To apply for a tourist visa (Type L), you need an application form, a passport-size photo and a valid passport. It takes about seven business days for an application to be processed. For Tibet, the Chinese Embassy must get approval from the Tibet Tourism Administration before issuing a visa.

A passport-size photo means a photo similar to the one in your passport. Only photos which are head-only, full frontal, with a white background, approximately 1-1/2" by 2".will be accepted. You can obtain this type of photo at any "Passport photo" service. Cut-outs from personal photographs are not acceptable.