once we have a scanned copy of your China visa, so it is important that you apply for your China visa at the earliest possible moment. We recommend applying 3 months in advance of your arrival date in China, and we will provide you with the necessary documents to support your visa application at that stage.

Most British passport holders are now eligible for a multiple-entry 2 year visa, but as this is not always guaranteed we always recommend you apply for your visa within 3 months of your arrival in China, but at least 1 month in advance in order to avoid any complications. Visa costs are £85 per person, plus an administration charge of £66 - £90, depending on whether you apply in person or by post.

Visas are processed by the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre which has offices in London, Manchester and Edinburgh. Please see their website for detailed instructions and up to date information on the costs: visaforchina.org.

Please bear in mind that the visa will require a full page of your passport and you will need another page free for the entry and exit stamps.

As of December 2018, the Visa Centre have put in place a new rule that everyone aged between 14 and 70 must submit their application in person at the Visa Centre to have their fingerprints taken.

Visas - if travelling from Nepal
To access Tibet from Nepal the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu must issue your Chinese visa. China visas issued by other Chinese embassies are not valid for entry to Tibet from Nepal.

Applications take 3 full working days to process, and you will be issued with a special Chinese visa which is also valid for travel into Tibet. Our local representatives in Kathmandu will take care of the application for you, and the fees are approximately US$85 per person for UK passport holders. Upon arrival in Kathmandu you will be required to complete a visa application form and provide one passport sized photo, as well as the visa fee in US$ cash.

An entry visa for Nepal is also required, which can be obtained at the airport on arrival in Nepal, or in advance from your local embassy. The cost of a visa on arrival is currently US$30-50, depending on length of stay.