Does anyone have accurate up-to-date information about road checkpoints in Tibet, especially along the friendship highway?
I hear things have tightened up considerably since the 2008 riots but i cannot find any detailed information.
Also, is a Tibet permit actually valid for travel in mainland China too?
If so, is it possible to obtain a Chinese visa from within China while still on a valid Tibet permit?
I am entering from Nepal so things are quite complicated.
Many thanks,
Charlie
Not sure where you are looking but there is LOTS of detailed information here on the TT.
You cannot cross the border from Nepal to Tibet, China without a preplanned tour of Tibet.
You cannot travel independently in Tibet, ie without a tourguide and a driver.
When you travel from Nepal to China through Tibet, you get a special type of Chinese group visa. Even if you are traveling alone. It is a group visa for one person. This special visa is limited and permits between 15-30 days of time in China. That means the minute that you cross the border into Tibet, the clock starts ticking.
This special Chinese visa cannot be changed or renewed. If you want to stay in China longer, you will need to head to Hong Kong and apply for a new Chinese vida.
Any Chinese visa obtained prior to arrival in Nepal will be cancelled when you apply for the new group visa to travel overland through Tibet.
Tibet is part of China. It is NOT a separate country.
The Tibet Travel Bureau permit is NOT a visa. It is a permit which indicates that you have arranged a tour within Tibet that meets the government's guidelines.
Ruth
All checkpoints located before Shigatse (when coming from Zhangmu) and were mentioned in LP Tibet guide if I remember correctly. You can't pass them independently. Ruth said all you need to know.
By the way TTB permit is issued for group and ordinary tourists do not see it. A kind of internal documents for use between travel agency, Chinese embassy and other authorities.
We were given a copy of our TTP. , it lists all the names of those who travelled on the same train to Lhasa. It was checked several times on the train.
Edited by: westwood
From Nepal we were not given and did not see copy of TTB permit. Just every member of the group received Chinese group visa (in my case with only my name) on separate sheet of paper. This document was last time checked before Shigatse, and was not checked anymore, neither in Lhasa nor in train from Lhasa to Beijing. (I used it once to buy train ticket). In mainland China nobody cared what kind of visa I had, and I submitted it safely on my departure.
Hello Ruth, actully, the speical group visa can be extended at PSB in Lhasa, ppl do not have to fly out of mainland China to extend their visa.
budgettibet -
>Hello Ruth, actully, the speical group visa can be extended at PSB in Lhasa, ppl do not have to fly out of mainland China to extend their visa.
There is absolutely no one here who can confirm that it is possible to extend a Chinese visa in Lhasa, particularly the special group type of visa obtained in Kathmandu. It is difficult to believe what you write when there is no confirmation from any travelers.
Ruth
yes, we were told that this type of visa is not extendable. One german guy Michael on arrival to Beijing from Lhasa went to main office of PSB with question of exchanging this sheet of paper to normal visa. He was told that it is not possible but he could stay inside China till it's expiry date.
It's very difficult to extend the Chinese visa in Lhasa (I mean impossible), even if you claim you are sick, the PSB will ask you to leave as they believe it's easier to do any treatment in the lowland... which is actually true.
If your visa expires, you will be in trouble even if you have a TTP. And there's a validity date on the TTP, no TTP will have a duration longer than the visa indeed, if your visa expires, your TTP will definitely also be expired.