I am currently in golmud and catching the train to Lhasa tomorrow morning. I tryed to get my visa extended here but their computer was broken. I already have my ticket to Lhasa and my Chinese visa runs out on the 25th. If I cannot get an extention in Lhasa I dont know what to do? Any help would be much appreciated!
1
sublime2007
it is unlikely that you will receive a visa extension in lhasa. best option. refund you ticket to lhasa and go to xining for a visa extension.
2
laker31
In the past, they would sometimes give you an extension in Lhasa if you could prove that you were part of an organized trip taken through one of the FIT agencies, and you needed the extra time to complete that trip. You only got the time needed for the trip, plus a couple of extra days to leave. These days, it is probably a little tougher. If there is any doubt whatsoever, I would follow the advise given by #1.
4
anonymous
YEP....the above posts are all pretty much correct. I have only heard of one independennt traveller getting a Chinese visa extension in Lhasa this year (they spoke good mandarin and spent days pleading (=crying) at the PSB office!!)
It is vaguely possible you may get an extension if you are booked on a long trip with a legit agency (and all you permits are in order) but even that is in no way garaunteed.
If you are already in Lhasa now.......Basically you are screwed!!
If you high tail it down to the Nepal border and get there after the 25th you will be asked to pay a fine. The amount seems to vary significantly and depends very much on your negotiating skills and how many days you have over stayed your Chinese visa.
Good Luck.
If you have any luck getting an extension in Lhasa please post and let us all know how you managed to pull it off??
CJ
5
anaya
Forget about the trainticket and stay in Golmud untill you have your visaextension sorted out, you will be really screwed if you reach Lhasa and hope for an extension there.
6
losang
As the others have said, Lhasa is NOT the best place to try and get an extension. A few months ago I talked to a very helpful woman at the Lhasa PSB about visa extensions. Basically she told me that they normally do not give extensions. She went on to say that they can give an extension if you have booked a tour through a legitimate travel agency in Lhasa. The travel agency needed to write a letter to the PSB showing the complete itinerary along with the receipt of payment. Then the PSB would extend your visa for the duration of your trip with an additional 3 or 4 days to make your way out of the country. However, as with everything in Tibet, what the PSB said a few months ago is subject to change.
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