China Group Visa(Tibet Group Visa)
- by Apple
- Last Updated: 2024-04-25
If you are entering Tibet from Nepal, a China Group Visa/Tibet group visa is required. The Chinese embassy in Kathmandu doesn’t issue visas to individual travelers, only to those booked in a group with group visas. If you turn up with a Chinese visa in your passport, it will be canceled for visiting Tibet from Nepal. However, if you are going to mainland China such as flying to Chengdu from Kathmandu, a Chinese Visa is still valid.
China Group Visa is a separate sheet of paper with all the names, gender, date of birth, occupations, nationalities and passport numbers of the group members. It's important to note that the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu only issues a group visa with a minimum of 4 applications and no maximum limit. All applications on the list should come to the visa center for an application. If some of them will not come, then the application will not be accepted. But the Tibet side stipulates that they only issue an invitation letter with a minimum of 5 applications. The invitation letter is a mandatory document for a group visa now.
For travelers on the same Group Visa, they should exit China at the pre-arranged city together, as the exiting city listed on the group visa should be exactly as same as their export city. Otherwise, they can't get through customs when exiting China. If any of them find this issue at the end of the tour in Lhasa, they will either have to exit China with their fellow group members or split from this group visa at considerable cost and hassle.
Some travelers coming together but exiting China/Tibet from different cities may meet a problem - splitting the group visa. It can only be done by a local Lhasa travel agency that arranges your travel into Tibet but it's a real pain to be avoided at all costs. To avoid this situation, please ask the visa center in Kathmandu to issue two pieces of China group visas and specify the export places separately. Eg. There are five travelers listed on a China Group visa while two travelers would exit China from Beijing and another three would exit China from Guangzhou, they need 2 pieces of China Group visas but The Tibet authority only issues one invitation letter for every 5 applications. Please ask the visa center in Kathmandu to list Beijing and Guangzhou as the exiting places in two group visas. Each group takes the corresponding group visa paper and exits China together.
After you book a Tibet tour with a local Tibet travel agency like us, we will prepare an official Invitation Letter for you. After your arrival in Kathmandu, you can apply for your China group visa with your ORIGINAL PASSPORT + 1 HEADSHOT, along with an Invitation Letter from Tibet Tourism Bureau at the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu. Alternatively, you can entrust this process to our Nepali partner, who can take your passport and photo at your hotel and send back your China group visa with your passport at a service fee of USD20 p.p. Here's the what invitation letter looks like.
Meanwhile, we will apply for all your necessary Tibet permits in Lhasa. Whether you fly to Lhasa or go overland via Gyirong Port, besides your China Group Visa, your Tibetan guide will wait for you at the airport customs/Gyirong Port with your Tibet Tourism Bureau Permit (TTB).
Since 05 Jun 2017, officially, the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu requires the China Group Visa application to be submitted 3 working days in advance with your original passport. If you do sightseeing, go trekking or even take a flight within Nepal, you can use your passport copy. However, if you have no plan to visit Nepal, this would be rather annoying.
NORMAL (3-working-day Service): The passport remains with the embassy for 3 days, and it is returned with a China Group Visa on the 4th day. If you want our partner to help you obtain your Tibet group visa, there's a service fee of USD20p.p. Here's the newest version.
Tibet Group Visa Fee
| USD/PERSON | Times of Entry | 3-working-day Service |
|---|---|---|
| Nepal | Single | USD110 per person |
| Other Countries | Single | USD120 per person |
| USA | Single | USD185 per person |
| Canada | Single | USD185 per person |
| Israel | Singe | USD115 per person |
| Romanian | Single | USD115 per person |
| Albania / Micronesia & Bih | Single | USD95 per person |
| Serbia | Single | USD100 per person |
| Brazil | Single | USD180 per person |
| Argentina | Single | USD120 per person |
| Panama | Single | USD135 per person |
| Uruguay | Single | USD125 per person |
| Chile | Single | USD95 per person |
| Pakistan & Maldives | Single | USD90 per person |
Notes about the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu
- Chinese Embassy accepts visa applications from 09:00 am to 11:00 am every weekday, and issues them after 3 days, at about 17:00;
- Chinese Embassy in Nepal takes the day off on both China & Nepal’s national holidays.
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Email response within 0.5~24 hours.
