3 ports, 9 places in Yunnan covered by visa-free policy

Following Kunming Changshui International Airport, the Sanyi International Airport in northwest Yunnan’s Lijiang city and the Mohan Railway Port in south Yunnan’s Xishuangbanna prefecture have been newly listed among the 37 Chinese ports to implement the 144-hour visa-free transit policy, as announced by the National Immigration Administration on July 15.

Taking effect on the same day, the new visa-free transit policy also listed eight Yunnan places after Kunming as the scope for international tourists to stay, including the cities of Lijiang, Yuxi and Pu'er, as well as the prefectures of Chuxiong, Dali, Xishuangbanna, Honghe and Wenshan.

Tourists from 54 countries, including Austria, Belgium and the Czech Republic, holding valid international travel documents and onward tickets with confirmed dates and seats within 144 hours, can transit through Yunnan province via any of the ports of Kunming Changshui International Airport, Lijiang Sanyi International Airport, or Mohan Railway Port and stay for up to 144 hours within the nine places.

As of now, the National Immigration Administration has implemented the 144-hour visa-free transit policy at 37 ports, including those in Beijing and Tianjin. During their stay, citizens of the 54 countries can engage in short-term activities such as tourism, business, visiting, and family visits.

Source: Yunnan Daily and China Daily; Trans-editing by Wang Shixue