Tibet Entry Letter Guide for Taiwan Residents 2026

A: The Letter of Entry to Tibet is a travel administrative permit issued by the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) for people from abroad (including Taiwan residents) to enter Tibet. It is not a visa, but an official document issued by the Tibet Tourism Bureau. Without the Letter of Entry into Tibet, Taiwanese cannot legally board a plane or take a train into Tibet, nor can they check into a hotel or pass through checkpoints along the way. Therefore, even if you have a valid Taiwan Compatriot Permit, you must apply for a Letter of Entry through a qualified travel agency beforehand.

A: Residents of Taiwan holding a Taiwan Compatriot Permit, foreign passport holders, and those who do not have a China identity card are all required to apply. Residents of Hong Kong and Macau are exempted from the requirement if they are traveling in the open area with a Home Visit Permit, but they are still required to apply for the relevant permits if they are involved in the border control areas (e.g., Ali and Mount Everest).

A: The letter of entry to Tibet is an order to match the group, and will be examined, and need to be led by a specialized tour guide, there is no way to go out on their own.

A: It mainly includes the image of the front and back of the Taiwan Compatriot Permit, name, date of birth, occupation, contact information and detailed itinerary. If you are 65 years old or older, you must also provide a hospital health certificate. The image must be clear, colorful and non-reflective to ensure that the validity of the THB covers the entire trip.

A: The general review time is about 20-45 days, and urgent cases depend on the season and region. If it is the peak season in Tibet or during the Lunar New Year, it is recommended to apply more than two months in advance. Extra fees may be required for temporary expediting, depending on the travel agency's arrangement.

No. According to the Tibet Autonomous Region's tourism regulations, Taiwanese travelers must enter Tibet as a group and have their tour guides and vehicles uniformly arranged by travel agencies with reception qualifications. The date and route will be marked on the letter of entry, and you cannot change or leave the group during the trip.

A: In principle, no. The Tibet Entry Letter will list the confirmed departure dates, locations and scenic spots, and if you change them, you may need to re-apply and spend time re-examining the application. Therefore, it is recommended to confirm the number of days and routes before traveling, for example, whether Everest or Ali region is included.

A: Full refund is usually not possible if the documents have been submitted or the entry letter has been issued. Different travel agencies have different refund policies, so it is recommended to check with your consultant beforehand on the refund timeframe and fees in order to avoid disruption to subsequent tours.

A: Yes, but health certificates and assessment of altitude adaptability are required; Taiwanese travelers over 65 years of age must submit health certificates signed by a doctor and stamped by a hospital. Children should preferably be at least five years old and able to express whether they are physically uncomfortable. As with the elderly, it is recommended that they choose trips with lower altitudes and a slower pace, such as the Linzhi and Lhasa routes.

A: Yes, but the process is different. A group visa and a special entry permit approved by the Tibet Tourism Bureau are required, and will be received by a designated travel agency. It is recommended to communicate in advance with the Commissioner for assistance in planning cross-border routes to Tibet.

A: In general, the approval rate is more than 99%. However, if the traveler provides incomplete information, his/her TPIC is about to expire, or his/her occupation is sensitive (e.g., media, civil servant), it may affect the review. It is recommended that travelers declare their occupation and purpose of travel truthfully to avoid being returned.

A: The letter of entry into Tibet is usually included in the Tibet tour fee and is centrally handled by the travel agency. If you need to expedite or replace the letter, there may be an additional administrative fee or service charge. Fees may vary depending on the itinerary, season and processing time, so please check with your consultant for the most accurate quote.

A: Mainland travelers do not need to apply for a Letter of Entry to Tibet, but they are still required to provide valid ID cards, travel itinerary information and contact information, which will be reported to the Tibet Tourism Bureau by travel agencies.
If a Taiwanese traveler and a friend from China are traveling together on the same tour, the travel agency must report the names of both travelers so that the system can process them together. It is recommended that both parties submit the information and confirm the itinerary at the same time when registering for the tour, so as to avoid delaying the departure of the tour due to the difference in the time of submission, which may lead to unsynchronized approval. It is best to have a travel agency that is qualified to receive Tibet visitors (e.g. CITS China Travel Service) to submit all the information at the same time!

A: No. The Tibet entry letter for Taiwan travelers is issued according to the declared itinerary and dates together with the tour guide and vehicle, which is a "group entry" system. At the end of the trip, they must leave Tibet with the group and cannot extend their stay or break away from the group on their own.
If you want to stay a few more days, add sights or extend your trip.This must be discussed with our consultant before the accession letter is sent for review.In addition, the travel agent should report the information in the application at the same time.
Once the Tibet Entry Letter has been approved, it is impossible to change the date or increase the length of stay, so it is advisable to confirm the itinerary once before the trip to be on the safest side.

A: Yes, butTibet Travel Permit is also required.All foreign travelers (including passport holders from the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Southeast Asia) must apply for entry permits through a Chinese travel agency with foreign reception qualifications. All foreign travelers (including passport holders from the U.S., Canada, Europe, Southeast Asia, etc.) must apply for an entry permit through a Chinese travel agency that is qualified to receive foreigners in Tibet, and enter the country on a "group tour" basis.

Travelers holding U.S. passports are not allowed to buy tickets or travel into Tibet on their own. They must confirm the complete itinerary, mode of transportation, lodging and tour guide arrangements with the travel agency, and then have the travel agency submit a unified report to the Tibet Tourism Bureau for review.
The whole process takes about 25-40 daysThe travel time may be longer in peak season. After the Tibet Entry Letter is approved, the travel agency will deliver the documents to you in cities within China (e.g. Chengdu, Xining, Xi'an) for boarding the plane or train to Tibet.

If you have both a Taiwan Resident Permit and a U.S. passport, it is recommended that you consult with your advisor in advance to confirm which status you will be applying under, as the application process and review unit are different for the two statuses.