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Tanzania Visa Policy

Browse the visa policy of Tanzania to discover visa requirements for your nationality.

Visa Policy for Tanzania

The visa policy of Tanzania determines who may enter the country and how many types of visa for Tanzania are available for that purpose.

Whether or not a visa is required for Tanzania depends on the traveler’s nationality, as well as the purpose and duration of the intended stay.

Citizens of over 60 countries do not need to meet any Tanzania visa requirements for short trips, as they are visa-exempt for the country for stays up to 90 days (3 months).

All other foreign citizens must obtain a visa in order to visit Tanzania. The most convenient way to do this is getting an eVisa through an online application. Some travelers may have to get an embassy visa from a Tanzanian diplomatic mission or a visa on arrival at a border entry point instead.

Citizens of over 150 countries are now able to submit an electronic application for a Tanzania visa online, eliminating the need to visit a government diplomatic office, or wait in line at the border, to apply.

A Tanzania visa on arrival option is only required for citizens of one county. Obtaining one can involve a lengthy wait at an immigration checkpoint for an application to be processed. It is also necessary to pay the visa on arrival fee in cash in US currency.

The Tanzania eVisa option eliminates this need and allows expedited entry to the country.

Those not eligible for an electronic Tanzania visa must apply in person for an embassy visa from the nearest Tanzanian consulate, by making an appointment in advance. It is necessary to indicate the type of travel document the applicant needs for their stay, whether a tourist visa, business visa, work visa, or study visa.

There are currently no Tanzania visa bans in place against any foreign nationalities.

Visitors to Tanzania must be able to present their return ticket upon arrival into the country.

The Tanzania visa policy also covers Zanzibar, so the majority of travel permits issued allow the holder to visit both mainland Tanzania and the Zanzibar islands.

Tourist Visa Policy for Tanzania

The Tanzania tourist visa policy, which includes the visa laws for the Zanzibar Archipelago,

states that roughly 40 nationalities may visit the country for tourism without obtaining a visa, for short stays.

However, all other foreign citizens traveling to Tanzania or Zanzibar for tourism or leisure need a visa.

The Tanzania online visa for tourism is quick and easy to obtain. It avoids any unnecessary trips to diplomatic missions and additional visa paperwork, while giving travelers the peace of mind that they have an approved visa before arriving at the Tanzanian border.

This online visa also allows the applicant to pay the fee electronically, while a visa on arrival fee must be paid in US cash currency.

Although some nationalities may be able to get a visa on arrival for Zanzibar at border control in the country, this can involve long waits. It also runs the risk of being denied entry if there is an issue with the application. Those who are eligible to apply for the tourist visa online generally choose this option.

Those not eligible for these visa options are required to apply for a Tanzania tourist visa from the nearest Tanzanian embassy or consulate.

Find below further information about the requirements for traveling to Tanzania and Zanzibar for your nationality.

Tanzania eVisa

The Tanzania eVisa is an electronic visa, introduced in November 2018,  which allows eligible foreign citizens to obtain travel authorization exclusively online.

It eliminates the need to visit a diplomatic mission of Tanzania in person to submit a visa application or queue upon arrival at the Tanzanian border.

There are over 150 nationalities that can apply for an eVisa for Tanzania online. Once approved, this electronic visa type allows the holder to visit both Tanzania and Zanzibar for purposes of tourism and leisure, attend a conference, for humanitarian or charity activities, or for visiting family and friends. This visa is also referred to as Ordinary Visa.

A Tanzania tourist eVisa is issued as a singleentry visa for a stay of up to 30 days for the majority of eligible citizens, and has a total validity of 90 days from the date of arrival.

Citizens of the United States only may be issued a multipleentry Tanzania visa online, which permits multiple stays of a maximum of 90 days. The eVisa for US citizens is valid for 1 year from the date of arrival.

Every traveler to the country is required to have his own Visa application. Minors must have their own separate Visa applications.

The online application for an eVisa is simple and can be completed with basic information in just a few minutes. Once processed, the approved online visa is sent to the applicant’s email. They must then print a copy of both the Approved Visa Grant Notice and Visa Application Notification letter.

These documents can then be presented to Tanzanian immigration control at select points of entry, alongside a completed Tanzania Entry Arrival declaration form and the same passport used for the visa application, to gain entry to the country.

Find below a full list of the nationalities who can obtain an online visa for Tanzania.

