- China Visa
A tourist visa, is marked with "L" in the many kinds of Chinese visas. Visa L is characterized by a short duration of stay, usually 30 days, no more than 90 days, and could not be extended upon expiration.

Group visa, another kind of tourist visa, is applied by foreigner traveling in tour groups. Group visa is not issued on the passports, but on a separate paper, which requires the group members enter and exit the Chinese border together.

From Nov. 15th 2000, aliens traveling to Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions(SAR) in tour groups organized by travel agencies registered in the above-mentioned SARs are exempted from visa requirements for a period of not exceeding 6 days when entering into the following Chinese mainland cities: Guangzhong, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jinangmen, Zhaoqing, Huizhou,etc. The premise is that the traveler shall have the citizenship of a country having diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China and carrying an ordinary passport.

Note: If you are coming to Lhasa from Kathmandu, you'd better get China visa from Kathmandu because whether you've already got the visa in your country or not, you must get a visa in Kathmandu, which is regulated in an official memo between China and Nepal.

- Tibet Permits
Due to Tibet's unique ethnic traditions, cultural heritage, tourist service facilities, reception capacity, ecological environmental protection needs, as well as the traffic situation, the National Tourism Administration prescribe that foreign tourists, Taiwan and overseas Chinese tourists (except Hong Kong, Macao residents who hold Chinese passports or return certificates) have to arrange the Tibet Permit to Tibet otherwise they may have a great trouble. At the same time, all the people can get Tibet permit through a travel agency except diplomats, journalists, and government officials who have to travel to Tibet under the arrangement of the Tibet Foreign Affairs Office.

First bear in mind that there are overall four documents required for foreign tourists who want to travel freely in Tibet£º
- One is the Chinese Visa, which you can apply in the Chinese Embassy in your country (When you want to go to Tibet via the mainland of China).
- One is Tibet Tourism Bureau Permit (TTB), which you have to obtain in order to enter into Tibet by plane or train.
- One is the Alien Travel Permit (PSB) when you are planning to travel to the 'unopened' areas of Tibet.
- The other is the Military Permit, which you have to obtain if you are planning to travel to some military sensitive areas in Tibet.

. Passport
All individuals enter into Tibet must hold a passport which is valid for at least six months.

. Chinese Visa
1. Enter into Tibet via the Mainland of China
Tibet is one part of China, which is under the control of the Chinese Central Government. Thus traveling to Tibet, you have to obtain a Chinese Visa at first stage before all the things which are followed up. Visas for individual travel of China are very easy to get from most of the Chinese embassies. Generally speaking, most of the Chinese embassies and consulates will issue a standard 30-day, single entry tourist visa in three or five working days (an 'L' means travel). If you are lucky, some embassies abroad may give you a 60 or even 90 days. But in Hong Kong it is very easy to get 90 days visas, most of agencies can arrange it in one day. If you want more flexibility to enter and leave China, most Chinese embassies can issue a double-entry visa for you. Usually only ' L' visa can travel in Tibet, but recently with a resident or business visa you still can travel in Tibet.

2. Enter into Tibet through Nepal
If you enter into Tibet from Kathmandu, Nepal, you are required to obtain a Chinese visa in the consulate of P.R China in Kathmandu. The opening time for the Consulate of P.R China in Kathmandu is only available from 9:30am-11:00am on every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Despite you have already had a Chinese visa in your country otherwise you have to arrange it in Nepal for that it is regulated by the border treaty signed between Nepal and China.

The Chinese visa you get in Kathmandu is a "group visa". A "group visa" is not entered in travelers' passports but is a separate sheet of paper issued in duplicate by the Chinese consulate in Katmandu, listing all members of the group. It usually allows a stay of 15 or 20 days in China. A "group Visa" may be many number of travelers, and may be just one single. One or more travelers enter into Tibet together with others may have their own separate group visa so that they are able to separate from others. Obtaining a group visa requires at least two clear days in Katmandu.

Note:
1) When you apply for the Chinese visa, we suggest you not to mention the place of Tibet in your application in case the application become complicated and arduous.
2) When entering into China, it is best to have a visa covering the expected duration of your stay for that getting extension in China will involve delay and many other difficulties.
3) You need to apply for a double or multiple entry visas when you need to leave and re-enter into mainland of China. Please note that, even when you leave for Hong Kong or Macao from mainland of China, you still need to have a double or multiple entry visas.
4) If you enter into Tibet via Nepal, it's better not to apply for any individual Chinese  visa in your country. Because when you arrive at Kathmandu, you need to join a group to Tibet with a group visa, the Chinese embassy will cancel your former individual china visa. At the same time, it is very difficult to get an individual china visa back or the group visa extension if you still want to travel to other places in China after Tibet, usually the PSB in China will ask you to leave China before the group visa expires. 

Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) Permit
Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) Permit is necessary for enter into Lhasa or any other parts of the Tibetan Autonomous Region, and are obtained through tour operators as part of arrangements for traveling in Tibet. When you take a flight or train to Lhasa you will need to show this permit during the process of check-in. Furthermore, TTB permits are also needed by groups traveling by Landcruiser but this will be arranged by the travel agency organizing the trip.Right is one picture of the Tibet Tourism Bureau Permit:

Important Issues About Tibet Travel Permit
1.After having a permit, a travel agency could buy the air tickets for you, and you can pass the check-in at the airport and get on board of your plane.
2.You are not allowed to bring along with the TTB permit and travel to anywhere outside of Lhasa city for that go out of Lhasa area,you need to arrange another permit named as "Aliens' Permit".
3.Generally it needs three working days to get the TTB permit if you supply the full necessary documents in time.

Aliens' Travel Permits (PSB's)
Alliens' Travel Permit is required to visit 'unopened' areas. Which is issued by the police (Public Security Bureau, "PSB"). Usually you can apply for it once you arrive at Lhasa. For tour groups,our guide will ask you for the passport and TTB permit and submit it to the Foreign Affairs Section of PSB for the Travel Permit. It normally takes several hours and the costs is 50 CNY/person. For the individual traveler you need to join the local tours to 'unopened' areas, and the local travel agencies will arrange the PSB for you as well. Please note that there is no travel agency can provide 'PSB permit-only' service. A must service includes land cruiser and guide.

Notice:If you want to do an overland tour from Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai or Xinjiang province to Tibet, you must got the PSB permit before your tour starts

Which parts of Tibet are listed as the closed areas?
At present, you have to apply for a Travel Permit if you are planning to visit the following places:
Tsedang: Samye Monastery, Tomb of Tibetan King, Trundruk Monastery, Yumbulakhang
Shigatse: Sakya Monastery, Mt. Everest, Rongphu Monastery
Gyangtse: Pelkor Chode Monastery & Kubum Stupa
Ngari Region: Mt.Kailash, Lake Manasarovar, Tsaparang, Ali, ect.
Nyingchi Region: Basum-tso, Pomi, Rawo-tso, ect.
Chamdo Region: Chamdo, Riwoche, Tengchen, ect.

The following are the pictures of Aliens' Travel Permits (PSB's):