Where do I need to apply for a China visa to go to Kailash Mansarovar trekking trip?

Thousands of pilgrims and tourists from across the globe visit Kailash Mansarovar every year. Since the journey involves a visit to multiple countries, they do need a Visa application as per their plan of the journey. Just like for travelling to any other foreign country, applying for and getting a Visa is important for any traveller. But specifically for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, the need for a Visa is a little different. This is the reason why a lot of people who are planning to visit this holy place often ask a lot of questions about the required Visa application and the related processes.

Special Chinese Visa for Kailash Yatra

For people who visit China for their business or personal needs, the Visa application and process are common. But specifically those who choose the route to Mount Kailash that passes through China need to apply for a special Chinese Visa, which is not as same as other Chinese Visas. Actually, this special Visa is a paper-based Visa given to only groups of travellers who want to visit Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar. This implies that any tourist or pilgrim who wants to go to Kailash Mansarovar through China needs to join a group of other travellers who are going there, to get a group Visa.

As required by the Chinese government, one needs to send their passport copies to the tour operator or travel agent he has chosen to make bookings for the Kailash Yatra. With the passport copy, the agent will first apply for the Tibet Travel Permit.

Once an individual receives this permit before his departure date for the Yatra, he will also need to submit his passport for Group Visa processing. Indian travellers or pilgrims need to send their original passports to the chosen travel agent, while people from other countries can send the coloured copies of their passports to the agent. Passports will be returned after the Group Visa application process is completed.

As detailed above, it takes a good amount of time to get the Visa process completed for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. This is the reason why travellers who are willing to do this Yatra are required to make bookings for the same as early as possible.

Nepal Visa for Indians or Other Foreigners for Kailash Yatra

For Indians, it is best to visit Kailash Mansarovar through Nepal, the neighbouring country, for which they do not need a Visa to enter.

But other than Indians, other foreign nationals who are first coming to India for this Yatra and have plans to travel ahead to Nepal, a Nepal Visa will be required. Also, they can directly get their Nepal Visa through their tour operator if they choose to directly reach Kathmandu, Nepal via air travel.

Also, travellers coming from India to visit Kailash will need a Tibet Travel Permit, and need to apply for it as detailed by the chosen travel agent.

As detailed, even Indian and other foreign nationals who are first coming to India can plan to visit Mount Kailash through the China route,  which has been detailed above.

Is It Compulsory to Get a Tibet Group Visa after Having a Chinese Visa?

A lot of travellers who visit China first, to reach to Kailash Mansarovar, feel confused about the need for a Tibet Group Visa. This is because they must already have a Chinese Visa stamped on their passports. As per the rules, A Tibet group Visa is compulsory for all tourists entering Tibet from either Nepal or China, irrespective of whether they have a Chinese Visa already or not.

For tourists or pilgrims who want to enter Tibet from Nepal to do their Kailash Yatra, it is very important to get a Tibet Group Visa from the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu.

About the Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) and CIPSC

China India Pilgrims Service Centre (CIPSC) is a government organisation, which has its monopoly over what to be taken care of in terms of arrangements to be made for Indian pilgrims on the Tibetan side. It also has the right to fix or vary the rate of commodities and travel costs there, which it does as per foreign markets, value of the US dollar as per the Indian rupee, domestic labour cost, etc.

Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) is also a government organisation that takes care of all arrangements for tourists within Tibet.

One should also know that no travel agent can have any control over these organisations in terms of facilities. These organisations can even deny giving permits to travellers sometimes, at their sole discretion.

In case it has been foretold that the entry of tourists into Tibet has been closed, it is best for all the tourists to change their travel plan accordingly, after the blocked entries open up.