Shanghai will allow transit passengers from 45 countries to stay in the city for 72 hours without a visa, following a similar policy announced by Beijing.

The policy will come into effect on January1, the municipal authorities of Shanghai said on Sunday.

Transit passengers holding third country visas and plane tickets can enter Shanghai through the city's two airports -- Hongqiao and Pudong.

The 45 countries, for both Beijing and Shanghai, are:

-- Austria;

-- Belgium;

-- the Czech Republic;

-- Denmark;

-- Estonia;

-- Finland;

-- France;

-- Germany;

-- Greece;

-- Hungary;

-- Iceland;

-- Italy;

-- Latvia;

-- the Republic of Lithuania;

-- Luxembourg;

-- the Republic of Malta;

-- the Netherlands;

-- Poland;

-- Portugal;

-- the Republic of Slovakia;

-- the Republic of Slovenia;

-- Spain;

-- Sweden;

-- Swiss;

-- Russia;

-- the United Kingdom of Britain;

-- the Republic of Ireland;

-- Cyprus;

-- Bulgaria;

-- Romania;

-- Ukraine;

-- the United States of America;

-- Canada;

-- Brazil;

-- Mexico;

-- Argentina;

-- Chile;

-- Australia;

-- New Zealand;

-- the Republic of Korea;

-- Japan;

-- Singapore;

-- Brunei;

-- the United Arab Emirates;

-- Qatar.

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45 countries listed for 72-hour visa-free stay in Beijing