Tanzania Visa and Entry Requirements: E-Visa, Fees and Combining Countries

Most visitors to Tanzania need a tourist visa, and the simplest way to get one is to apply online before you travel. The process is straightforward, but a few details catch travellers out every year, especially when a trip combines Tanzania with Kenya, Uganda or Rwanda. This guide covers the essentials. Rules and fees change, so always confirm the current requirements on the official Tanzania immigration website before you apply.

Do you need a visa?

Citizens of most countries in Europe, North America, Asia and Oceania need a visa to enter Tanzania, including Zanzibar, which is part of Tanzania. Citizens of some African and other countries can enter without one. Check your nationality on the official immigration website.

Applying online

Tanzania’s electronic visa is applied for through the government’s official immigration portal. You fill in a form, upload a passport scan, a recent photo and your return flight details, and pay by card. Approval can take several days and sometimes longer, so apply at least a few weeks before departure. Use only the official government site; several unofficial websites charge large extra fees for the same visa.

The standard single-entry tourist visa costs around US$50 for most nationalities. Citizens of the United States are generally issued a multiple-entry visa at a higher fee. Visas on arrival have been available at the main airports and border posts, but applying in advance avoids queues and uncertainty.

Passport and health requirements

• Your passport should be valid for at least six months after your planned departure from Tanzania and have blank pages for stamps.
• If you are arriving from, or have transited for some time through, a country with a risk of yellow fever, which includes Kenya, you may be asked for a yellow fever vaccination certificate. Ask your travel clinic whether you need the vaccine for your route.
• Keep your return or onward ticket and your safari booking confirmation handy, as officials may ask to see them.

Combining Tanzania with other countries

A common mistake is to assume that the East Africa Tourist Visa covers Tanzania. It does not. It covers Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda only. If your trip includes Tanzania and Kenya, you will need Tanzania’s visa and Kenya’s separate electronic travel authorisation. Leaving Tanzania for Kenya and returning usually requires a new Tanzanian visa unless you hold a multiple-entry visa, so tell us your full route and we will advise.

Zanzibar

Zanzibar uses the same Tanzanian visa, so you do not need anything extra. Zanzibar has, however, introduced a compulsory travel insurance requirement for visitors, which is bought online before arrival. Check the current rules when you book.

Practical tips

• Print your visa approval and carry it with your passport.
• Make sure the name and passport number on your visa match your passport exactly.
• Carry some US dollars in clean notes printed after 2009 for incidental costs; older notes are often refused.

When you book with us, we send a pre-departure checklist covering visas, vaccinations and luggage for your exact route. Our safari packing list and health guide are also worth reading before you travel.

Big Five Wildlife planning team

We plan private safaris across Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda, and write from time spent in these parks.