2012 TIBET PERMIT SITUATION UPDATE

Any word or vibs regarding UK passport holders getting into Tibet?

No word and none likely. And i don't expect to hear of any changes until mid to late October.

Ruth

Hi,

for now the situation is as per my newst information:

• min 5 Pax same nationality - this is 100% confirmed
• excluded nationalities UK, Austria, South Corea and Finnland - this is 100% confirmed
• New for all all european countries since last Friday : no urgent or top urgent visa possible only normal, means that you have to wait 5 days for getting back your passport with visa, your passport will remain in the embassy of China in Kathmandu. - this is 100% confirmed
• no entry from Mainland China, only from Nepal side (but this I have no real confirmation)
• NO any visit to EBC - this is 100% confirmed

For the Europeans, please read message from China Visa office in Kathmandu I kindly got forwarded:

As per the notice from Embassy of China, we kindly notify you that, there is no Top Urgent and Urgent Visa facility for European countries. You can apply their Visa only on Regular (Normal) Category which takes 04 to 05 days from the date of apply. Also, the passport of the clients are necessary to show during their visa apply.

Edited by: navyo

I strongly suspect that if anyone does get together a group of 5 like-nationality individuals willing to travel together and hang out in KTM waiting days for their visas, then just when everything seems to be going fine the Chinese embassy will invent a silly new requirement.

Unless you have much time and money to burn, it's plain foolish to fly off to KTM now on the off chance you might get into Tibet, for it's clear the point of these rules is to stop travel there.

#443Finland now instead of Norway?

445

Sorry mistake is mine, it's Norway.. sorry to all readers.

navyo

Hi navyo

I read somewhere - perhaps earlier in this thread - Austria was a mistake and it should be Australia.

Can you confirm your confirmation?

scoodly

There is a reason for Austria , from Beijing´s perspective : MP´s mixing with the wrong crowd .
And everyone loves aussies.

especially the Chinese govt. right now......

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/china-praises-gillard-dalai-lama-snub-20120628-214ww.html

Aussies are indeed allowed to get permits to Tibet....

China especially loves the Aussies' iron ore and other mineral goodies. Austria has nothing the Chinese want. However, any country can push too hard and find "retaliation." The thing is, keeping a bunch of their tourists out of Tibet is not something any country is going to battle China over. There are too many bigger issues at stake.