A Public Security Bureau paper, now mainly for Mount Kailash and the far west
| Permit | Aliens’ Travel Permit (PSB Permit) |
|---|---|
| Issued by | Public Security Bureau, Tibet |
| Needed for | Ngari (Kailash, Guge) + some remote counties |
| No longer needed | EBC, Gyirong, Nyingchi, Samye (since 4 Jun 2025) |
| Applied by | Your guide, inside Tibet |
| Processing | Usually within 1–2 hours |
| Fee | CNY 50 per person |
| Documents | Original passport + Tibet Travel Permit |
The Aliens’ Travel Permit — travellers and agencies usually say “PSB Permit” — is issued by the Public Security Bureau of the Tibet Autonomous Region for counties classified as “unopened” to foreigners. On 4 June 2025 that category shrank sharply: Everest Base Camp, the Gyirong corridor, the Nyingchi valley routes (Basum Tso, Bomi) and the Samye circuit in Shannan all dropped the requirement. What remains is essentially the far west — everything in Ngari Prefecture, including Mount Kailash (6,714 m), Lake Manasarovar and the Guge Kingdom ruins — plus scattered counties in Chamdo and Nagqu on overland routes.
The practical difference from the main permit: you do not wait for this one at home. Your guide applies at a PSB office in Lhasa or Shigatse while the trip is already running, with your original passport and the group’s Tibet Travel Permit in hand. Issuing usually takes one to two hours at the counter, and itineraries are built so the stop never blocks the road.
Which places trigger it — 2026 rules
| Destination | ATP needed? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lhasa, Yamdrok Lake, Namtso Lake | No | Never required |
| Shigatse city, Gyantse, Everest Base Camp | No — dropped 4 June 2025 | Qomolangma reserve ticket still applies at EBC |
| Gyirong valley (overland to Nepal) | No — dropped 4 June 2025 | Border paperwork handled by the agency |
| Shannan: Samye, Tsedang, Yumbulagang | No — dropped 4 June 2025 | — |
| Nyingchi: Bayi, Basum Tso, Bomi | No — dropped 4 June 2025 | Border counties (Mêdog, Zayü) remain closed to foreigners entirely |
| Mount Kailash, Manasarovar, Guge Kingdom | Yes (plus Military Permit) | Arranged before the western drive |
| Chamdo / Nagqu overland sections | Route-dependent | Guide arranges en route where counties require it |
The full county-level matrix lives on the restricted areas page; the table above covers the routes 95% of itineraries touch.
How the application actually happens
On a Kailash route the sequence looks like this: the guide collects passports in Lhasa or at the Shigatse (3,840 m) overnight, and the PSB office issues the permit within an hour or two while the group visits Tashilhunpo Monastery. The document lists the same group as the Tibet Travel Permit and the specific counties approved. Cost is CNY 50 per person, included in Tibet Daily prices. You will likely never see the office — handing your passport to the guide for a morning is the entire traveller-side experience.
The ATP is arranged before the long western drive because there is no reliable issuing office between Saga and Darchen. This is one of the reasons Kailash itineraries are structured with a Shigatse night on the way out.
What it is not
The ATP does not replace the Tibet Travel Permit, does not get anyone into Tibet by itself, and does not cover the military-controlled zones — Ngari routes additionally need the Military Permit, which is filed before arrival, not in Tibet. It also is not a trekking permit: route-specific trekking arrangements (Ganden–Samye, Old Tingri–EBC) ride on county approvals, not on a separate document.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Aliens’ Travel Permit cost and who pays?
CNY 50 per person, paid at the Public Security Bureau counter by your guide and usually issued within one to two hours. Tibet Daily includes it in every itinerary that needs one — Mount Kailash, Guge and the remoter overland sections — so there is nothing to budget separately on the traveller side.
Do I still need the ATP for Everest Base Camp?
No. Since 4 June 2025 the EBC route — along with Gyirong, the Nyingchi valley and Samye — no longer requires the Aliens’ Travel Permit. What remains at EBC is the Qomolangma scenic area ticket (CNY 180 peak season, CNY 90 November–March) and the standard Tibet Travel Permit checks at the Rongbuk checkpoint.
Do I apply for the ATP before my trip?
No. It is issued inside Tibet, by the PSB, against your original passport and the group’s Tibet Travel Permit. Your agency schedules the issuing stop — typically Lhasa or Shigatse before a Kailash departure — so the paperwork never costs the itinerary a day.
Does my passport leave me during the application?
Briefly, yes — the PSB requires original passports, so the guide collects them for the counter visit, usually a morning. It is the only point in a Tibet trip where the passport leaves your pocket; hotels and checkpoints elsewhere only sight it.
Can the ATP be refused?
Refusals are unusual once you are lawfully in Tibet with a valid Tibet Travel Permit — the screening already happened at the TTB stage. The realistic risk is a temporary county closure changing the route, which the agency handles by re-sequencing rather than cancelling; your booking confirmation reflects the live status.
How do I make sure my route includes it?
Book any Tibet Daily itinerary that lists Kailash, Manasarovar, Guge or western Tibet — the ATP is built into the route plan and price. If you are customising a private route, name every county you want to sleep in and we map the permit set against it before quoting.