Visa and entry requirements for Tanzania

Most visitors need a visa for Tanzania, and every non-resident visitor needs the government's inbound travel insurance. This page covers both, plus the health form, customs and what changes if you arrive in Zanzibar.

Last checked: 1 November 2026. Rules, fees and advice change, so confirm them with the official source named at the end of this page before you book and again before you fly.

Visas

Apply for an eVisa on the official portal of the Tanzania Immigration Services Department (visa.immigration.go.tz) before you travel. The portal says applications are processed within ten days, so apply well ahead of your flight. Citizens of East African Community member states do not need a visa.

  • Ordinary visa: single entry, for tourism, valid for up to 90 days.
  • Multiple-entry visa: valid for one year, with each visit lasting up to three months.
  • Transit visa: for a stay of up to seven days.

When last checked, the portal listed US$50 for an ordinary visa, US$100 for a multiple-entry visa and US$30 for a transit visa. Check the fee that applies to your passport on the portal before you pay.

Many nationalities can also buy a single-entry visa on arrival at the main entry points. Multiple-entry visas are not issued on arrival, and some nationalities must apply in advance. Applying online first means you land with the visa already approved.

Passport and documents

  • A passport valid for at least six months from your arrival date, with at least one blank page.
  • A return or onward ticket. Border officers can ask to see it.
  • A yellow fever vaccination certificate if you arrive from a country with yellow fever risk, or after more than 12 hours in transit at an airport in one. See Health and vaccinations.
  • The Ministry of Health's Travellers Health Surveillance Form (afyamsafiri.moh.go.tz), completed before you leave or on arrival.

Health screening, including temperature checks, is in place at entry points.

Mandatory inbound travel insurance

Non-resident visitors must buy the Tanzanian government's inbound travel insurance, even if they already have their own policy. It covers a stay of up to 92 days. You buy it once, for your first point of entry, and you can be refused entry without it.

  • First arrival in Zanzibar: buy it from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC), online at visitzanzibar.go.tz before you travel or on arrival.
  • First arrival on the mainland: buy it from the National Insurance Corporation (NIC), online through its inbound insurance portal or on arrival.

This cover is an entry requirement, not a full travel policy. Keep your own travel insurance for medical evacuation, cancellation and the activities you plan. Check the current price on the ZIC or NIC portal before you buy.

Arriving in Zanzibar

Zanzibar is part of the United Republic of Tanzania, so the same visa covers the islands. The inbound insurance is bought once, for your first point of entry: from ZIC if you land in Zanzibar first, from NIC if you land on the mainland first and travel on to Zanzibar.

Dress modestly away from the resorts, especially in Stone Town. See Packing.

Customs

  • Declare anything that may be prohibited, taxed or subject to duty.
  • Do not bring accessories made from animal skin.
  • Taking wildlife items out of the country, including horns and seashells, needs a certified export permit from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism.
  • Plastic bags are banned. Air passengers hand them over on arrival. The clear zip-lock bags used for airport security are allowed.

Check before you travel

Sources: the Tanzania Immigration Services Department eVisa portal and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) entry requirements for Tanzania. Confirm visa rules, fees and the insurance requirement with Tanzania Immigration or your nearest Tanzanian embassy or high commission before you book, and again shortly before you fly.