Do You Need a Visa for Tanzania?

Do You Need a Visa to Enter Tanzania?

Most international visitors need a visa to enter Tanzania for tourism. This generally includes travellers using British, US, Canadian and Australian passports. However, Tanzania visa requirements are determined by the nationality and type of passport used, as well as the reason for travel and the intended length of stay.

Tanzania maintains a list of visa-exempt nationalities, so some travellers can enter without a visa. Other travellers may be subject to a referral procedure and need approval before travelling. A visa exemption does not necessarily remove other entry requirements, including passport, return-travel or mandatory insurance requirements.

For a typical holiday, safari or Kilimanjaro trip, a tourist visa is usually the relevant category. US passport holders are a notable exception: Tanzania’s Immigration Services states that US nationals travelling for tourism must apply for a Multiple Entry Visa rather than an Ordinary Visa, even for a single visit.

A Tanzania visa and permission to stay are not the same thing. Always check the visa category, entries and permitted stay shown on the document issued for your trip.

What Are Your Visa Options for Tanzania?

Where a visa is required, the main options are to obtain it before departure or, for eligible travellers, to apply for a visa on arrival at an official entry point.

• eVisa before travel: an online visa route for travellers who want their visa decision before departure.
• Visa on arrival: available at main entry points for eligible travellers who meet the applicable immigration requirements.
• Prior approval or referral process: required for certain nationalities, as well as some stateless persons and refugees. These travellers should not rely on visa on arrival availability.

Visa on arrival remains an option for some eligible travellers; it has not been replaced universally by the eVisa. Nevertheless, choosing an eVisa or visa on arrival should be based on your passport, route, timing and visa category.

What Types of Visas Are Available for Tanzania?

The Ordinary Visa is the main tourist visa category for eligible visitors travelling for holidays, visiting relatives or similar short stays. Tanzania also issues other categories, including Multiple Entry, Business, Transit, Student and Gratis visas.

A safari, beach holiday or Kilimanjaro trek does not automatically require a special visa category: the correct visa depends on the real purpose of the stay. Tourism is different from paid work, volunteering, study or a short professional assignment, which can be subject to separate immigration rules.

For US citizens, the tourist category is particularly important. Tanzania Immigration Services states that holders of US passports visiting for tourism must apply for a Multiple Entry Visa. The visa may be valid for one year, but the maximum consecutive stay is three months.

Tanzania eVisa vs Visa on Arrival: Which Should You Choose?

An eVisa lets an eligible traveller complete the visa process before travelling, while a visa on arrival is issued at an official Tanzanian entry point for travellers who qualify. Neither route is automatically best for every traveller.

• An eVisa may suit you if you prefer to have a visa decision before boarding, have a referral case, need a category that should be arranged in advance or want to reduce formalities on arrival.
• Visa on arrival may suit you if your passport is eligible, you are entering through a main official point of entry and you meet all border requirements.

Travellers should not assume that a visa on arrival is available simply because it is available to another nationality. Your passport, travel document and visa category remain decisive.

How Do You Get a Tanzania eVisa?

The Tanzania eVisa process is completed through the official immigration system before travel. In broad terms, you select the appropriate visa category, provide the requested travel and identity information, submit the application and wait for the visa decision before starting your journey. Each passport holder, including a child, needs an individual visa application where a visa is required.

The correct category, the passport used and the first destination selected for a trip including both mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar can all matter. For a full guide to the online application, documents, fees, timing and common application issues, see Tanzania eVisa: How to Apply, Fees, Processing Time & Documents.

How Much Does a Tanzania Visa Cost?

Tanzania Immigration Services lists an official fee of USD 50 for an Ordinary Visa and USD 100 for a Multiple Entry Visa. Fees vary by visa category and may also depend on nationality or the type of travel document. In particular, US passport holders travelling for tourism must use the Multiple Entry Visa category rather than the Ordinary Visa.

Government visa fees are separate from any optional private assistance service. Check the applicable category and official amount for the passport you will use before making payment.

Do You Need a Separate Visa for Zanzibar?

No separate Tanzania tourist visa is normally needed solely because your itinerary includes Zanzibar. Zanzibar is part of the United Republic of Tanzania, and the immigration authorities advise travellers applying for a visa for a combined trip to select their first destination; the same visa can then be used for both mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.

