Sample Letter of Entry to Tibet (left is the entry letter for foreign guests, and on the right is the entry letter from Taiwan compatriots)         

外国人旅藏的有关规定

Notes for foreigners to Tibet

根据国家旅游局规定，外国旅游者、台湾游客和海外华人（香港、澳门居民持中国特区护照或回乡证者除外）在藏期间不允许自行旅游，不论客人人数多少，必须有组织、有计划地组团旅游。

According to the provision from the National Tourism Bureau, foreign visitors, Taiwan visitors and overseas Chinese (except the Hong Kong, Macao residents who hold the passport of Special Administrative Region  or the ratification of returning homeland) in Tibet are not allowed to travel by themselves. They must travel in group whatever there are how many visitors.

外国人为何需要办理“入藏旅游批准函”？

Why foreigners need to handle “the ratification of travel toTibet”?

鉴于西藏特殊的民族传统、文化古迹和生态环境保护的需要，同时也因西藏的
交通状况和旅游服务设施及接待能力，政府规定非中国公民身份持有者，即外国旅游客人，台湾游客及海外华人（香港、澳门居民持中国特区护照或回乡证者除外），在进入西藏旅游前，必须办理由西藏自治区旅游局[TTB]签发的“外国人入藏旅游批准函”，同时，也规定外国记者和外交官不能以旅游者身份进藏。

Considering the need of Tibet’s special ethnic customs, historical sites and ecological environment, as well as traffic conditions, service facilities and reception places, the government enforces a provision that before travel in Tibet, non-Chinese citizens must handle “the ratification of foreigners’ travel to Tibet”, which need possess a permit by TTB(Tibet Travel Bureau). And these non-Chinese citizens include foreign country visitors, visitors fromTaiwanand overseas Chinese (excluding the people inHong Kong,Macaowho hold the passport of special administrative region (SAR) or the ratification of returning homeland), in addition, the government also has another provision that foreign journalists or diplomats can’t enter intoTibetas the visitors.

哪些人需要办理“入藏旅游批准函”

Which group of people need handle “the ratification of travel to Tibet?”

1.非中国公民身份证持有者－中国台湾的游客；
Non-Chinese citizens ID card holder—visitors from Taiwan, China; 
2、非中国护照持有者－外籍护照持有者。
Non-Chinese passport holders--foreign passport holders 
注：海外华人若无中国护照也需办理“入藏旅游批准函”。
Tips: overseas Chinese also should handle ““the ratification of travel to Tibet” if they don’t have Chinese passport.
注：现已取消港澳地区人员进藏旅游必须提供“入藏旅游批准函”的规定。港澳游客持中国特区护照、“港澳同胞回乡证”（1998年以前签发，有效期10年）或“港澳居民来往内地通行证”均可自行赴藏旅游。
Tips: now the government has cancelled the provision that people from Hong Kong, Macao must provide ratification of travel to Tibet. The visitors from Hong Kong, Macao can travel to Tibet if they hold the passport of Special Administrative Region (SAR) or the ratification of returning homeland (the ratification was issued before 1998, and has 10-year validity) or the pass of movements to mainland of the residents in Hong Kong, Macao.

如何办理“外国人入藏旅游批准函”？   

How to handle “the ratification of foreigners’ travel to Tibet”?   

签证：境外旅游者首先需要在所在地的中国驻外使（领）馆办理中国签证，与中国缔结免签证协定的国家除外。
Issue a passport: at first, foreign country visitors need issue passports in the foreign country embassy to the People’s Republic of China, excluding the countries which have concluded the agreement of non-issuing passports.   

申请入藏旅游批准函：
请将您的基本信息（包括姓名、国籍、年龄、性别、职业、护照号码）、进藏路线、大致游程时间、旅行意向、联系电话等资料经所在地的旅行社或直接提交给西藏旅游局驻各地的指定办事机构，同时将护照首页和签证的复印件传真或Email给我们，您会在2-4日内得到入藏的有关确认手续。
Application for the ratification of travel to Tibet:
Please send your personal information (including your name, nationality, age, gender, vocation and passport number), route, approximate travel time, travel intentions and your contact phone number to the Tibet Tourism Bureau in offices around the designated directly or through the local agency .And at the same time send us the copy of your passport home page and visa by fax or E-mail, and you will receive relevant confirmation formality of entering in Tibet in 2 or 4 days.

申请入藏旅游批准函：  

Application for the ratification of travel to Tibet:

请将您的基本信息（包括姓名、国籍、年龄、性别、职业、护照号码）、进藏路线、大致游程时间、旅行意向、联系电话等资料经所在地的旅行社或直接提交给西藏旅游局驻各地的指定办事机构，同时将护照首页和签证的复印件传真或Email给我们，您会在2-4日内得到入藏的有关确认手续。
Please send your personal information (including your name, nationality, age, gender, vocation and passport number), route, approximate travel time, travel intentions and your contact phone number to the Tibet Tourism Bureau in offices around the designated directly or through the local agency .And at the same time send us the copy of your passport home page and visa by fax or E-mail, and you will receive relevant confirmation formality of entering in Tibet in 2 or 4 days.

在收到客人的护照和签证复印件后通常可即刻签出“外国人入藏旅游批准函”。虽然只需要3个工作日审核签发此入藏批准函，但考虑到与客人相关的机票、酒店、向导与车辆等旅游事项的安排预定工作，请尽可能早一些办理申请手续，以便就入藏旅行线路、时间、地点等有关资料得到相应确认。

You can immediately get the “ratification of foreigners’ travel to Tibet” while your passport and visa have been received.
Although only need 3 days to verify and issue the ratification, please conduct your application procedures as soon as possible, because we need to arrange the booking work of your airport ticket, hotel, guide and car etc. Therefore, your relevant data about your travel line in Tibet, the time, and the place and etc. can be confirmed.

外宾办理入藏函件，所需资料为护照照片页和签证页。       

旅游签证（L）：
如火车进藏办理证件用时为15个工作日，如飞机进藏需要入藏函原件登机，所需要时间为20个工作日。

工作签证、访问签证、学习签证（F或Z）在提供护照照片页和签证页的同时，需要开具工作证明或是证明信。
敬请游客安排好报名时间和出行日期，以备我们可以有充足的时间为您安排好一切！
以下是护照页和签证页的范本：

Note:Foreign guests for Tibet letter,the information needed are Passport photo page and visa page, Because ten working days are needed for doing paper, please turists arrange your aplication time and travel date seasonable,so that ,we will have enough time to arrange well all of the things.
Sample of passport photo page and visa:

照片页：photo page：          签证页：  visa：