Applying for a Chinese visa in Australia for travel to Tibet

As a first time traveller to Tibet, I'm having a little trouble making sense of what I need to do to get into Tibet. (I'm aware of the need for a guide, etc., and we are dealing with a number of tour agencies to source the right trip).

The plan is to fly into Lhasa (via Chengdu), travel to Mt Kailash, then exit Tibet via Nepal and fly out of Kathmandu.

So, I think this means I have to declare my travel to Tibet as I can't show a flight out of China. Now the consulate says I need a T.T.B. permit first to apply for the Chinese visa (then we'd apply for the T.A.R. later).

I understand that the standard recommendation is not to disclose travel to Tibet when applying for the visa but I'm not sure how I can avoid doing so.

Just wondering if anyone else is having the same issue?

If you say you are going to go to Tibet, you are going to have problems getting the Chinese visa.

I would use the flight into Chengdu as your entry, and then either book a flight out (and then cancel), or get creative and 'create' a flight booking out. You will probably also need to show accommodation bookings - make them in Chengdu, and then cancel once you have your visa.

You can claim you are leaving overland to somewhere like Vietnam, and say you are taking overnight trains to the border. Tell them you cannot book train tickets more than 10 days in advance.

I got a visa last month without exit flight- just a (true) explanation that I was going overland.

thanks, i was thinking the lack of an exit flight could be an issue - may have to find the cheapest cancellation fee!

that's a possibility, I think I read about someone doing this before and it working out alright

We am doing the same, flying in via Chengdu from Australia, We have booked a return trip though. We shouldn't have any problems with the chinese visa but am worried about the permit, we stay 1 day in Chengdu and I am worried when I arrive there will be no permit waiting for me.

I have heard of people booking a one way flight and still getting a chinese visa in Melbourne, if queires they say they are leaving via Vietnam as mentioned below. Dont mention Tibet.

The permit is between you and the travel agent. If you have picked a reliable one, then there shouldnt be any problems.

Obviously not so simplistic but if the travel agent has copies of your passport, they can arrange it all before you get there.

Edited by: westwood

First of all, you need to travel agency to help you apply for permit, and if you have a permit, whether by train or by plane, you can own to buy a ticket, but generally speaking oneself buy tickets more troublesome, travel agency generally have the other ways

You might want to take a look at this recent post about applying in Melbourne. Today I applied for a Chinese Visa. I made some suggestions to someone planning to arrive overland from Mongolia which would be similar to the suggestions that I would make in this instance.

Ruth

Can anyone recommend a hotel or hostel in Chengdu, will they all hold permits for me till i arrive?
Would i get the permit sent a few days in advance

Hi,
I plan on applying for Chinese Visa without mentioning trip to Tibet (but have in and out flights from China).
As I heard the embassy could be quite annoying, do I have to prepare a detailed itinerary of where I'm going in China?

Besides, if I already have everything prepared and i'm doing the while trip with a travel agency (even Tibet part) and I can show them exactly what I'll be doing, is it okay to mention that I'm going to Tibet ? Or will that anyway lower my chances of getting the visa?

Cheers,
Aurelie

Lily_wanders

Do not mention Tibet, even if you have it arranged by an agency. It would be wise to provide an itinerary for your time in China, with hotel bookings and flights in and out. But this does need to be a real itinerary - it is just something the visa office needs to see before issuing the visa.