Typically Asked Questions from Our Clients
Asked by Giul***
Dear Sirs,
I'd like to visit Tibet and Nepal next year (probably in May 2025), but I'm still not sure.
I've few questions about the China Group Visa.
- Do I need it also if I get to Tibet through Nepal? (I will be probably flying from Europe to Nepal first and then after visiting Nepal I'll travel to Tibet through direct flight - no stop in China).
- If I need the China Group Visa. Can I do the procedure online and pick it up at the airport in Tibet?
- If I cannot do the China Group Visa online, once in Tibet can I move around with a guide or I need to stay in the hotel for 3 days without going around and wait for the China Group Visa?
Dear Giul****,
I'll answer your questions about the China Croup visa.
#1. Tourists take the direct flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa or via road from Gyirong to Lhasa need a China Group visa. China Group Visa requires at least 4 applicants to present together for an interview and have their fingerprints collected. For tourists on the same Group Visa, they should exit China at the pre-arranged city together, as the exiting city listed on the group visa should be exactly as same as their export city.
#2. Tourists need to book a tour with us and we provide supporting docs for Group China visa application. In addition, tourists need to apply for China Group visa in person in Kathmandu, which usually takes 3 working days from 9:00 am-11:00 am.
Asked by Roma***
Dear Sir /madam
Is possible give request for china group visa through your Nepal visa partener before our landing ? Because our flight landing on friday evening and on tuesday we need have visa .Is it possible ? Or do you have some idea how to do it ? Thank you
Dear Roma****,
We can help you apply for the Chinese Group Visa and it usually takes 3 working days.
Asked by Bala***
Hello,
I plan to travel to Kathmandu from USA in September (between September 6 and 10) 2019 and I am interested in an 7 or 8 day group tour that includes Lhasa and Everest Base Camp. I am a US citizen and plan to travel alone. I would like single person accommodations in comfortable hotels with private bathroom. At the end of the tour, I would like to return to Kathmandu and then travel to India. Please provide an itinerary for me. Do I have to spend three or four days in Kathmandu to get a Chinese Group Visa for Tibet? Is there a faster way to get the visa? Will you be able to arrange for the Group Visa for me?
Thank you,
Bala
We have 8 Days Lhasa Gyantse Shigatse Mt. Everest Group Tour with the departure date on Sep.8th. Is it available to you?
We can help you get urgent China Group Visa within 2 working days. Can you arrive in Kathmandu in the early morning of Sep.5th so that you can get your China Group Visa on Sep.6th?
Asked by Dipe***
I will coming in nepal katmandu
I want to travel tibet from road from nepal
And i am alone
So can u put me in small group or ur suggestion
And i am indian
I have been to nepal many times as mohan tattoo ink company is my friend
Or pls whatsapp me on this number
+91 9082021629
May I suggest you fly from Kathmandu to Lhasa and join in our 7 Days Lhasa Mt. Everest Kathmandu Overland Group Tour? We happen to have a fixed tour with departure date on July 8th and the itinerary is the same as your preferred one, but just reverse the route. Please check if you are ok to join it. If you don't like it, I can recommend another itinerary for you.
For China Group Visa, after you book your Tibet tour with us, we will send an official invitation letter for you to our partner in Kathmandu. After your arrival in Kathmandu, our Nepali partner will meet you for your original passport. With invitation letter, your original passport and one photo (passport photo size with white background), our Nepali partner could help you get your China Group Visa there within 3 working days.
Here is the itinerary,
Asked by Caro***
i want to book the Nepal and Tibet tour. But one of us is Indonesian and the other one is Singaporean
Could you assist us to arrange visa for Tibet. We want to see Mount Everest also.
Yes, we could surely get your Tibet permits in Lhasa after your tour booked with us, we need your passport copy to apply for them from Tibet Travel Bureau usually 30 days(shortest 16 days) before tour starts and get them to you usually within 12 working days. If you enter Tibet from Kathmandu, you need to apply for China group visa in Kathmandu with our assistance. We could help you get your China Group Visa there within 3 working days.
Frankly speaking, the cost of a private tour for both of you would be a little bit expensive. For travelers less than five, we usually suggest them join our small group tours to keep the cost down.
So, how about we divide this tour into two parts? 4 days Kathmandu private tour plus 8 days Lhasa Gyantse Shigatse Mt. Everest Group Tour, here is the brief itienrary,
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