Tanzania eVisa: Country list

  • Aland Islands
  • Albania
  • Algeria
  • American Samoa
  • Andorra
  • Angola
  • Antarctica
  • Argentina
  • Armenia
  • Aruba
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Bahrain
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Benin
  • Bhutan
  • Bolivia
  • Bonaire
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Brazil
  • Bulgaria
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cambodia
  • Cameroon
  • Canada
  • Cape Verde
  • Central African Republic
  • Chile
  • China
  • Colombia
  • Comoros
  • Congo
  • Costa Rica
  • Croatia
  • Cuba
  • Curacao
  • Czech Republic
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Denmark
  • Dominican Republic
  • Ecuador
  • Egypt
  • El Salvador
  • Estonia
  • Faroe Islands
  • Federated States of Micronesia
  • Fiji
  • Finland
  • France
  • French Guiana
  • French Polynesia
  • Gabon
  • Georgia
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Greenland
  • Guadeloupe
  • Guam
  • Guatemala
  • Guinea
  • Guinea Bissau
  • Haiti
  • Honduras
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Ireland
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Ivory Coast
  • Japan
  • Jordan
  • Kuwait
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Laos
  • Latvia
  • Liberia
  • Libya
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Macedonia
  • Maldives
  • Marshall Islands
  • Martinique
  • Mayotte
  • Mexico
  • Moldova
  • Monaco
  • Mongolia
  • Montenegro
  • Morocco
  • Myanmar
  • Nepal
  • Netherlands
  • New Caledonia
  • New Zealand
  • Nicaragua
  • Niue
  • North Korea
  • Northern Mariana Islands
  • Norway
  • Oman
  • Palau
  • Panama
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Philippines
  • Pitcairn Islands
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Puerto Rico
  • Qatar
  • Reunion
  • Russian Federation
  • Saint Barthelemy
  • Saint Martin
  • Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  • San Marino
  • Sao Tome and Principe
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Serbia
  • Sint Maarten
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  • South Korea
  • Spain
  • Sudan
  • Suriname
  • Svalbard and Jan Mayen
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Taiwan
  • Thailand
  • Timor Leste
  • Togo
  • Tunisia
  • Turkey
  • Ukraine
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
  • United States Virgin Islands
  • Uruguay
  • Vatican City
  • Venezuela
  • Vietnam
  • Wallis and Futuna

Tanzania eVisa Ports of Entry

Holders of a Tanzania eVisa are able to enter Tanzania and Zanzibar via any seaport, as well as at the following select points of entry:

By Air

Julius Nyerere International Airport

Kilmanjaro International Airport

Abeid Amani Karume International Airport

Land

Namanga Border Crossing

Tunduma Border Crossing

Visa on Arrival

A Tanzania visa on arrival is a type of travel document that must be obtained upon arrival at a border entry checkpoint in either Tanzania or Zanzibar.

There is currently only one nationality, Iraq,  that must obtain visa on arrival to enter Tanzania and Zanzibar. All other visa-required nationalities are able to easily apply for an eVisa online, otherwise they must apply for a Tanzania embassy visa.

Obtaining a visa on arrival in Tanzania involves standing in line at the border to complete an application and can involve lengthy waits.

Furthermore, the Tanzanian visa on arrival fee cannot be paid with debit or credit card. It is necessary for travelers to bring USD banknotes with them to pay the fee in cash. Other cash currencies are not accepted.

The length of stay permitted with a visa on arrival is determined on a case-to case basis at ports of entry, by an individual Tanzania immigration agent.

For these reasons, those who are also eligible for the eVisa choose this convenient online option instead.

Those who submit an online visa application are able to pay the fee electronically, and are granted expedited entry to the country upon arrival, bypassing the visa on arrival queues.

Below, you can find a complete list of the countries required to obtain a visa on arrival for entry to Tanzania.

Visa on Arrival: Country list

  • Iraq

Embassy or Consular Visa Required

Citizens of over 40 countries are required to obtain an embassy visa for Tanzania (also known as a Referral visa) in advance of travel, regardless of the intended purpose or duration of the stay.

These nationalities must have an approved visa to travel to Tanzania and Zanzibar, as they require the approval of the Tanzanian Commissioner-General of Immigration or the Commissioner of Immigration for Zanzibar.

It is also necessary for all stateless persons or refugees holding Vienna Convention documents to obtain a Referral visa before traveling to Tanzania.

A Tanzanian referral category visa can be applied for online on the government web portal, but it it is necessary to attach a variety of supporting documentation.

If you are traveling for specific reasons other than tourism, then you may also need to submit a cover/invitation letter from a host in Tanzania, which must contain the host’s contact information such as full address and phone number. This will be required for volunteers, people attending meetings & conferences, studies, diplomatic, official and any other business activities. Applicants must also submit their flight itinerary and tickets.

