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Tanzania visas and entry

How the process works, and the only source worth trusting for the details.

The snow-capped cone of Kilimanjaro rising above dry plains, with a single figure walking a track in the foreground

Entry requirements are set by the Tanzanian government, and they change. This page explains how the process works in general. It deliberately doesn't quote a fee or a processing time, because any number we published here would eventually be wrong, and someone would rely on it.

Check the official site, not this one

The only source worth trusting is the official one: the Tanzania Immigration Services Department e-visa portal, at visa.immigration.go.tz. Check it against your own passport and your own travel dates, and check your own government's travel advice too.

How it generally works

Most visitors apply online in advance through that portal. You upload a passport scan and a photo, pay by card, and get a grant notice by email to show when you arrive. The single most useful thing you can do? Apply well before you travel, not in the final week.

Things that catch people out

  • Passport validity. You'll usually need at least six months left on your passport after the date you arrive, with some blank pages.
  • Zanzibar. It's part of Tanzania, so there's no separate visa. But there are separate arrival formalities and, at the time of writing, visitors must have travel insurance. Check the current rules before you travel.
  • Yellow fever. You'll need a certificate if you're arriving from, or have recently passed through, a country with a risk of yellow fever. Whether that applies to you depends on your exact route, so ask a travel clinic, not a website.

What we can do to help

We can't apply on your behalf, and honestly, we'd be suspicious of any operator who offered to. What we can do is tell you what your itinerary needs, and send you the confirmations you'll be asked for at the border.

Last reviewed 17 September 2026. Spotted something that's out of date? Give us a shout and we'll fix it.

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