Based on official Tanzania Immigration Services Visa Guidelines, last updated June 25, 2025. Visa rules can change without notice, so it's worth confirming current requirements at immigration.go.tz before applying.
Most visitors to Tanzania need a visa, but the process is straightforward if you know which category applies to you. Here's what's actually required, based on official Tanzania Immigration guidelines.
Do you need a visa to enter Tanzania?
Most nationalities do. A specific group is exempt entirely: nationals of East African Community (EAC) member states, Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states except Comoros, and Commonwealth countries except the United Kingdom, Canada, Nigeria, India, Pakistan, Australia, and New Zealand. If you're not confident whether your country falls into an exempt category, it's worth checking directly, since Commonwealth and regional membership isn't always obvious.
How much does a Tanzania visa cost?
An Ordinary Visa costs 50 USD and allows a single entry valid for up to 90 days. American passport holders are the exception: US nationals visiting for tourism are required to apply for a Multiple Entry Visa instead, at 100 USD, even for a single trip. A Multiple Entry Visa is valid for up to 12 months, though each individual stay is still capped at 90 days.
How do you apply for a Tanzania visa?
Two options exist: applying online in advance through the official Tanzania Immigration Services website, or obtaining a visa on arrival at an official entry point. Immigration guidelines specifically recommend applying online in advance rather than relying on arrival processing. Applications are typically processed within ten days. Even for nationalities eligible for visa on arrival, applying online first is worth doing simply to avoid the long queues that build up at airport immigration counters, arriving with an approved visa already in hand means walking past that line entirely. Only some nationalities are eligible for visa on arrival, a separate list of countries is required to apply online only, well before travel.
Who has to apply online only, and can't get a visa on arrival?
Nationals of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Chad, Eritrea, Guinea Conakry, Guinea Bissau, Iran, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Somalia, Syria, Sierra Leone, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Yemen must apply online in advance and wait for approval before traveling, visa on arrival isn't available to this group. The same applies to stateless individuals or those with refugee status. This group is advised to submit applications at least two months before their travel date.
What documents do you need to apply?
- A copy of your passport's biographic data page, with at least six months of validity remaining and at least one unused visa page
- A return ticket
- A completed application and declaration form (submitted through the official portal)
- Payment of the relevant visa fee
- A passport style photo meeting official specifications (color, plain background, full face visible, no head covering except for religious reasons)
What should you know before applying?
- Visa applications can't be changed once submitted. If your flight dates shift after applying, contact the immigration authority directly for guidance rather than assuming the visa still applies.
- Every passport holder needs their own separate visa application, including children traveling on a parent's itinerary.
- If your trip includes both mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, select your first destination when applying. One visa covers both, no second application needed.
- A visa grant notice confirms your application was approved, but it isn't a final guarantee of entry. Immigration officers at the point of entry can still refuse entry if other requirements aren't met.
A note on health requirements
Some travelers may also need to show proof of yellow fever vaccination depending on their travel route, this is a separate health requirement from the visa itself and isn't covered in Tanzania's visa guidelines directly. If your trip includes a transit through a country with yellow fever risk, check this requirement separately before you travel.
Why apply early rather than relying on arrival
Even for nationalities eligible for visa on arrival, applying online in advance is the officially recommended route. It removes a step from an already long travel day, and gives time to fix any document issues well before departure, rather than discovering a problem at the airport.
