Do You Need A Visa To Visit Tanzania?
Do you need a visit to visit Tanzania is a frequently asked question by travelers and the answer is YES, all nationalities expect 70 exempt nationalities including Antigua & Barbuda, Anguilla, Ashmore & Certie Island, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Belize, Brunei, British Virgin Island, British Indian Ocean Territory, Botswana, Cyprus, Cayman Island, Channel Island, Cocoas Island, Cook Island, Christmas Island, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Dominica (Commonwealth of Dominica), Falkland Island, Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guernsey, Guyana, Heard Island, Hong Kong, Isle of man, Jamaica, Jersey, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Montserrat, Malaysia, Madagascar, Malta, Mauritius, Macao, Mozambique, Nauru, Naue Island, Norfolk Island, Namibia, Papua new Guinea, Rwanda, Romania, Ross Dependency, Samoa, Seychelles, Singapore, Swaziland, Solomon Island, South African Republic, South Sudan, St. Kitts&Navis, St. Lucia, St. Vicent, St. Helana, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos, Tokelan, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The above countries do not require a visa to visit Tanzania for tourism, business, study or transit purpose.
Who Needs A Visa To Visit Tanzania?
Citizens of most countries such as the US and Canada, the European Union, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and citizens of many other Latin American and Asian Countries (expect Singapore and Hong Kong) must apply for a visa before entering Tanzania.
Getting a Tanzania visa is a straightforward process for most nationalities.
Visitors coming to Tanzania for tourism should apply for an “ordinary visa” which grants a single entry to the country for a stay of not more than 90 days.
If you are attending a conference or participating in humanitarian or charity events this is the kind of visa to apply for, it costs US$50.
USA citizens are required to apply for a more expensive Tanzania multiple – entry visa which costs US$ 100. Note that visas are valid for 3 months from the date of issue and your passport should be valid for at least 6 months from the date your enter Tanzania, you may also need to show proof of a return travel ticket and funds on arrival.
Multiple Entry Visas For Tanzania
USD Citizens and anyone else who plans to enter Tanzania more than once during a trip or safari must obtain a Tanzania multiple entry visa, this visa costs US$100, it allows multiple entries to Tanzania within a 12 – month period. The stay per entry is not more than three months.
If you are not from the US, you should justify why you need multiple – entry visa (for example, for traveling overland to Kenya or other neighboring countries) as part of your visa application. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry to qualify for a multiple entry visa, also you will need to supply a passport photo and proof of a return ticket to Tanzania.
You may also be required to provide a security bond and other supporting documents, contact your local Tanzanian embassy or consulate for details.
Applying For A Tanzania Visa
Tanzania has introduced e-visas that have an easy online application process
Getting A Tanzania Visa Online
For convenience and peace of mind, apply for a Tanzania visa in advance through the official Tanzania Immigration website – https://eservices.immigration.go.tz/
If you are a USA Citizen, select “Multiple Entry Visa” when completing your application, this is the required option for US Citizens wishing to enter Tanzania. Other nationals may consider if the ordinary visa or multiple entry visa is right for their travel plans.
Timeframe
Your Tanzania Visa application may take up to 10 days to be processed, so make sure you give yourself adequate time to complete the application and receive your Tanzania visa.
If you gave booked a last – minute Tanzania adventure or short on time, you should opt for Tanzania Visa on arrival at the airport or border crossing point. Alternatively, the tourist visa/ordinary visa should not be completed more than 3 months prior to your scheduled travel dates. Do not apply for your E-Visa too early.
Completing Tanzania Online Visa Application Form
Complete your Tanzania e-visa only from the official Immigration website of Tanzania, don’t share your passport number or other important information with any other site offering visas. The Tanzania online visa application form is very simple and your answers should be clear.
- Ensure that you save your application number, either take a photo, save a screenshot or write the number down for future reference.
- If you start the application but aren’t able to finish completing all the questions at once, you can simply access the application again based on your email address and application number provided on the first page.
- When you return to complete the application, you will select “Continue Application”
- You can check the status of your visa at the “Visa Status” page which will let you know if your visa has been received, if it is in process or if you have been approved.
- Print all confirmation pages and keep them in a secure location, when you arrive in Tanzania you will still get an official sticker in your passports as proof of your visa.
Visas On Arrival In Tanzania
If you find the Tanzania e-via process to be too complicated or are having technical issues, don’t worry, you can still obtain a Tanzania visa on arrival for the same cots, given that you are from a country that does not need a referred visa (more about that below).
On arrival Tanzania visas are available at Julius Nyerere International Airport – Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro International Airport and Zanzibar at the Namanga (Isebania) Border post between Tanzania and Kenya and at the Tunduma Border crossing between Tanzania and Zambia.
Do not be worried when officials direct you to the emergency visa checkpoint on arrival, this is where Tanzania visa-on-arrival applications are made, the queues here can be long and you may be asked for proof of onward travel and proof of funds.
Those who have their e-visas may que in the “Visa Holder” line at immigration, they will pass quickly through and receive a sticker in their passport without needing to do any other paperwork or payments.
Who Needs A Referral Visa To Visit Tanzania?
Citizens of 28 countries including Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Iran, Iraq, Mali, Mauritania, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka need special clearance from the Commissioner-General of Immigration to travel to Tanzania.
Full list for these countries is available on the Immigration Services Department’s website – https://immigration.go.tz/index.php/requirements-for-visa. If you are traveling from any of these listed countries, you need to apply for your visa at least 3 months before your proposed travel date.
Approval is not guaranteed so avoid booking flights or making accommodation reservations until you get approval from the authorities of Tanzania.
Tanzania Transit Visas
If you are only visiting or entering Tanzania or a few days before heading on to a neighboring countries such as Uganda, Kenya or Rwanda. A transit visa may be all that you need, this special class of Tanzania visa costs only US$ 30.
However, you cannot be in the republic of Tanzania for more than 7 days. You may also need to show proof of a visa or travel ticket for the country you are visiting after Tanzania.
Business Visa For Tanzania
If you are traveling to Tanzania for business, you will need to apply for a business visa which is valid for 90 days. The Tanzania business visa costs US$ 250 and you may need supporting documents from the organization that is hosting you in Tanzania.
Tanzania Student Visa
If you are coming to Tanzania for internships, volunteering, research or academic studies you can apply for a student visa. If your period of study is shorter than 3 months, you will pay US$ 50. The fee will rise to US$ 550 depending on the category and duration of your stay in Tanzania.
Note: language students can only get a 6 months visa and the maximum period of a student visa can be issued for 2 years, if you are an exchange student, you do not have to pay an application fee.
Can You Extend Your Tanzania Visa?
Yes, most visitors can extend their Tanzania visas for a period of 3 month stay. If you overstay your Tanzania visa, you can be detained, fined and deported. But it is possible to extend a 3-month visa by a further 3 months at the immigration office in Dar es Salaam and offices in some other major cities of Tanzania.
Yellow Fever Vaccination Requirements
At the time of writing this article, travelers are required to produce a yellow fever vaccination certificate for entry into Tanzania.
