Tanzania Visa and Entry Requirements: A 2026 Planning Guide

This arti­cle sum­marises the gen­eral shape of Tan­za­ni­a’s entry process as under­stood at the time of writ­ing. Visa and entry require­ments can and do change. Always con­firm cur­rent rules directly with Tan­za­ni­a’s offi­cial immi­gra­tion author­ity or your safari plan­ner before book­ing flights or final­is­ing travel. For the site’s main­tained, ever­green ref­er­ence page, see Tan­za­nia Visa Require­ments — this arti­cle focuses specif­i­cally on what to check and why the process has been changing.

The two official application options

Tan­za­nia Immi­gra­tion’s cur­rent visa guide­lines list two routes for eli­gi­ble trav­ellers: apply­ing online through the offi­cial e‑visa plat­form or obtain­ing a visa on arrival at an offi­cial entry point. The depart­ment rec­om­mends the online plat­form. Some nation­al­i­ties and refer­ral-visa appli­cants can­not use visa on arrival and must obtain approval in advance, so check the offi­cial nation­al­ity rules before travel.

What the e‑visa process generally involves

Appli­ca­tions are typ­i­cally sub­mit­ted through Tan­za­ni­a’s offi­cial immi­gra­tion e‑visa por­tal, requir­ing a valid pass­port (gen­er­ally with at least six months’ valid­ity remain­ing), a pass­port-style photo, a pass­port scan, and con­fir­ma­tion of onward/​return travel. Pro­cess­ing time can vary. Apply well ahead of travel and track the appli­ca­tion through the offi­cial por­tal rather than rely­ing on an infor­mal turn­around estimate.

Fees — genuinely time-sensitive

Reported stan­dard fees are in the range of USD 50 for a sin­gle-entry visa, with dif­fer­ent rates for mul­ti­ple-entry and tran­sit visas. Treat any spe­cific fee fig­ure, includ­ing this one, as some­thing to recon­firm directly on the offi­cial por­tal before pay­ing, since gov­ern­ment fees can change with­out much notice.

Who may be exempt

Cit­i­zens of sev­eral East African Com­mu­nity mem­ber states and a num­ber of other spe­cific coun­tries may have dif­fer­ent require­ments, includ­ing visa-exempt sta­tus in some cases. This varies by nation­al­ity and is worth check­ing specif­i­cally for your pass­port rather than assum­ing based on gen­eral guidance.

What this means practically for your planning

Check whether your pass­port is visa-exempt, eli­gi­ble for visa on arrival, or sub­ject to advance approval. Although eli­gi­ble trav­ellers may have an arrival option, the offi­cial online plat­form is rec­om­mended and gives you a doc­u­mented deci­sion before departure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still get a Tan­za­nia visa on arrival at the airport?

Cur­rent offi­cial guid­ance retains visa on arrival at offi­cial entry points for eli­gi­ble trav­ellers, while rec­om­mend­ing the online appli­ca­tion plat­form. Refer­ral-visa nation­al­i­ties and other restricted cases must obtain advance approval.

How long does e‑visa pro­cess­ing take?

Pro­cess­ing time can vary. Apply well in advance and use the offi­cial por­tal to track the appli­ca­tion rather than rely­ing on a fixed infor­mal estimate.

How much does a Tan­za­nia e‑visa cost?

Reported stan­dard sin­gle-entry fees are around USD 50, but this is gen­uinely time-sen­si­tive — con­firm the cur­rent fee directly on the offi­cial por­tal before applying.

Do I need a visa for Zanzibar specif­i­cally, sep­a­rate from main­land Tanzania?

No — Zanzibar is part of Tan­za­nia, and a stan­dard Tan­za­nia visa cov­ers travel to both the main­land and Zanzibar.

Is my pass­port eli­gi­ble for the e‑visa?

Eli­gi­bil­ity varies by nation­al­ity, with some coun­tries visa-exempt and oth­ers requir­ing dif­fer­ent processes — check your spe­cific nation­al­ity directly on the offi­cial portal.

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Want help under­stand­ing how cur­rent entry require­ments apply to your spe­cific trip? Get in touch and we’ll point you toward the right offi­cial resources for your nation­al­ity. See also our health and entry require­ments page for related plan­ning steps.