240-Hour Visa-Free Transit in Yunnan: Complete Guide | InYunnan

The 240-hour visa-free transit policy lets citizens of 55 countries stay in Yunnan for up to 10 days without a visa. It's separate from China's 30-day visa-free policy and covers more nationalities. If your country isn't on the 30-day list, this might be your way in.

This guide covers everything: who's eligible, how to enter, which cities you can visit, and the rules you need to follow.

Eligible Countries (55 Nations)

The 240-hour transit visa-free policy covers 55 countries — 9 more than the 30-day visa-free list. This includes all 46 countries on the 30-day list plus additional nations.

Europe (39 countries)

Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom

Americas (6 countries)

Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico, United States

Asia-Pacific (7 countries)

Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, United Arab Emirates

Other

Brunei, Russia

Key difference: Countries like the UK, Turkey, Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina are eligible for 240-hour transit but are not on the 30-day visa-free list. If you hold a passport from one of these countries, this is your visa-free option.

Entry Points in Yunnan

You can enter Yunnan under the 240-hour transit policy through these designated ports:

Airports

• Kunming Changshui International Airport (KMG) — Yunnan's main international hub. Direct flights from Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, and many Southeast Asian cities.
• Lijiang Sanyi International Airport (LJG) — Smaller but convenient if your destination is northern Yunnan (Lijiang Old Town, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Shangri-La).

Land Crossings

• Mohan Railway Port — The China-Laos Railway border crossing. Take the train from Vientiane or Luang Prabang to Kunming (10-hour journey). This is the most popular land entry point for Yunnan.

Important: You must enter and exit through a designated transit port. You can't enter at Kunming and leave by driving to Vietnam — unless that crossing is also a designated transit port.

Cities You Can Visit

Under the 240-hour transit policy, you can visit 9 cities and prefectures in Yunnan:

City/Prefecture	Highlights	From Kunming
Kunming	Provincial capital, Spring City, Green Lake, Stone Forest	—
Dali	Old Town, Erhai Lake, Three Pagodas, Bai culture	2h by train
Lijiang	UNESCO Old Town, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Tiger Leaping Gorge	3h by train
Xishuangbanna	Tropical Yunnan, Dai culture, tea plantations, Mekong River	3.5h by train
Pu'er	Famous tea region, tea mountains, tea horse road history	2.5h by train
Chuxiong	Yi culture, Dinosaur Valley, on the way to Dali	1.5h by train
Yuxi	Fuxian Lake (deepest in Yunnan), Tonghai ancient town	40min by train
Honghe	Yuanyang Rice Terraces (UNESCO), Jianshui Ancient Town	3h by bus
Wenshan	Puzhehei Lake, karst landscapes, Zhuang/Miao culture	3.5h by train

These 9 areas cover the vast majority of Yunnan's tourist destinations. Notable exceptions: Shangri-La (Diqing Prefecture) and Tengchong (Baoshan Prefecture) are technically outside the designated zone, though enforcement is inconsistent.

How to Use the 240-Hour Transit

The process is simple, but there are specific requirements:

Requirements

1. Valid passport from one of the 55 eligible countries
2. Confirmed onward ticket to a third country (not your origin country). This is the key requirement — you must be transiting through China, not making it your final destination.
3. Enter and exit through designated ports in Yunnan (see Entry Points above)

Step-by-Step Process

1. Book flights: Country A → Kunming → Country B. Countries A and B should ideally be different, though some travelers report success with A → China → A routing.
2. Arrive at Kunming (or Lijiang) airport. Head to the immigration counter.
3. Tell the officer you're using the 240-hour transit visa-free policy. Show your passport, arrival card, and onward ticket.
4. Get your stamp. The officer will stamp your passport with a 240-hour (10-day) stay permit marking your departure deadline.
5. Register with police within 24 hours. Hotels do this automatically. If staying elsewhere, visit the local police station.
6. Explore Yunnan within the 9 designated areas.
7. Exit through a designated port before your 240 hours expire.

Cross-Province Travel (New in 2025)

A major policy update: 240-hour transit visa-free visitors can now travel between provinces. Previously, you were confined to the province you entered. Now you can enter via Kunming, visit Yunnan, take a train to Guizhou or Sichuan, and fly out from another designated port.

This means you could realistically do:

• Kunming → Dali → Lijiang → Chengdu (fly out from Chengdu)
• Kunming → Xishuangbanna → Kunming → Guilin (fly out from Guilin)
• Kunming → high-speed train to Guiyang → Chongqing (fly out from Chongqing)

This makes the 240-hour transit far more flexible than before. 10 days is enough for a meaningful trip across multiple provinces.

