Most foreign nationals need a visa to enter Tanzania. Previously, tourists had two options to obtain a tourist visa: to get a visa upon arrival or apply in advance through their nation’s Tanzanian consulate, which required sending their passport away in the mail and waiting for it to be returned. The latter being less-than-ideal, time-consuming and somewhat risky if you’ve ever experienced the postal system losing your passport.
Thankfully, the process has gotten easier and now tourists can apply for an Electronic Visa to enter Tanzania as a tourist. Don’t let the prospect of a visa deter you, it is a very simple step that nearly every nation in the world requests for travelers.
The cost of a Tanzanian tourist visa is $50 USD for most travelers, $100 USD for American citizens. Citizens of some countries (such as several neighboring African countries) are allowed to enter Tanzania for free, without a visa.
To see if you are from a country that is exempt from a tourist visa, please check out Tanzania’s official visa exemption list, here.
Getting visa online
For convenience and peace-of-mind, we recommend applying for a tourist visa in advance through the Tanzania Immigration website.
Visit the official Tanzania Immigration Department website to complete and pay for your application online.
Official online visa guidelines may be found here.
NOTE FOR US CITIZENS: select “Multiple Entry Visa” when completing your application. This is the required option for US citizens wishing to enter Tanzania as tourists, then choose “Holiday and Leisure” as the purpose for travel
Other nationals may consider if a single entry tourist visa or multiple entry visa is right for their travel plans.
Timeframe
It may take up to 10 days to process your application, so ensure to give yourself sufficient time to complete the application and receive your visa. If you are short on time, or booked a last-minute Tanzania adventure, you should obtain your visa upon arrival at the airport.
Alternatively, the tourist visa should not be completed more than 3 months prior to your scheduled travel dates. Don’t apply for your E-Visa too early!
Print all confirmation pages and keep them in a secure location. When you arrive in Tanzania (usually at Kilimanjaro International Airport or Julius Nyerere International Airport), you will still get an official sticker in your passport as proof of your tourist visa.
Select “New Application” to start your E-Visa
The online application form is very simple and your answers should be clear.
Make sure to save your application number. Either take a photo, save a screenshot or write the number down for future reference.
If you start the application but aren’t able to finish completing all the questions at once, you can simply access the application again based on your email address and application number, provided on the first page.
When you return to complete the application, you will select “Continue Application”.
You can check the status of your visa at the “Visa Status” page, which will let you know if your visa has been received, if it is in process or if you have been approved.
Completing online application form
Only complete the e-visa from the official Tanzania Immigration website. Do not share your passport number or other important information with any other site offering visas. The only authentic E-Visa is found here at:https://eservices.immigration.go.tz/visa/
