China Visa going to Tibet from Nepal

Posted in Tibet Travel Info on February 14, 2019

How to get a China Tourist Visa in Nepal

As Tibet is part of China, there is no such thing as a “Tibet Visa”. This post is for those planning to go directly from Nepal to Tibet, either by flying directly from Kathmandu to Lhasa or crossing the land border from Nepal into Tibet. If you are planning to go from Mainland China to Tibet, the information in this post is NOT for you. The visa regulations going to Tibet from Nepal versus going from Mainland China are very different. If you are going from Mainland China to Tibet, go to the following link: How to get a China Visa when going from Mainland China to Tibet

If you plan to go to Tibet from Nepal, let us know by the time you officially book your journey with us.

Visa from the China Embassy in Kathmandu

All travelers planning to go from Nepal directly to Tibet (by either flight or land crossing) must get their China Visa from the China Embassy in Kathmandu. This regulation has been in place for many years. If you arrive to Nepal with a Chinese tourist visa already in your passport, that visa will be permanently cancelled and you will not be able to use it. If you hold a residency permit for China, such as a student (X type) or work visa (Z type), contact us as this regulation may or may not apply to you.

When going from Nepal to Tibet, travelers need what is called a “Group China Visa”. Technically, this visa is only issued to travelers who are in a group of at least 5 travelers. However, if you are traveling solo or with a group of friends/family that are LESS than 5 people, it’s okay. We can still easily get your Group China Visa due to our relationship with the China Embassy. If there are less than 5 of you who are taking a private journey with us, you will NOT have to have additional people traveling with you. It will still be just you and those traveling on the private journey with you.

Unlike a standard China Tourist Visa, which can be applied for yourself directly from a China Embassy or Consulate, the Group China Visa needed to go to Tibet from Nepal needs the assistance of a travel company in order to obtain it. You cannot get this visa on your own without the help of a travel company. As Himalaya Journey has staff in both Lhasa and in Kathmandu (as well as in the US), we take care of everything for our clients who are going from Nepal to Tibet. Our staff in Kathmandu will personally meet you and walk you thru the procedure. We also work with other agencies in Tibet in getting their clients the required visa in Kathmandu. Getting your Group China Visa is a very easy process, but it will take 3 or 4 business days to complete.

Visa Processing Time

If you are planning to go from Nepal to Tibet, you will need to let us know at the time you book your tour with Himalaya Journey. The China Embassy is located in Kathmandu, Nepal. With a standard service, it will take 4 business days to get your Group China Visa. For an expedited service, it will take 3 business days. The two day visa option is no longer available. You will need to make sure that you factor this processing time into your journey plan.

For example, if you arrive to Kathmandu on a Sunday, Himalaya Journey staff will meet you either Sunday afternoon or early Monday morning before 9am to get your documents from you (listed below) and take them to the China Embassy. With a 3 business day service, your visa will be issued that Wednesday after 4pm. As flights from Kathmandu to Lhasa usually depart in the early afternoon, this means you will not be able to fly to Tibet until Thursday.

Another example: If you arrive to Kathmandu on a Wednesday, Himalaya Journey staff would meet you that afternoon or early Thursday morning to get your documents from you and take them to the China Embassy. With a 3 business day service, your visa would not be issued until Monday afternoon around 4pm as the China Embassy is closed on the weekends. You could then fly to Lhasa the next day on Tuesday. Again, make sure you factor this required time for your visa into your travel plans for Kathmandu.

Items Needed for Your Group China Visa

Here is a list of the items needed so that we can obtain your Group China Visa:

• China Visa Application Form—Himalaya Journey will give you this to fill out once we meet you.
• Length of time—Let us know the TOTAL number of days you plan to be in China. Remember, Tibet is part of China.
• *Visa Invitation Letter—Himalaya Journey will take care of this if you are traveling with us.
• Photocopy of your passport in color
• Your passport—we will need your actual passport go get your visa
• 1 recent passport picture—must measure 48mm by 33mm with a white background. Picture must be without any glasses on with both ears showing. Further picture specifications in the following link: Visa Photo Requirements
• Photocopy of your Nepal Tourist Visa
• Photocopy of your Nepal Arrival Stamp in your passport
• Visa Fee—This fee varies by nationality and is not included in your journey cost

*NOTE: Himalaya Journey will provide the required Visa Invitation Letter for clients traveling to Tibet with us. If you are NOT a client of Himalaya Journey, but are only using our visa services, the agency in Tibet that you are using MUST email us a color copy of the Visa Invitation Letter at least 2 days before you meet our staff in Kathmandu.

Group China Visa is Not in Your Passport

Unlike a standard China Tourist Visa, which is placed directly in your passport, the Group China Visa is a set of 2 full-sized pieces of paper. In addition to the original visa papers, you will be given a copy of the visa. The copy is given to China Customs upon arrival. Do NOT lose these 2 pieces of paper. Keep them well protected. If you are traveling with a group of friends and family, you will ALL have to enter and exit China at the same time at the same place as there is only ONE original copy of this visa. It is not possible for some of you to exit China from Beijing and have others exit China from Shanghai. You will need to exit China at the same place. If the friends and family you are traveling with have plans to exit China in different places, simply let us know and we will provide each of you with your own Group China Visa.

Visa is Valid in All of China

The Group China Visa that you are required to get from the China Embassy in Kathmandu is valid for ALL areas of China and not just Tibet. After your journey in Tibet is finished, you are free to travel to other areas of China on your own. Only Tibet requires you to be on an organized tour. Other places in China do not have this requirement.

Single Entry

The Group China Visa issued from the China Embassy in Kathmandu is a SINGLE entry visa. They do not issue a double or multiple entry visa if you plan to enter Tibet (China) from Nepal. As Tibet is part of China and is the same country, you do not need another visa to travel from Tibet to Mainland China.

Visa Length and Visa Extensions

Many people going to Tibet from Nepal have plans to continue traveling in other parts of Mainland China. As we explained above, that is fine as the Group China Visa that will be issued to you is valid for all areas of China, and not just Tibet. The Group China Visa length will cover all of your time in Tibet, even if you are on a long climbing expedition of up to 3 months. If you plan to travel to Mainland China after your journey in Tibet is finished, let us know. The China Embassy in Kathmandu can easily arrange a visa for normal travelers (non-climbers) valid for 30 days long, but we have been able to get them for as long as 45 days long. We can easily get at least 30 days for your visa, but it will be up to the China Embassy in Kathmandu if they will issue a visa longer than that.

Unfortunately a Group China Visa cannot be extended like a standard China Tourist Visa can. If you plan to spend an extended amount of time (longer than 30 days) in Mainland China and Tibet, you might want to rearrange your travel schedule and START your journey in Mainland China and then go to Tibet and on to Kathmandu. By starting in Mainland China, you can typically apply for a longer visa (sometimes up to 90 days long, depending on nationality) or apply for a double or multiple entry visa directly from the China Embassy either in your country or another country (expect in Nepal). For more information on getting a visa when going from Mainland China to Tibet, go to the following link: China Visa Going to Tibet from China.

Questions?

If you have any questions about the easy process of obtaining your Group China Visa when going from Nepal to Tibet, let us know! We are experts in Tibet travel and in the China visa process. Contact us for questions at: info@himalayajourney.com