Chinese embassy in Kathmandu doesn’t issue visas to individual travellers, only to those booked on a tour and then only group visas. If you turn up with a Chinese visa in your passport, it will be cancelled.
A group visa is a separate sheet of paper with all the names and passport numbers of the group members. It’s important to get your own individual ‘group’ visa (a ‘group’ can be as small as one person), as otherwise, come the end of your tour in Lhasa, you will either have to exit China with your fellow group members or split from this group visa at considerable cost and hassle. Splitting from a group visa can only be done by local Lhasa travel agency that arranged your travel into Tibet. It is a real pain to be avoided at all costs.
After you book your Tibet tour with a local Lhasa travel agency, we will prepare an official Invitation Letter to give to our partner in Kathmandu. After your arrival in Kathmandu, our Nepali partner will meet you for your original passport. With Invitation Letter & your passport, we can obtain your China Group Visa in 1~7 days(shorter the time higher the price).
Meanwhile, we will apply all necessary Tibet permits in Lhasa. Whether you fly to Lhasa, or overland to Zhangmu port, besides your China Group Visa, your Tibetan guide shall have to wait you there with Tibet Tourism Bureau Permit (TBP).
The visa office at Nepal’s Chinese Embassy accepts applications from Monday to Friday. Here’s the fee & time needed for China Group Visa.
|
USD/person |
Time Required |
Nations except USA |
USA |
|
Normal |
7 working days |
$ 120 |
$ 210 |
|
Average |
3 working days |
$ 140 |
$ 225 |
|
Urgent |
2 working days |
$ 155 |
$ 250 |
|
Top Urgent |
1 working day |
$ 175 |
$ 300 |
