A Texan in Tibet - Entry Visa Fusterfcluck

"The airline lost my luggage, so I sued them. Unfortunately, I lost the case."
- Anonymous

What a mess! It appears the rules for travel in Tibet have changed. In the recent past, the process was handled by in-country fixers who have political/administrative connections and know how to leverage them. As I wrote in a previous entry, I was supposed to hand my passport over to my fixer and they would magically return with a Tibetan entry permit, My job while the permit was being secured was to wander around Kathmandu, shopping and acclimatizing, and definitely not worrying that I was in a third world country, unescorted, and with no passport in my possession. What could possibly go wrong? Apparently, this was the norm and nobody seemed to experience any drama following the process.

Now, it's different. That the change happened whilst I am preparing for my trip is just my dumb luck. The new rule requires travelers to secure their own Tibetan entry permit, but this permit cannot be obtained unless the traveler first secures a Chinese tourist visa. To secure a Chinese tourist visa, the traveler must list their destination, but if Tibet is listed as a destination, the visa will be refused. It's a classic catch 22.

After numerous phone calls and emails, I think I learned the trick.  There's always a trick. The Chinese visa application requires a destination, but not a flight number. I was advised to list a major Chinese city and a hotel as my destination on the visa application. Apparently, there is no verification and the visa is issued. If, for some reason my itinerary just happens to change, I will still have a valid Chinese visa that can be used for my Tibetan entry permit. I applied online for a Chinese Visa today and I must say, they are thorough. I'm pretty sure China knows more about me than my own family.

Oh, and just in case anybody is keeping track, I am very much looking forward to staying at the Hilton Hotel in Beijing! I'll tackle the Tibetan entry permit next.