General visa requirements for Tanzania
If you are planning a trip to either mainland Tanzania or Zanzibar, it is important to familiarize yourself with the various visa types and their requirements before booking and traveling to the country. This article will outline such information.
Note: It is strongly advised that you double check all of this information below to confirm before your travel. Although the following information is correct at the time of writing (August 2018), it is subject to change after the publishing of this article.
General Requirements
Regardless of the visa type you are applying for, there are general requirements that are ubiquitous across all application types. They are the following:
- A completed and signed application form
- The actual passport with validity for at least 6 months
- Two recently-taken passport-sized photographs
- A self-addressed envelope
Exempted Countries
There are a number of countries that are exempted from obtaining a visa to Tanzania for visits of up to 3 months. This is purely for travel as a tourist, not for travel on business, for work, or as a student. It is strongly advised that you double check all of this information to confirm before your travel, as although the following list is correct at the time of writing (August 2018), it is subject to change after the publishing of this article.
Visitor's Pass for Tanzania
Luckily, for citizens of many countries, a visitor's pass (tourist) visa is available upon arrival into the country. At an international airport, these travelers will be issued with up to a 3-month visa, provided that they contain a valid passport for 6 months after the date of issue, declare any necessary items, and have the relevant visa application fee on hand. Sometimes proof of planned exit out of the country is required (for example, a print out of a booked plane ticket).
Other than a business visa (covered in a separate article), you might be interested in applying for a work and residence permit.
Work Permit
In order to get permission to work and earn an income in Tanzania, you will have to have a job offer prior to entry into the country. Your employer will submit the relevant application forms and documentation on your behalf, along with payment of the application fee, to Tanzania's Labour Commission.
Note: The application fee varies and is non-refundable. Therefore, if your application is denied for some reason, you might be liable to reimburse the employer applying on your behalf.
Residence Permit
There are three types of residence permits in Tanzania, and these are based on your work intentions within the country: Class A will be issued to you if you are a foreign investor, Class B if you are foreigner employed within Tanzania, and Class C if you do not qualify for one of the first two classes.
You will submit the relevant forms and documents to the Immigration Department. You will pay for this application fee only after your application is approved; this is in contrast to the work permit which is paid upfront regardless of the outcome. As of the time of writing, the fee for each class of residence permit is over USD $600.
Multiple Entry Visa
If you are planning on entering and exiting the country multiple times within your intended visa entry period, you will have to apply for a multiple entry visa. When filling out your relevant entry form, be sure to indicate that you would like a visa that allows for multiple entries. It is likely that this visa will cost more, but will be valid upon many entries and exits.
Useful links:
Immigration regulations in Tanzania
Reside and Work in Tanzania as a non-resident
