Tanzania and Zanzibar Visa Requirements

Last checked 15 October 2026.

Most visitors to Tanzania need a visa, best applied for online before travel. Zanzibar follows the same visa rules but adds its own compulsory travel insurance.

If you need a visa

This applies to most visitors from outside East Africa, including holders of Indian, British, American, Canadian, Australian and European passports. Holders of GCC and other passports should check the official exemption list or ask us.

Apply through the official immigration portal, eservices.immigration.go.tz. Allow at least five working days; faster processing is available for an extra fee.
Fee: US$50 for a single-entry tourist visa valid for 90 days. US citizens pay US$100 for a visa valid for one year.
Visa on arrival is offered at designated entry points, but applying online in advance is the surer route, particularly at busy safari airports.
Passport: valid for at least six months from arrival.

If you do not need a visa

Citizens of East African Community countries, including Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, and of a number of other countries, including Ghana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malaysia and Singapore, can visit without a visa. Please check the official list or ask us for your passport.

Referral visas

Nationals of some countries, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sri Lanka, need special clearance before a visa is issued, which takes longer. Do not book flights until it is granted.

Insurance on entry

Zanzibar has required foreign visitors to buy its own inbound travel insurance, US$44 per person from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation, since October 2024.
Mainland Tanzania published regulations in September 2026 for a similar US$44 policy, covering stays of up to 92 days. Residents of East African and Southern African Development Community countries are excluded. At the time of writing, no date has been announced for enforcement, and it is not yet clear whether one policy will cover both the mainland and Zanzibar. We will confirm this for your trip.

Before you go

Yellow fever: a certificate is required if you arrive from a country with risk of yellow fever, including Kenya. This applies to road crossings at Namanga as much as to flights.
Moving on: Kenyan and Ugandan combinations need careful planning of both visas and yellow fever certificates.

For yellow fever, tipping and everything else to arrange before you travel, see Before You Travel. Every Oloi Shorua journey includes a check of the entry requirements for your passport and route. If you are planning a journey, we would be pleased to begin with a conversation.

Sources

Visa decisions rest with each government, and rules can change at short notice. Please confirm with the official source before you travel.