Last updated: October 12, 2026
Check your nationality
Confirm visa eligibility on the official immigration portal.
Prepare your documents
Keep passport, booking and onward-travel details accessible.
Verify current rules
Check official requirements again before departure.
A smooth arrival starts with checking the requirements for your passport and complete flight route. This guide explains how to prepare for Tanzania, including Zanzibar, without guessing eligibility or quoting fees that may change. Immigration authorities make the final entry decision, so verify the current rules through the official portal before departure.
Who needs a visa?
Visa requirements depend on nationality, passport type, purpose of travel and other circumstances. Some travelers are exempt, many visitors need a tourist visa and some passports fall under a referral procedure requiring additional approval. Do not assume that a friend’s experience applies to your passport.
Use Tanzania Immigration’s official guidelines and nationality lists to check your category. A safari booking does not itself create permission to enter. If your passport or travel purpose is unusual, contact immigration directly before buying non-refundable travel arrangements.
Check your passport first
Official guidance asks visa applicants to have a passport valid for at least six months and at least one unused visa page. Check the requirements again when you apply and before traveling. Airlines and any transit country may also have their own documentation checks.
Ensure the name on flights, safari documents and your application matches your passport. If you renew a passport after applying, ask immigration how to update or replace the approval. Keep accessible copies of your passport information page, but do not send passport scans through informal channels unless they are necessary and the recipient is verified.
Applying for an e-visa
Start at visa.immigration.go.tz, the official Tanzania e-visa portal. Read the guidelines, select the category suitable for your trip and collect the documents requested for that category. Complete the form carefully, including your arrival information and accommodation details where required.
Upload the requested documents in the formats shown on the portal. Review names, passport numbers and dates before payment. Verify the current fee on the official site rather than relying on an old article, social post or quotation from a third party. Save the application reference and any receipts.
Use the portal to check progress and respond to requests from immigration. Do not assume that a payment receipt is an approval. Once a visa grant notification is issued, keep a digital and printed copy with your travel documents. Allow time for processing and avoid treating an advertised estimate as a guaranteed completion date.
Visa on arrival and regional travel
Do not rely on visa on arrival without checking whether it is available for your nationality and entry point. Referral categories may require approval before travel. Where an advance e-visa is available and suitable, it can reduce uncertainty, but it does not replace checks at the border.
The East Africa Tourist Visa is associated with Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda; it does not cover Tanzania or Zanzibar. If your journey combines countries, check each country separately. Leaving and re-entering Tanzania can also affect the visa category you need. Describe the complete route when asking immigration for advice.
What happens on arrival?
Keep your passport, approval where applicable, onward travel information and first-night accommodation details within reach. An immigration officer may ask about the purpose and length of your visit. Answer clearly and follow the instructions at the official entry point.
After immigration and baggage collection, follow the agreed meeting instructions for your safari transfer. Contact our team if a flight delay affects your arrival. Avoid handing travel documents to unofficial helpers promising to bypass queues or guarantee entry. Retain important paperwork for your departure and any later regional border crossing.
Health documents, insurance and families
Entry preparation includes more than a visa. Yellow fever documentation can depend on origin and transit history. Zanzibar and mainland arrangements for inbound travel insurance should be checked with official authorities close to travel. Verify the requirements for your exact route rather than assuming a general travel policy satisfies an entry condition.
Families should check documents for minors, including any consent or guardianship requirements that may apply to their nationality and airline. Keep children’s documents together and allow enough time for airport procedures. Read our health and safety guide for planning questions to take to a travel clinic.
Our team can supply confirmed accommodation and transfer details for your safari. We cannot issue visas, waive immigration requirements or guarantee approval. If a requirement changes after booking, contact us promptly so we can discuss the practical effect on your itinerary.
Useful official resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Hill African Safaris apply for my visa?
We can help you understand which safari details you may need, but immigration issues visas. Apply through the official portal or follow the process immigration specifies for your passport.
What is the current visa fee?
Check the fee shown by Tanzania Immigration for your nationality and visa category when you apply. We deliberately do not publish a fixed fee here because rules and categories can change.
Does an East Africa Tourist Visa include Zanzibar?
No. Tanzania, including Zanzibar, requires its own applicable entry permission. Verify each country’s requirements when planning a journey through several East African destinations.
Does visa approval guarantee entry?
No. Carry the required documents and follow arrival checks. The immigration officer at the entry point has final authority over admission under the applicable rules.
