What is a Border Defence Permit?

The border defence permit, also known as the border pass, is not required if you only visit Lhasa in Tibet. However, if you travel to border areas or control areas like Kyirong, Mount Everest, and Ali, you must apply for it. Occasionally, the inspection begins when you are more than 100 kilometres away from the border certificate. The validity of the border defence certificate ranges from 3 months to half a year.

Who needs to apply for a border defence permit?

Anyone visiting the border areas of Tibet, including mainland tourists, Hong Kong and Macao tourists, foreign guests, or Taiwan compatriots, must obtain a border defence certificate. The procedure differs for mainland tourists, who only need to apply for a border defence permit. This can be done at their place of residence or through a travel agency in Lhasa. It is recommended that Hong Kong and Macau tourists directly approach a travel agency for streamlined processing. Foreign guests and Taiwan tourists, on the other hand, must apply for a Tibet entry permit. In most cases, the travel agency will also apply for the border defence permit when arranging the Tibet entry permit, eliminating the need for tourists to apply separately.

How to apply for a Border Defence Pass as a Foreigner?

Currently, Tibet does not permit independent travel for foreign visitors. All tourists must partake in a group tour organized by a local travel agency based in Tibet. As a local travel agency, we can assist you in obtaining a Tibet Frontier Pass. Kindly provide the subsequent documents to us: Copy of passport Tour itinerary on our website Copy of your China Visa copy of your TTB permit – if you book our Tibet tour, we can apply for a TTB permit.

How to apply for the Tibet Border Defense Permit as a domestic tourist?

The border defence certificate can be processed at the ID card location or in Tibet. Tourists can go to the government certificate centre or the Exit-Entry Administration Bureau with their ID cards to apply for travel permits to Mount Everest Base Camp. It is recommended to apply for the permits in advance and to consult the Public Security Bureau for information on border control areas in Tibet.

Is there an age limit for applying for a Border defence permit?

Chinese citizens aged 16 and above must apply for a “Border Pass” to visit border areas. Children below 16 years of age must be accompanied by their legal guardians.

When and where to apply for Border Defence Pass?

Frontier Pass is issued by Armed Police Tibet Frontier Corps in Lhasa. If you book our Tibet tour, we can deal with your all Tibet Travel Permits. The application time may be 3 to 5 days, please leave us enough time to apply for it.

How long is the Border certificate valid?

According to China’s “Administrative Measures for Border Passes,” the maximum validity of a “Border Pass” is 3 months. However, in Tibet, the “Border Pass” for personnel stationed in various village units is extended to 6 months.

Where is Border Pass Used?

If you travel the remote border, you will be required to show your Tibet Frontier Pass to the Check Points. Even if you fly to Kathmandu from Lhasa, you will be asked to show it at the airport.

Your Expert Guide for Getting Tibet Border Defence Permit

Q: Which areas require a Border defence certificate?

Shigatse: Sakya Monastery, Mt. Everest Base Camp, Yadong, Kyirong, etc. Shannan: Lhodrak, Ngari Region: Mt. Kailash, Mansarovar Lake, etc. Nyingchi Region: Basumtso Lake, Pomi, Rawotso Lake, etc. China-Nepal Border: Kyirong, Yadong The main areas that need to apply for border defence certificates: are the whole territory of the Ngari area, Mount Everest, Zhangmu Port, Yadong Port, Zayu, and Medog. Normally, it is sufficient to indicate the counties visited on the border defence card. For instance, if you plan to visit the base camp of Mount Everest, you must include Shigatse, Tingri County. In the case of visiting Kang Rinpoche and Manasarovar Lake, simply write “Ngari Pulan County” in the designated section.

Yet, it is imperative to acknowledge that certain precincts within Tibet stipulate the acquisition of a border defence card, in conjunction with a permit. This card is indispensable for both domestic and international wayfarers aspiring to explore the frontier zones of Tibet. Absent this pass, access to the aforementioned locales remains unequivocally forbidden.

