外国人为何需要办理“入藏旅游批准函”？外国人去西藏旅游注意事项
Why foreigners need to handle “the ratification of travel to Tibet”?
鉴于西藏特殊的民族传统、文化古迹和生态环境保护的需要，同时也因西藏的交通状况和旅游服务设施及接待能力，政府规定非中国公民身份持有者，即外国旅游客人，台湾游客及海外华人（香港、澳门居民持中国特区护照或回乡证者除外），在进入西藏旅游前，必须办理由西藏自治区旅游局[TTB]签发的“外国人入藏旅游批准函”，同时，也规定外国记者和外交官不能以旅游者身份进藏。
Considering the need of Tibet’s special ethnic customs, historical sites and ecological environment, as well as traffic conditions, service facilities and reception places, the government enforces a provision that before travel in Tibet, non-Chinese citizens must handle “the ratification of foreigners’ travel to Tibet”, which need possess a permit by TTB(Tibet Travel Bureau). And these non-Chinese citizens include foreign country visitors, visitors from Taiwan and overseas Chinese (excluding the people in Hong Kong, Macao who hold the passport of special administrative region (SAR) or the ratification of returning homeland), in addition, the government also has another provision that foreign journalists or diplomats can’t enter into Tibet as the visitors.
哪些人需要办理“入藏旅游批准函”
Which group of people need handle “the ratification of travel to Tibet?”
1、非中国公民身份证持有者－中国台湾的游客；
Non-Chinese citizens ID card holder—visitors from Taiwan, China;
2、非中国护照持有者－外籍护照持有者。
Non-Chinese passport holders--foreign passport holders
注：海外华人若无中国护照也需办理“入藏旅游批准函”。
Tips: overseas Chinese also should handle ““the ratification of travel to Tibet” if they don’t have Chinese passport.
注：现已取消港澳地区人员进藏旅游必须提供“入藏旅游批准函”的规定。港澳游客持中国特区护照、“港澳同胞回乡证”（1998年以前签发，有效期10年）或“港澳居民来往内地通行证”均可自行赴藏旅游。
Tips: now the government has cancelled the provision that people from Hong Kong, Macao must provide ratification of travel to Tibet. The visitors from Hong Kong, Macao can travel to Tibet if they hold the passport of Special Administrative Region (SAR) or the ratification of returning homeland (the ratification was issued before 1998, and has 10-year validity) or the pass of movements to mainland of the residents in Hong Kong, Macao.
外国人旅藏的有关规定
Notes for foreigners to Tibet
根据国家旅游局规定，外国旅游者、台湾游客和海外华人（香港、澳门居民持中国特区护照或回乡证者除外）在藏期间不允许自行旅游，不论客人人数多少，必须有组织、有计划地组团旅游。
According to the provision from the National Tourism Bureau, foreign visitors, Taiwan visitors and overseas Chinese (except the Hong Kong, Macao residents who hold the passport of Special Administrative Region or the ratification of returning homeland) in Tibet are not allowed to travel by themselves. They must travel in group whatever there are how many visitors.
凡有组织的海外旅游团队须由其委托的旅行社向西藏旅游局及其各地办事处申请入藏批准函。对欲进藏的海外散客，西藏自治区旅游局分别在北京、上海、成都、格尔木设立各地办事机构，具体负责海外散客。
Any organized travel groups from overseas must apply for the ratification to Tibet in Tibet Travel Bureau and its administrative institutions in various places by the travel agency you entrusted. For the foreign visitors who want to visit Tibet, the Tibet Tourism Bureau has build up administrative institutions in various places to serve for them, such as in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Ge’ermu nd so on.
办理入藏函联系电话：010-63450891 ：tibetbest
西藏商报报道的西藏非法网站：http://lxs.cncn.com/79089/n556629