Travelers are recommended to submit a Referral Visa application at least 2 months in advance of the intended arrival date, to guarantee sufficient processing time.

Those who apply for a Tanzania Referral visa are advised not to make any flight or accommodation arrangements for their trip until the visa approval is confirmed.

Also, travelers who fall under Referral Visa Category are not advised to apply for Multiple-entry Visa.

Citizens of visa-free or eVisa countries who wish to visit for a purpose and duration other than those permitted with their entry type must also obtain an embassy visa for Tanzania.

It may be necessary to make an appointment in advance and bring a range of supporting documents depending on the purpose of the stay, for example to work or study.

Check the list below to see if you require an embassy visa in advance to visit Tanzania.

Embassy or Consular Visa Required: Country list

  • Afghanistan
  • Anguilla
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bangladesh
  • Bermuda
  • British Indian Ocean Territory
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Cayman Islands
  • Chad
  • Christmas Island
  • Cocos Islands
  • Cook Islands
  • Djibouti
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Eritrea
  • Ethiopia
  • Falkland Islands
  • Gibraltar
  • Guernsey
  • Iran
  • Isle of Man
  • Jersey
  • Kazakhstan
  • Lebanon
  • Mali
  • Mauritania
  • Montserrat
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Norfolk Island
  • Pakistan
  • Palestinian Territory
  • Saint Helena
  • Senegal
  • Sierra Leone
  • Somalia
  • South Sudan
  • Sri Lanka
  • Syrian Arab Republic
  • Tajikistan
  • Tokelau
  • Turkmenistan
  • Turks and Caicos Islands
  • Uzbekistan
  • Yemen

Transit Visa Required

Visa-required citizens who are transiting through the United Republic of Tanzania to another destination, and planning to leave the airport and stay up to 7 days, are required to apply for a Tanzanian transit visa.

Travelers submitting a transit visa for Tanzania application may be asked to provide evidence of an onward flight ticket and/or proof of a valid visa for the country of final destination.

Once approved, a transit visa for Tanzania is only valid for the purpose of transiting through the country, and is not valid as a tourist visa.

Visiting Tanzania for tourism for a few days does not mean that you can apply for Transit Visa. Instead, you should apply for a tourist visa as described above.

Visa Not Required

A visa is not required to enter Tanzania from around 70 nations around the world. Citizens of these countries are able to enter Tanzania visa-free for a stay of up to 90 days.

This includes citizens of a number of countries in southern and eastern Africa. Travelers from these territories are only required to present a current passport, valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry, to gain visa-exempt entry to Tanzania.

However, for stays over 3 consecutive months, citizens of these visa-free countries will be required to apply for a visitor visa, or other visa type depending on the purpose of travel,  from their nearest Tanzanian diplomatic office.

Nationals of Brazil, China, India, or Turkey, who hold a diplomatic, service, official, or special passport, are also granted visa-exempt access to Tanzania and do not need a visa.

Certain citizens of foreign countries are also able to apply for a Visa Exemption Certificate for Tanzania free of charge.

This option is available to diplomats, spouses and dependent children of diplomats, foreign expatriates involved in government projects, and students from East African Community (EAC) member states.

The Tanzania Visa Exempt Certificate application involves supplying a range of supporting documents depending on the status of the applicant, which may include a cover letter, a copy of a work permit, and birth certificate copies.

Check the list below to find out if you come from a visa not required country for Tanzania.

Visa Not Required: Country list

  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Botswana
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Dominica
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Grenada
  • Guyana
  • Hong Kong
  • Jamaica
  • Kenya
  • Kiribati
  • Lesotho
  • Macau
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Malaysia
  • Malta
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Nauru
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Republic of Cyprus
  • Romania
  • Rwanda
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Saint Lucia
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Samoa
  • Seychelles
  • Singapore
  • Solomon Islands
  • South Africa
  • Swaziland
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Tuvalu
  • Uganda
  • Vanuatu
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Compulsory Vaccine for Tanzania

Proof of Yellow fever vaccination is required for all passengers arriving in Tanzania from the following countries:

Angola, Argentina, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, French Guiana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Suriname, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Venezuela, Zambia.

Individuals arriving from any country listed above who intends to spend more than 12 hours in transit through Tanzania, or leave the immediate area of the airport, must be in possession of a valid Yellow Fever Certificate.

This content has been reviewed by

Ekaterina Powell

US Immigration Attorney

Ekaterina Powell is a U.S. attorney licensed in the State of California, working in the area of U.S. immigration law for over 12 years. She has been featured as one of the top immigration lawyers in her state and city several times and has contributed to notable industry publications.

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