Chinese Visa

Tibet is part of China politically, so to travel into Tibet, a valid Chinese visa is a must-have document for sure. Tibet is the only province in China that requires a travel permit and a pre-organized tour for non-Chinese tourists.

There is no “permit-only” service for Tibet tours; the permit is part of an organized tour. To get the permit, you have to send by email the scan (or photo) copy of your passport and Chinese visa to your Tibet tour operator who will help to get it at Tibet Tourism Bureau; however, when you go to a Chinese Embassy or Consulate General to apply for a Chinese visa, if the officers there know you plan to travel into Tibet while in China, they will ask you to present them the Tibet permit firstly. It’s obviously impossible to present them the permit before getting the visa, because Tibet permit is only issued by the Tibet Tourism Bureau after passport and Chinese visa copies presented. The rules are contradictory apparently, which just indicates that the Chinese government does not expect (too many) foreign tourists to visit Tibet due to the political sensitiveness there.

On the other hand, there are hundreds of thousand non-Chinese tourists visit Tibet each year if Tibet is not closed for political reasons, how do those tourists get their Chinese visa? The answer is the visa applicants did not mention Tibet tour plan in their Chinese visa application form, instead, the applicants just wrote their tours in China proper only, such as a tour in Beijing, Xi’an Shanghai or Chengdu. Rest assured that you will have no problem for doing this “white-lie”; the Chinese embassies will not track where you visit in China. You can visit whatever places you like after you obtaining your Chinese visa as long as laws in China is followed by you.

The Chinese visa application form(Download) and rules are the universally the same at different Chinese Embassies in different countries. In order to get Chinese tourist (L category) visa, you have to finish the following paper works at your local Chinese Embassy or Consulate；

1. Basic Documents

(1) Passport
Original passport with at least six months of remaining validity and blank visa pages; plus a photocopy of the passport's data page and the photo page if it is separate

(2) Visa Application Form and Photo
One completed Visa Application Form with a recently-taken color passport photo (bare-head, full face) against a light background attached

(3) Proof of legal stay or residence status (applicable to those not applying for the visa in their country of citizenship)
If you are not applying for the visa in the country of your citizenship, you must provide the original and photocopy of your valid certificates or visa of stay, residence, employment or student status, or other valid certificates of legal staying provided by the relevant authorities of the country where you are currently staying.

2. Supporting Documents

(A): Documents showing the itinerary including air ticket booking record (round trip) and proof of a hotel reservation.

(B): If documents mentioned in item A cannot be present, you should present an invitation letter issued by a relevant entity or individual in China. The invitation letter should contain:
(1) Information on the applicant (full name, gender, date of birth, etc.)
(2) Information on the planned visit (arrival and departure dates, place(s) to be visited, etc.)
(3) Information on the inviting entity or individual (name, contact telephone number, address, official stamp, signature of the legal representative or the inviting individual)

Chinese Visa FAQ

When is the best time to submit my application?

Generally, the validity of a single-entry visa is 3 months, counted from the date of application. So, we suggest applying 2 months before your planned date for visit. If you apply for it too late, you may not have enough time for the application. If you apply for it too early, it may become invalid before your departure.

Hong long does it take for the application?

Generally speaking, it takes 4 working days for processing the application. Many embassies or consulates also provide 1 working day service or 2 – 3 working days service, but you need pay extra money for the service.

Do I need to make an appointment to submit application?

It depends upon the embassy or consulate. More than 90% of the Chinese embassies and consulates don't ask applicants to make an appointment. However, you need to make an appointment at Chinese Embassy/Consulate in Nigeria.

If I can't go to the embassy or consulate in person, can I entrust someone else to submit my application and pick it up on my behalf?

Yes, the application can be presented by someone else, such as your friends, relatives, or visa agency, but the form should be completed and signed by yourself. Someone else can pick up it on your behalf as long as he can show the "Pick-up Form".

Can I change my trip plan after getting a visa?

Unless otherwise specified, you can change your trip plan. But you must enter and leave China before your visa expires.

Should I apply for single-entry or double-entry visa if I also travel into Tibet?

A single-entry Chinese visa is ok since Tibet is one province of China politically. Double entry visa is required only if you visit China-Hong Kong (Macau) -China.

You might also interested in

How can I get the visa if I cannot show embassy the round trip air tickets that leaving China?

Related Articles

What’s the valid duration of Ch Chinese Group Visa issued by the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu, also known as Tibet visa, is normally valid for 15 and 30 days.

Can I apply for the Chinese Grou Chinese Group Visa for Tibet tours can both be applied by individuals and groups even this visa is called “group visa”. Solo traveler is allowed to apply for this group visa too.

How to apply for the Chinese Gro The complete procedures guide you how to apply for the Tibet visa, what to prepare, how much time needed and what the visa looks like.