There are many reasons to go on a Tanzania tour on the eastern coast of Africa. The highest mountain on the continent, Mount Kilimanjaro, sandy beaches, and adventurous wildlife safaris are just a few reasons why Tanzania should be on your travel list.
A safari is a must on any trip to Tanzania. The Serengeti National Park in northern Tanzania brims with wildlife. Some say that during the great migration between June and September, one can see over 30,000 animals on a single African safari, including hundreds of unique mammals, reptiles, and birds.
Then there’s Africa’s tallest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro. Peaking at 5,895 meters, or 19,340 feet in imperial units, it’s a mountaineer’s dream. Ol Doinyo Lengai, or the “Mountain of God,” sends you on a six-hour trek to an altitude of 3,188 meters or 10,459 feet, offering views that rival Africa’s highest peak. And even then, you’d still have Tanzania’s east coast islands to visit.
All this is just a tiny glimpse of what Tanzania offers. After all, it’s one of the most biodiverse countries in East Africa. However, if you’re looking to pay Tanzania a visit, you’ll likely need a visa first. This guide has everything you need to know about the visa requirements for traveling to the United Republic of Tanzania.
Do you require a tourist visa to go to Tanzania?
Assuming you’re from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, or one of the EU countries, you must apply for a visa to visit Tanzania.
The same applies to Latin Americans and Asians, except for those from Singapore and Hong Kong. The good news is that regardless of your provenance, getting a visa for Tanzania is relatively easy and hassle-free.
Foreigners traveling to the East African nation for tourism must obtain an “Ordinary Visa.” It’s usually issued for one-time entry to Tanzania for up to three months. It’s the visa one would need to go on a vacation or attend humanitarian events in the country.
An ordinary visa is reasonably affordable, but US citizens require a multiple-entry visa, which is more expensive. Citizens of India, China, Brazil, or Turkey can enter Tanzania without a visa, assuming they’ve got a diplomatic or official passport.
It’s worth mentioning that ordinary visas are valid for three months from the issuance date, so we advise you to plan your Tanzania tour before this time. Additionally, your passport has to be effective for six months from the date you enter the country. Upon arrival, you may have to show your funds and a return travel ticket to the authorities.
If you’re only visiting Tanzania for a few days before traveling to Kenya, Rwanda, or another neighboring country, a “Transit Visa” is all you need. It’s cheap to apply for, but your stay in the country is limited to seven days. Of course, you still may need to show your visa proof or travel ticket to the country you plan to visit.
Who requires a multiple-entry visa for Tanzania?
As we mentioned earlier, citizens of the United States or anyone else planning to visit Tanzania more than once must apply for a multi-entry visa. As it suggests, this type of visa grants more than one entry to Tanzania within twelve months and stays lasting three months per entry. Non-US citizens will also be required to justify their application for a multi-entry visa.
Qualification requirements for a multiple-entry visa for Tanzania include a passport with photo ID proof valid for a minimum of six months from the entry date and a return ticket. Contact your local Tanzanian consulate to ask about any other supporting documents you may need for your application.
Who requires a referral visa for Tanzania?
Applicants from 28 countries in Africa and Central Asia require special approval in the form of a referral visa from the Commissioner General of Immigration Services to enter Tanzania. It includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Yemen, and more.
To see whether you fall under the referral visa category, check out the complete list of countries on the Immigration Services Department’s website. Note that you can’t obtain an on-arrival visa if you’re from one of the following nations. Instead, you must register for your visa two months prior to your planned travel date.
The chances of a rejected application are likely, so we recommend avoiding flight booking and hotel reservations until you get official approval from the Tanzanian authorities.
How to apply for a Tanzanian visa?
In 2018, Tanzania introduced the e-visa system to reduce interactions between foreign visitors and authorities. You can apply for a Tanzania tourist e-visa via iVisa, which offers an easy online application process.
When registering online, you’ll need to provide valid passport details, a scanned copy of your passport identity proof, and a passport-style photograph of yourself, and pay for the application. Alternatively, you can apply for a Tanzania visa from some Tanzanian consulates overseas, but it’s only possible in a few countries.
One can also get a visa upon landing in Tanzania, no matter their provenance. The international airports at Dar, Kilimanjaro, and Zanzibar offer on-arrival visas.
However, the best practice is to apply for a visa in advance, especially to avoid complications. Before you plan your trip to the country, we highly recommend checking out the Tanzania Immigration Services Department’s official website for updated information on entry requirements.
At the time of writing, getting a Yellow Fever vaccination certificate to enter Tanzania isn’t mandatory. However, if you’ve visited any other country where the risk of Yellow Fever transmission is high in the 21 days before arriving in Tanzania, you’ll have to produce the certificate.
Wrapping up
That’s all you need to know regarding visa requirements for Tanzania. While the country permits a three-month stay for most foreigners, overstaying can result in you getting fined, deported, or worse, detained. That said, you can try extending your visa by a further three months from the immigration offices in major Tanzanian cities such as Dar es Salaam.