The Essence of a Border Defence Permit

With a Tibet Travel permit and a valid passport, you’re free to travel to and from Tibet. Such a permit, oft-referred to as a border pass, remains non-essential for those confining their exploration to Lhasa within Tibet. Nevertheless, expeditions to frontiers or areas under stringent control such as Zhangmu, the illustrious Mount Everest, and Ali mandate its procurement. It is not uncommon for inspections to be initiated well beyond the 100-kilometre threshold from the border checkpoint. The span of legitimacy for the border defence certificate varies, extending from a quarter to half an annum.

Eligibility for Border Defence Permit Application

The permit is requisite for any individual aiming to visit the Tibetan border territories. This includes inhabitants from the mainland, sightseers from Hong Kong and Macao, foreign invitees, or Taiwanese kin. Mainlanders may secure a border defence permit either at their domicile or via a travel intermediary in Lhasa. Conversely, it is expedient for those from Hong Kong and Macau to engage a travel agency for efficacious facilitation.

Foreign visitors and Taiwanese tourists must secure a Tibet entry permit, often processed together with the border defence permit by travel agencies for convenience.

Application for a Border Defence Pass by Foreign Nationals

At present, Tibet maintains a prohibition on solitary ventures for foreign tourists. Participation in a group tour, organized by a certified local travel agency within Tibet, is mandatory. Through our agency, we stand ready to facilitate the attainment of your Tibet Frontier Pass. We entreat you to furnish us with the following particulars:

Copy of passport
Tour itinerary on our website
Copy of your China Visa
Copy of your TTB permit

Domestic Tourist Application for the Tibet Border Defence Permit

Domestic tourists can apply for a border defence document with their ID card at local authorities or in Tibet. To visit places such as Mount Everest Base Camp, they can seek permits from the government certificate centre or the Exit-Entry Administration. Advance applications for these permits are advised, and consulting the Public Security Bureau for intelligence on restricted areas is recommended.

Restrictions on Age for the Border Defence Permit Application

Individuals who are citizens of China and have celebrated their sixteenth birthday are compelled to procure a “Border Pass” as a credential for legal entry into designated border areas. For those under the age of sixteen, the stipulation is that they must not navigate these regions unaccompanied; instead, they are required to travel in the company of their legal guardians, who assume responsibility for their safety and adherence to the regulations governing border access.

Temporal and Locational Aspects of Border Defence Pass Application

The dispensation of the Frontier Pass falls under the jurisdiction of the Armed Police Tibet Frontier Corps stationed in Lhasa. By choosing our comprehensive Tibet tour packages, you entrust us with the meticulous handling of all necessary Tibet Travel Permit formalities. It is important to note that the application process generally requires a period of 3 to 5 days; therefore, it is essential to provide us with sufficient time to secure these documents on your behalf.

Under China’s “Administrative Measures for Border Passes,” a “Border Pass” usually lasts up to three months, but those working in Tibetan villages can get a pass for six months.

Locales Where the Border Pass is Operational

When embarking on a journey to the secluded border areas, it is a requirement to present your Tibet Frontier Pass at multiple checkpoints along the way. This requirement also applies to individuals departing from Lhasa to Kathmandu by air, where presenting the pass is mandatory at the airport before departure.

Regions Necessitating a Border Defence Certificate

Shigatse: Sakya Monastery, Mt. Everest Base Camp, Yadong, Kyirong, etc.
Shannan: Lhodrak,
Ngari Region: Mt. Kailash, Mansarovar Lake, etc.
Nyingchi Region: Basumtso Lake, Pomi, Rawotso Lake, etc.
China-Nepal Border: Kyirong, Yadong

The main areas that need to apply for border defence certificates: are the whole territory of the Ngari area, Mount Everest, Zhangmu Port, Yadong Port, Zayu, and Medog.

Typically, it suffices to list the counties visited on the border defence card. For example, a venture to the base camp of Mount Everest necessitates the inclusion of Shigatse, Tingri County on the card. As for pilgrimages to Kang Rinpoche and Manasarovar Lake, one simply inscribes “Ngari Pulan County.”

border defence pass — Border defence pass

Armed with a valid Nepalese passport and visa, one may cross the border sans the need for a defence card. Officers from the Tibet General Station of Entry-Exit Frontier Inspection’s Law Enforcement Investigation Detachment orchestrate border pass affairs at the Lhasa Citizen Service Center. Future solicitations for border passes can be directed to either the Lhasa Citizen Service Center or the Law Enforcement authorities therein.

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