Xinjiang Border Pass Guide: How to Get Permits for Tashkurgan and the Pamirs
Some of Xinjiang’s best scenery sits in border-control zones — the Pamir Plateau around Tashkurgan, the frontier village of Baihaba near Kazakhstan, and stretches of the Karakoram route. To enter these areas as a foreign visitor you need a border permit (边境管理区通行证), and the checkpoint will turn you back without it. This guide covers the practical side so the paperwork doesn’t cost you a trip.
Note: rules for foreign nationals change, and Chinese citizens from elsewhere have a different process. This is written for foreign tourists; always reconfirm current requirements before you travel.
Where You Need One
Tashkurgan (Taxkorgan) County — the Pamir base town, including Karakul Lake, Muztagh Ata, the Stone City, and the Khunjerab gateway. This is the most common permit need.
Baihaba Village — the border village near Kanas, on the Kazakhstan frontier. Requires a separate permit obtained in Burqin or Altay.
Parts of the Karakoram Highway — the Gez checkpoint south of Kashgar is the control point before the plateau.
How to Apply (Tashkurgan)
The standard process: apply in Kashgar at the public security bureau’s border-permit office (边境管理支队), with:
– Your passport and a valid China visa (with at least the days you’ll be in the zone)
– A passport photo (sometimes)
– Your planned route and dates
– Often, proof of onward arrangements (a hotel booking in Tashkurgan helps)
Processing is usually same-day; arrive in the morning. Some travelers arrange it through a licensed tour company or hotel, which can smooth the paperwork and is the common route for those without Mandarin.
Important Caveats
Rules shift. Which nationalities are eligible, and whether independent travel is allowed, changes with policy. Confirm with the Kashgar PSB or a reputable agency within a week of travel.
Carry it always. The Gez checkpoint and random road stops will ask. Keep the paper copy; photos are not always accepted.
Plan buffer. If your permit is delayed, your Pamir days slip. Build a flex day into the southbound itinerary.
Khunjerab itself. Crossing into Pakistan requires a Pakistan visa and is a different process entirely; most foreign visitors only drive to the gateway and back.
Bottom Line
A border permit is a small hurdle that unlocks the most dramatic landscape in the region. Sort it in Kashgar before you head south, carry the paper, and the Pamirs open up. The permits-and-logistics sections of our Xinjiang Travel Guide track the current process, but treat any guide as a starting point and verify with the authorities — the plateau is worth the paperwork.
