Tanzania online Visa requirements, fees and how to apply

1. ORDINARY VISA (SINGLE ENTRY VISA)

This visa is granted to foreign national for the purposes of Visit, Tourism, Leisure, Holiday, attending Conference, Humanitarian and charity activities, Family Visit, Health Treatment or any other purpose as may be determined by the issuing authority. Its validity does not exceed 90 days for a single entry.

In this case, all visitors who wish to come to Tanzania for tourist purposes are required to apply for this Visa, except USA nationals who are required to apply for Multiple Visa.(due to bilateral agreement between the two countries).

2. BUSINESS VISA

Business visa may be issued for a period not exceeding 90 days to foreign nationals who wish to enter in the United Republic of Tanzania for one of the following purposes:

• To conduct special assignments such as fixing/repairing machines or to run short term training, etc.
• To conduct short time professional roles such as auditing accounts, making feasibility studies, establishing professionals and business contacts, making arrangements for investments during the start-up period etc;
• To conduct any other short term lawful business-related task recognised by the laws of the country and as may be determined by the issuing authority.

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR BUSINESS VISA:

• The maximum validity for business Visa is 90 days;
• Business Visa is issued on a single entry basis. It cannot be used to re-enter the country after the holder leaves the country;
• The Business Visa should not be taken as a substitute for Residence Permit. If for any reason, the activity or assignment for which the guest comes will exceed 3 months, then a guest is advised to obtain Residence Permit instead of Business Visa

3. MULTIPLE ENTRY VISA

Multiple Visa may be issued to American nationals (due to bilateral agreements between Tanzania and America) who wish to come for such purposes like Holiday/Tourism, visiting friends and relatives or attending a conference, as they are not entitled for Ordinary Visa. This implies that, USA passport holders who visit Tanzania for tourism or holiday MUST apply for Multiple Visa even If they come for single entry.

For American nationals who wish to come for business purposes, they are advised to read the Business Visa Section above.

Multiple Visa may also be issued to Directors of Companies registered in Tanzania who do not reside in the country, Persons engaged in Bilateral Meetings, Spouses married to Tanzanians/Residents, Government Consultants, Representatives of International NGOs and any other person as may be determined by the Commissioner General of Immigration or Commissioner of Immigration Zanzibar.

However, Non Resident Directors MUST upload proof showing they are Directors of Company registered in Tanzania. The required proof in this regard is a document from BRELA (This is the Competent Authority responsible for registration of companies in Tanzania) and the document name is called BRELA SEARCH. Therefore, the applicant (in this regard Director) should consult his company and obtain this document to be uploaded in his Online Application for multiple Visa.

Applicants who apply for Multiple Visa under the umbrella of projects or bilateral meetings with the Government Ministries or Institutions, should obtain a covering letter from respective Government Ministries or Institutions, and upload such letters in their applications. Failure to observe this procedure may render their applications to be rejected.

Applicants for Multiple Visa under family visit category are required to upload proof of relationships with their family members. In this case, certificate of marriage (for proof of relationship with regards to spouses) or birth certificates (for proof of relationship with regard to children) is required.

Validity and Stay Duration of Multiple Visa

Multiple Visa may be issued with a validity of maximum 12 months. However, the maximum stay duration is three months. This means, the holder of Multiple Visa cannot stay in the country for twelve (12) consecutive months. Instead, in each visit a holder may stay in the country for a maximum period of three months.

NB:

• Applicants who are not American citizens and who wish to apply for Multiple Visa MUST ensure they possess and upload justifiable documents for respective category of Multiple visa as listed in the Visa Portal;
• Applicants whose countries fall under referral Visa are not advised to apply for Multiple Visa;

4. TRANSIT VISA

This Visa may be issued to foreign nationals for the purpose of transiting through to another destination outside the United Republic for a period not exceeding seven days. The applicant of this visa may be required to provide proof of a Visa of the destination country and/or onward ticket..

NB:
Transit Visa is strictly intended for those travelers whose purpose of entry is just to pass through Tanzania to other country, and cannot be used for tourism or other purposes.

5. GRATIS VISA

This visa may be issued to a holder of diplomatic, services or official passport or Travel Document of recognized International Organization who is on official duty and their Dependents. It can be also issued to a holder of ordinary passport or Travel document as it may be directed by the Commissioner General of Immigration and Commissioner of Immigration Zanzibar.

NB:
Applicants of Gratis Visa who wish to submit their applications online must be holders of Diplomatic Passports, and are required to upload invitation letter from Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, biographic data page and cover page or any page which shows that the passport attached is diplomatic

6. STUDENT VISA

Student visa is granted to foreign national who enters the Country for the purpose of Academic conducts such as Research Students, Intern, Volunteering, Exchange students and Prospective Students who have obtained admission in registered Institutions in Tanzania. The validity of this Visa is categorised in two, the first category is for applicants whose academic programs do not exceed 90 days, for which the visa fee is 50 USD. And the second category is for those whose academic programs exceed 90 days, for which the Visa fee is 250 USD.

Applicants whose countries do not require Visa to enter Tanzania, and who wish to come for academic purposes will have to apply for Student Pass.

NB:
The validity of Visa for applicants who come for language courses will not exceed six months.

There are some countries which their nationals cannot obtain Visa on arrival. These countries fall under the so called Referral Visa Category. The list of these countries is available on our website (in the Visa Information Section), and may be reviewed from time to time.

PROCEDURE FOR REFERRAL VISA CATEGORY:

Applicants from this category MUST submit their Visa applications Online, and should wait until their applications are approved before starting their journey. These applicants are further advised to submit their applications at least 1 month before their travel date. Having an invitation letter or a request letter for visa from the Host is an added credibility of their application. This letter, if available MUST be uploaded in the Online Visa Application and NOT to be sent by email as a separate document. The letter may be uploaded separately or merged with the Itinerary of the Trip and uploaded in the Return ticket field.

If the Visa is approved, the holder MUST come with the actual return ticket upon arrival. If the Host wishes to write a request letter to support his guest’s application, the letter should be addressed to the Commissioner General of immigration, If the guest will visit mainland Tanzania, or addressed to Commissioner of Immigration, Zanzibar, if the guest will be visiting Zanzibar. If the guest wishes to visit both, then the address of the letter should regard the first destination.

NB:

• Applicants whose nationals fall under this category are not advised to pay for flight tickets or make payments for any reservations in Tanzania before they get approval for their Visa
• Also, applicants under Referral Visa Category are Not advised to apply for Multiple Visa.

STATELESS AND REFUGEES:

Stateless persons and Refugees who hold Vienna Convention documents also fall under Referral Visa category, and are required observe the Referral Visa Category procedure indicated above.