Do I Need A Visa For Tanzania
Visas are always a hot topic for those planning on visiting Tanzania. There’ll be a lot of questions running through your mind like, ‘Do I need a visa to go to Tanzania?’ The simple answer is yes. You will need to apply for a visa as part of your travel and immigration process. In this article, we look at what country you are from, how long you’re planning on staying and how you will enter Tanzania in order to figure out whether if you need travel documentation before entering the country.
Are you a U.S. citizen traveling abroad? Whether it’s to visit family and friends, conduct business or for pleasure, understanding the visa application process is key to your success. Below are answers to some of the most common questions about U.S. visas from the Bureau of Consular Affairs:
Your next travel destination is Tanzania and you want to know if you need a visa… no problem! You certainly do not want to risk getting into trouble while you arrive in the country. After all, it’s better to be safe than sorry, or just “sorry” right? The answer will depend on your nationality and which country you are traveling/travelling from.
Do I Need A Visa For Tanzania
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 40 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.
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 to deal with visa paperwork, while giving travelers the peace of mind that they have an approved visa before arriving at the Tanzanian border.
This system 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 Available
Visa on Arrival
Embassy or Consular Visa Required
Visa Not Required
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, or for visiting family and friends.
A Tanzania tourist eVisa is issued as a single–entry 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 multiple–entry Tanzania visa online, which permits multiple stays of a maximum of 90 days within every 180-day period. The eVisa for US citizens is valid for 1 year from the date of arrival.
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
or
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 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.
This includes a cover/invitation letter from a host in Tanzania, which must contain the host’s contact information such as full address and phone number.