Most visitors need a visa for Tanzania, and most can apply online before travelling. The process is straightforward when the documents are ready — it is the small details that cause delays.
Applying before you travel
Tanzania operates an online visa system, and applying ahead is the calmest route: you arrive with the approval in hand rather than queueing on landing. Ordinary tourist visas are usually issued as single entry, valid for a stay of up to ninety days. Citizens of some countries — the United States among them — are issued a multiple-entry visa instead, and a small number of nationalities are exempt or require referral, which takes longer.
What to have ready
- A passport valid at least six months beyond arrival, with blank pages
- A passport photograph on a plain background
- Return or onward ticket details
- Your accommodation or itinerary details — we provide these for your booking
- The visa fee, paid by card during the application
Yellow fever and health documents
A yellow fever certificate is required if you are arriving from, or have recently transited, a country where the disease is present. It is not required for most direct arrivals from Europe or North America, but airlines do check when your routing passes through an affected country.
Zanzibar
Zanzibar is part of Tanzania, so your Tanzanian visa covers it — there is no second visa for the islands. There is, however, a mandatory inbound travel insurance scheme for visitors, so budget for that alongside your own policy.
Requirements and fees change. Confirm the current position on the official portal close to your travel date, or send us your nationality and routing and we will point you to the right category.