Visa rules should not be confused with Zanzibar’s inbound travel insurance requirement. Even when one visa covers a combined itinerary, insurance requirements still depend on your first point of entry.

Mandatory Travel Insurance for Zanzibar and Mainland Tanzania

Mandatory inbound travel insurance is separate from your visa. Zanzibar introduced its own insurance requirement for foreign visitors, excluding residents, from 1 October 2024. Since 1 October 2026, Tanzania Mainland has also applied mandatory inbound travel insurance for foreign visitors, subject to applicable exemptions.

For a trip covering both mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, the policy required is determined by your first point of entry into Tanzania. A valid applicable policy for the journey should not require you to purchase a second mandatory policy merely because you continue between Zanzibar and the mainland. Keep the insurance certificate or QR code available during the trip.

Qualifying travellers from East African Community and Southern African Development Community partner states are exempt from the mainland requirement, but that exemption does not automatically apply to Zanzibar’s separate requirement. This compulsory entry insurance is not a substitute for comprehensive personal travel insurance suited to your own health, cancellation and activity needs.

Which Visa Do You Need for a Safari, Kilimanjaro or a Holiday?

A standard tourist trip, such as a safari, beach holiday, cultural visit or Kilimanjaro trek, will generally fall under the tourism visa rules that apply to your passport. The activity itself does not override the nationality-based visa requirement.

• UK, Canadian or Australian visitor on holiday: a tourist visa is generally required; an eVisa or eligible visa on arrival route may be available.
• US visitor on safari: a Multiple Entry Visa is required for tourism under Tanzania’s published immigration guidance, even if the itinerary has only one planned entry.
• Traveller going to work, volunteer or study: do not assume a tourist visa is sufficient. The purpose of the activity can require a different visa or permit.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Tanzania Visa?

Tanzania Immigration Services indicates that online visa applications are processed within ten days, except referral visa cases. Referral cases should be started much earlier: the official guidance advises applying at least two months before travel. Processing can vary, and an application or visa grant notice does not itself guarantee admission at the border.

If you need an eVisa, avoid leaving the application until the last minute and use the more detailed eVisa guide to plan the timing for your individual case.

What Documents Do You Need to Travel to Tanzania?

Your documents should match the passport and visa route you will actually use. For most visitors, prepare the following before departure:

• A valid passport: it should meet Tanzania’s passport-validity requirements. British, Canadian and Australian travel advice currently indicates at least six months of validity for travellers using those passports.
• Your visa or visa eligibility details: including the relevant eVisa decision where you applied online, or confirmation that visa on arrival is available for your passport and travel plans.
• Proof of onward or return travel: border officials may ask to see it.
• Mandatory inbound insurance evidence: where the requirement applies, retain the applicable certificate or QR code for your first point of entry.
• A yellow fever vaccination certificate when required: this can apply when arriving from, or transiting through, a country considered to present a yellow fever transmission risk.

Airlines can apply their own document checks before boarding. Check that your passport, visa route and insurance evidence are ready for the exact itinerary, including domestic travel between Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania.

Common Mistakes to Avoid Before Travelling

• Assuming all English-speaking passport holders follow the same rule. UK, US, Canadian and Australian travellers generally need a visa, but the US tourist visa category is different.
• Confusing visa validity with permitted length of stay. The visa issued for your trip sets the conditions you must follow.
• Relying on visa on arrival without checking eligibility. Referral cases, refugee travel documents and stateless travellers can face different rules.
• Buying two mandatory insurance policies for one combined trip. The first point of entry determines the applicable policy when travelling between Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania.
• Using a tourist visa for work, volunteering or study. Confirm the correct immigration category before travelling.

Tanzania Travel Checklist

• Confirm whether your passport is visa-exempt or requires a Tanzania visa.
• Check whether your tourist trip requires an Ordinary Visa, a Multiple Entry Visa or another category.
• Decide whether an eVisa or an eligible visa on arrival is more appropriate.
• Make sure your passport meets the applicable validity requirement and has space for entry formalities.
• Keep proof of onward or return travel accessible.
• Check the mandatory inbound insurance requirement based on whether you enter Zanzibar or mainland Tanzania first.
• Review any health-entry rules that may apply to your route.

Check the Requirements for Your Trip

Tanzania entry requirements can change according to the passport you use, your itinerary, your arrival point and the purpose of your visit. Use Go2entry to check the entry formalities that may apply to your individual trip before departure.