Short answer: China has suspended the issuance of electronic border administration area permits for Shigatse City, Xizang Autonomous Region, following a major mudslide on the Nepal side of the Gyirong border area. The suspension took effect at 00:00 on August 28, 2026. Travelers who already hold a valid permit listing Shigatse as their destination have also been asked to temporarily avoid the affected area. The National Immigration Administration has not announced when permit issuance will resume.
For travelers planning Tibet, the key point is simple: this is a restriction affecting the Shigatse border administration area; it is not an announcement that all travel to Tibet has been suspended.
What Happened at Gyirong?
According to China’s National Immigration Administration, a large-scale mudslide occurred at around 10:30 on August 26, 2026, on the Nepal side of the border.
The disaster caused casualties and missing persons in the Gyirong Port area. Road and communication links were disrupted, while the authorities said that secondary disasters remained possible.
Emergency rescue and disaster-relief operations are currently underway. The permit suspension was introduced to protect people travelling into the border administration area, avoid disrupting rescue work and maintain orderly movement in the border region.
What Exactly Has Been Suspended?
The National Immigration Administration has suspended the issuance of electronic border administration area permits for Shigatse City.
It has also asked people who already hold valid permits listing Shigatse as their destination to refrain from travelling to the affected area for the time being.
The authority has not given a reopening date. It says that the resumption of permit issuance will be announced separately.
This distinction is important.
The announcement does not say that all tourism in Tibet has been suspended. It concerns access to the affected border administration area and the issuance of the relevant electronic permits.
Can I Still Travel to Tibet?
Yes. The announcement does not suspend all travel to Tibet.
However, the effect on your trip depends on your route.
If your itinerary involves the Gyirong border area or another part of Shigatse covered by the current restriction, you should check the latest situation before travelling.
If your trip begins in Chinese mainland and follows an inland Tibet route, do not assume that the current border restriction automatically cancels your entire itinerary.
The safest approach is to check the exact route and permit requirements for your trip before departure.
What Does This Mean for Kathmandu to Tibet Trips?
Travelers planning to enter Tibet from Kathmandu through Gyirong should pay particular attention to this update.
Gyirong is a major land route between Nepal and Tibet, and the current announcement follows the disaster at the Gyirong border area.
There is currently no reopening date announced by the National Immigration Administration.
If you have already booked a Kathmandu–Tibet trip, contact your travel provider before travelling to the border and confirm:
- whether your planned crossing can proceed;
- whether your existing travel documents remain valid for the itinerary; and
- what arrangements apply if the border route cannot be used on your travel date.
Do not assume that an older itinerary or previously issued permit automatically means that you can travel into the affected area.
Does This Affect Tibet Everest Base Camp Tours?
Not every Tibet Everest Base Camp itinerary uses the Nepal border.
A common route from Chinese mainland travels from Lhasa toward Shigatse and then onward toward Tingri and Everest Base Camp.
A Kathmandu–Tibet itinerary may enter Tibet through Gyirong.
These are different routes, so travelers should look at the actual itinerary, rather than assuming that every Everest Base Camp trip is affected in the same way.
The National Immigration Administration’s announcement concerns the suspension of electronic border administration area permits for Shigatse following the Gyirong disaster. It does not announce a blanket suspension of Tibet Everest Base Camp tourism.
What Should Travelers Do Now?
If you are travelling to Tibet soon, there are four practical things to check.
1. Check Your Entry Route
Are you entering Tibet from Nepal through Gyirong, or from a city in Chinese mainland?
This is the first distinction to make.
2. Check Your Permit
If you already hold an electronic border administration area permit listing Shigatse as the destination, do not assume that it can be used to enter the affected area.
The National Immigration Administration has specifically asked holders of such permits to temporarily avoid travelling there.
3. Check Your Travel Date
There is currently no announced date for resuming permit issuance.
If your trip is scheduled soon, confirm the latest situation before travelling toward the border.
4. Follow Official Updates
The current restriction is connected to an ongoing emergency response. Conditions at the border may change as rescue work progresses.
For the latest status, travelers should rely on official announcements rather than older travel guides or social media posts.
If You Have Already Booked Your Tibet Trip
There is no need to assume that your entire Tibet trip is cancelled before checking the route.
Start with one question:
Does my itinerary actually enter the affected border administration area?
If the answer is yes, contact your travel provider and ask:
- Is my planned route currently available?
- What is the status of my permit?
- If the route remains restricted on my travel date, what options are available?
If your trip does not involve the affected border area, ask your travel provider to confirm whether any part of your particular itinerary is affected.
This is one of those situations where the details of the route matter more than the tour title.
What Travelers Should Know About the New Electronic Permit
The current restriction also comes after China’s introduction of the Electronic Border Administration Area Permit in April 2026.
Since April 15, 2026, China has used electronic border administration area permits instead of newly issued paper permits. The system applies to Chinese mainland residents, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan residents, with application procedures depending on the applicant’s status.
That is why travelers may see the term “electronic border administration area permit” in current Tibet travel information instead of the older term “border pass.”
The two should not simply be treated as unrelated documents. The electronic permit is the current form of the border administration area permit system introduced by the National Immigration Administration in 2026.
The Latest Official Position
The National Immigration Administration issued the announcement on August 27, 2026, and the suspension took effect from 00:00 on August 28.
As of September 1, 2026, no reopening date has been announced. The authority says that the resumption of permit issuance will be announced separately.
For travelers, the practical takeaway is straightforward: If your Tibet journey involves Gyirong or the affected Shigatse border administration area, check the latest official situation before travelling. If your route does not involve the affected area, do not assume that this announcement automatically cancels your entire Tibet trip.
CHIBET Travel will continue to follow official updates and explain what they mean for travelers planning a Tibet journey.
Official Source
The information in this article is based on the National Immigration Administration’s Announcement No. 5 of 2026, issued on August 27, 2026.
Read the official announcement from China’s National Immigration Administration
