Hi all,

I am planning my first trip to Yunan and while preparing for the documents to apply for a visa, I learned I needed an invitation letter from a local if I didn't have a booking confirmation for the full duration of our stay. I am U.S. citizen but reside in South Korea at the moment.
I am wondering if this letter has to come from someone who lives in that very region/city I intend to travel or can it be any Chinese citizen living in different province?
Is there any other things I should be aware of while obtaining this invitation letter?

You can get an invitation from anyone anywhere so long as they have a residence permit. They don't have to be Chinese. The visa has nothing to do with Yunnan or anywhere else. Once you have it you can enter anywhere and go anywhere. The person inviting you should provide a signed letter in both Chinese and English and photocopies of their ID documents. If it's a foreigner they would probably have to include their passport main page, visa, residence permit and latest entry stamp.

Obviously if you get an invitation from e.g. Shanghai, fill the application form in accordingly.

You can also just book a fully refundable, pay on arrival hotel, and cancel the hotel after you get your visa.

You'd have to show flight tickets as well. Anyway it looks like the person who asked the question has lost interest.

Thanks all. and sorry about the delayed response on my side.

So that's a good news that the letter doesn't have to come from a local living in the actual region I plan to visit. Also a good trick to know about fully booking a hotel and canceling afterwards.

Am looking forward to the time spent in Yunan and great to find this site.