Some think that to recognize a Tulku within the Gelug Tradition, the official recognition from His Holiness is indispensable. But this is far to be true.
In a recent mail, the Office of His Holiness the Dalaï-Lama wrote:
"Thank you for your recent e-mail and for explaining the situation about Tulku Shenphen."
"This Office responds truthfully and correctly when inquiries are made to us. For example, we do not have any difficulty in stating that all tulkus and lamas are not recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.".
Tenzin Geyche Tethong - Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Thekchen Choeling - McLeod Ganj 176219 - Dharamsala. (H.P.) - INDIA

It is due to the critical situation Tibet has gone through, along with political changes and integration of some Western standards (and need of paper, diploma, abuse of Tibetan title, etc...) that His Holiness has been more sollicitate to recognize Tulkus.
But, as a matter of fact, the majority of Tulkus are recognised by their past monastery. Of course, the monastery (the Lamas and the Abbot) have to perform all the checkings, according to the traditions, before to recognize officially someone as a Tulku. Often Oracles, Melongs (who read in mirror), and Tibetan astrologist are also questioned. Sometime even, the main Lama or Abbot would go to request a Mo (divination) from His Holiness the Dalai-Lama, without the need of a specific letter from the Office of His Holiness (which remain under some political considerations).

Other important figures of Gelug School able to recognize Tulkus, as the Ganden.tri.pa, the Holder of the Seat of Lama TsongKhaPa or the Panchen Lama. The Ganden.tri.pa is in fact the real leader of the Gelug.pa, even though the Dalaï-Lama has become more popular and do represent nowadays also the Tibetan Buddhism in his intirety to the eyes of the Western public.

It is important to understand the above, as, recently, some persons tried to discredit Lama Shenphen Rinpoche on the basis that His Holiness' Office was not requested to recognize him officially, and therefore there is no official letter from His Holiness the Dalaï-Lama. The situation seems more difficult to some people based on the fact that Shenphen Rinpoche is a Westerner vs. a Tibetan.

We understand that people should seek for authenticity, to avoid abuse, and we support this process. Yet, in this case Shenphen Rinpoche has been fully recognised by Kharnang monastery (as the above letter attests it), along with several other Rinpoches, Melongs readers and oracle. Rinpoche is also recognized by the second largest Khangtsen of Sera-Jhe monastery (Jhadrel Khangtsen, 500 monks). Sera is the largest monastic University.