Prepared by Milele Expedition · Reviewed 13 October 2026
Tanzania visa requirements depend on your nationality, passport and purpose of travel. Check your category through Tanzania Immigration before booking around an assumed visa arrangement, then use the official eVisa portal if applying online.
Quick answer (reviewed 17 October 2026): For tourism, most visa-required nationalities use the ordinary single-entry visa (official fee: US$50). US passport holders must instead apply for the multiple-entry tourist visa (official fee: US$100), even for a single holiday. Rules differ for visa-exempt and referral-visa nationalities; verify your passport category first. Tanzania Immigration requires at least six months of passport validity and one unused visa page. Apply through the official Tanzania eVisa service and check the latest rules before you travel.
A safari holiday, business assignment and volunteer placement are different purposes of travel. This guide focuses on holiday planning and the documents to organise before meeting Milele Expedition for an Arusha day trip or safari.
Start with nationality, not the country where you live. A residence permit in one country does not necessarily change the entry rules associated with your passport.
Some nationalities are visa-exempt; others require a visa or referral approval. If referral procedures apply, confirm them before making non-refundable arrangements. Dual nationals should use consistent passport details on the application, airline booking and arrival documents.
The official portal and your nearest Tanzanian diplomatic mission are the appropriate places to resolve a specific eligibility question.
Tanzanian embassy guidance describes the ordinary visa as a single-entry category with validity not exceeding 90 days. It also states that US passport holders visiting for tourism must use the multiple-entry category, even for one visit.
That multiple-entry visa may be valid for up to 12 months, but it does not permit a continuous 12-month stay. Embassy guidance limits a visit to a maximum of three months. Follow the actual permission issued to you.
Do not choose a transit category for a safari holiday. Transit permission and tourism permission serve different purposes.
Check the current upload checklist for your category. Have clear, readable copies ready rather than taking hurried photographs while completing the form.
Your preparation folder should include:
For British citizen travellers, current UK entry guidance states that a passport needs at least six months’ validity from arrival and one blank page. Other travellers should confirm their requirements through Immigration or their diplomatic mission.
First open the official portal directly. Check that the address belongs to Tanzania Immigration before entering passport or payment information.
Then choose the appropriate category, enter the requested details and upload the supporting documents. Review names, passport numbers, arrival point and dates carefully before paying.
Keep the application reference and receipt. Follow the portal instructions for checking progress and supplying any additional information. Download the approval when issued and keep it available offline.
An application receipt is not the same document as an approved visa. Do not assume submission means approval, and do not make an itinerary depend on a guaranteed processing time unless Immigration confirms it.
Eligibility and visa-on-arrival arrangements must be checked for your passport and entry point. Online advice written for another nationality can be misleading.
Current UK guidance says eligible single-entry visas may be available on arrival at main ports of entry, subject to immigration requirements, and that multiple-entry visas cannot be obtained on arrival. US travellers should therefore resolve their required category through the official process before flying rather than relying on someone else’s arrival experience.
Ask your airline what documentation it expects at check-in.
Read the current fee for your category on the official application platform. Your nationality and purpose of travel may affect what you need; a single headline price is not a reliable guide for every traveller.
Build in time to correct documents or answer an Immigration request. If departure is approaching and approval is still pending, contact the relevant authority. A tour operator can supply itinerary details but cannot promise visa approval or override immigration decisions.
Zanzibar is part of Tanzania, but your complete route still matters. A journey that exits Tanzania and later returns needs appropriate re-entry permission. Check the visa conditions against all flights and border crossings.
Do not assume a regional East Africa visa covers Tanzania. Verify each country’s current entry arrangements separately, especially if combining a Tanzania safari with Kenya, Uganda or Rwanda.
Inbound insurance is a separate requirement from the visa. See our Tanzania inbound travel insurance guide for mainland and Zanzibar planning. Confirm the official purchase route for your first port of entry through the NIC or Zanzibar insurance portal.
Names that differ from the passport, unclear scans and a wrongly selected purpose can create problems. So can entering one airport on the form and travelling through another without checking whether an amendment is needed.
Avoid unofficial sellers promising guaranteed approval. Keep your own application access and records. If your itinerary changes, ask Immigration whether that change affects the approval already issued.
No. Border authorities decide admission and may ask for supporting documents. Carry the approval together with your passport and onward travel details.
Embassy guidance states that US passport holders visiting for tourism must apply for the multiple-entry category. Confirm the current process on the official portal.
Milele can help with itinerary and accommodation information for your trip. Eligibility, application decisions and entry permission remain matters for Immigration.
Contact Milele Expedition with the dates you are considering. Once your entry arrangements and flights are settled, we can help plan safaris, day trips and airport transfers around your confirmed arrival.
Requirements checked on 13 October 2026. Check the latest official instructions for your nationality before applying.
Talk to our local safari experts for a tailor-made itinerary that fits your dates and budget.