Important: Some Provinces Have Area Restrictions

When traveling cross-province, 6 provinces restrict you to designated cities only — you cannot freely roam the entire province:

Province	Designated Ports	Allowed Cities
Shanxi	Taiyuan Wusu Airport	Taiyuan, Datong
Heilongjiang	Harbin Taiping Airport	Harbin only
Jiangxi	Nanchang Changbei Airport	Nanchang, Jingdezhen
Guangxi	Nanning, Guilin, Beihai airports + Beihai seaport	Nanning, Liuzhou, Guilin, Wuzhou, Beihai, Fangchenggang, Qinzhou, Guigang, Yulin, Hezhou, Hechi, Laibin (12 cities)
Sichuan	Chengdu Shuangliu + Chengdu Tianfu airports	Chengdu, Zigong, Luzhou, Deyang, Suining, Neijiang, Leshan, Yibin, Ya'an, Meishan, Ziyang (11 cities)
Yunnan	Kunming Changshui Airport, Lijiang Sanyi Airport, Mohan Railway Port	Kunming, Yuxi, Chuxiong, Honghe, Wenshan, Pu'er, Xishuangbanna, Dali, Lijiang — all 9 prefectures

Good news for Yunnan visitors: Yunnan is one of the most open provinces — all 9 prefectures are included. You can move freely from Kunming to Dali, Lijiang, Xishuangbanna, and everywhere in between with no area restrictions.

Source: National Immigration Administration — Transit Visa-Free Policy

240-Hour Transit vs 30-Day Visa-Free: Which to Use?

Feature	240-Hour Transit	30-Day Visa-Free
Eligible countries	55	46
Maximum stay	10 days	30 days
Onward ticket required?	Yes (to a third country)	No
Cross-province travel	Yes (since 2025)	Yes
Re-entry	New transit, new 240 hours	New entry, new 30 days
Best for	Short trips, countries not on the 30-day list	Longer stays, more flexibility

If your country is on both lists, the 30-day visa-free is almost always better. It gives you triple the time and doesn't require an onward ticket to a third country. Use the 240-hour transit only if your country is exclusively on the 55-country list. See our 30-day visa-free guide for full details.

Rules and Restrictions

• 240 hours starts at midnight on the day after arrival, not from your actual arrival time. So arriving at 11 PM gives you nearly 11 full days.
• Overstaying is taken seriously. If you overstay, you'll face a fine (500 RMB/day, max 10,000 RMB), possible detention, and a mark on your record that may affect future visa applications.
• No work permitted. Tourism, business meetings, and transit only.
• Police registration is mandatory. Register within 24 hours of arriving in each new city.
• Keep your passport on you. Police can request to see it, and hotels will need it for registration.

Practical Tips for Yunnan

A Suggested 10-Day Yunnan Itinerary

1. Days 1-2: Kunming — Green Lake, Yunnan Provincial Museum, Stone Forest day trip, Nanping Walking Street
2. Days 3-4: Dali — Old Town, Erhai Lake bike ride, Three Pagodas, Xizhou village
3. Days 5-6: Lijiang — Old Town, Black Dragon Pool, Tiger Leaping Gorge hike
4. Days 7-8: Train back to Kunming via Dali, explore Kunming's neighborhoods
5. Days 9-10: Xishuangbanna (fly from Kunming) — Tropical Botanical Garden, Dai villages, night markets

Getting Between Cities

• High-speed rail connects Kunming, Dali, and Lijiang. Fast, cheap, and comfortable. Book on 12306.cn or Trip.com.
• The China-Laos Railway runs Kunming → Xishuangbanna (Jinghong) in 3.5 hours.
• Flights are cheap within Yunnan — Kunming to Xishuangbanna flights are often under 300 RMB.
• Long-distance buses serve areas not connected by rail (Honghe, Wenshan).

Money and Payments

Cash is rarely used in China. Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before arrival — both now accept international credit cards. See our payment setup guide for instructions.

Language

English is limited outside major tourist areas. Download a translation app before arriving. If you're thinking of a longer stay, learning Mandarin in Kunming is affordable and rewarding — the city is known for its clear, standard Mandarin accent, and programs range from 2-week intensives (tourist visa only) to full semester study.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I enter and exit from the same country?

The policy technically requires transit to a third country. For example, Thailand → China → Thailand may be questioned. In practice, enforcement varies. The safest approach is to book genuinely different origin and destination countries (e.g., Thailand → China → Vietnam).

What if my flight is delayed and I miss the 240-hour deadline?

Go to the nearest Public Security Bureau (PSB) immediately and explain the situation. Airline delays are generally treated sympathetically, but you need documentation (delay certificate from the airline). Don't just overstay and hope for the best.

Can I visit Shangri-La on the 240-hour transit?

Shangri-La (Diqing Prefecture) is not in the officially designated 9-area zone for Yunnan's 240-hour transit. However, with the new cross-province travel allowance, the boundaries have become less restrictive. Some travelers report visiting Shangri-La without issues, but there's a technical risk. If you want to be completely safe, use the 30-day visa-free entry instead (if eligible).

Do I need to show my onward ticket at immigration?

Yes. Immigration officers will typically ask to see your confirmed onward ticket (printed or on your phone). Have it ready. Airlines may also check before boarding your flight to China.

Can I extend the 240-hour stay?

No. Unlike the 30-day visa-free entry, the 240-hour transit cannot be extended. If you need more time, you'll need to exit and re-enter (starting a new 240-hour period) or apply for a visa.