Sorry, chazas, haven't been on this forum for awhile. We arranged for the Tibet permit while in China, mostly by email and a leap of faith. We were there right after the October national holiday, and were only spending 2 nights in Chengdu before going to Lhasa. The travel agent obtained the Travel permit and our airline tickets/tour arrangements. If I were more daring, I might have looked into the independent route, but I was afraid we'd get to the airport and be turned away. There are any number of websites and connected travel agencies that arrange for Tibet travel. For peace of mind, I'm glad we used the travel agent and had all the arrangements made for us. But, I know of others who also obtained permits without having to book the airfare and land tour as well. If we had more time in Chengdu (and the government offices weren't closed for the national holiday), I might have taken a chance, but probably not.