You may be excited, but before you leave for your trip it is essential to be aware of the Tanzania entrance requirements before you start planning. Among other things, this includes understanding the passport, VISA, and vaccination requirements. Having a firm grasp of the requirements for entry will ensure you have a smooth and hassle-free travel experience when visiting this beautiful East African country.

To assist you in making sure you meet the necessary entrance requirements for Tanzania, I have provided an outline of all the entrance requirements in this article. Furthermore, I also created a handy checklist that I linked to below that you can use to track the requirements as you meet them.

Download the Tanzania Entrance Requirements Checklist

Tanzania Passport Requirements

One of the most important Tanzania entrance requirements that you will need to consider when planning your trip is the country’s passport requirements. To be allowed into Tanzania, your passport needs to be valid beyond 6 months of your arrival. If there will be less than 6 months until your passport expires when you are set to arrive in Tanzania, then you will need to renew your passport before traveling.

Important Note: In addition, it is important to note that any passports with the “X” gender marker are not accepted. To enter Tanzania, the gender on your passport must be either Male (M) or female (F).

Tanzania VISA Requirements

In addition to your passport, one of the most important entry requirements that you will need to consider before traveling to Tanzania is the tourist VISA requirement. Depending on which country you are from, whether you will need to obtain a tourist VISA and what process you must follow to obtain one may differ. The following sections outline the Tanzania tourist VISA requirements and how to apply.

VISA Exempt Countries

If you are a passport holder from a VISA-exempt country, you are allowed to enter Tanzania without a VISA as long as you don’t overstay your VISA exemption period of 90 days. If you are a passport holder from one of the following countries, you will not need to obtain a VISA to visit Tanzania.

Tanzania Special Referral VISA Required

If you are not from a VISA-exempt country, you will need to obtain a tourist VISA before being allowed to enter Tanzania. While travelers from some countries are eligible to apply for an electronic VISA (e-visa) online or apply for a VISA upon arrival, travelers from some countries need special clearance from the Commissioner General of Immigration in Tanzania to visit.

If you are a passport holder from one of the following countries, you must apply for a Referral VISA at a Tanzanian Embassy before traveling to Tanzania.

E-VISA or VISA Upon Arrival Countries

Suppose you are a passport holder from a country that isn’t VISA-exempt and doesn’t require a Referral VISA. In that case, you can either obtain an electronic VISA (e-visa) before traveling to Tanzania or apply for a VISA upon arrival in Tanzania.

Travelers can apply for an e-visa on the Tanzania Immigration website. Make sure you apply well in advance to ensure you get your VISA approved in time. If you would prefer to apply for a VISA upon arrival, you can apply at any of the international airports in Tanzania or at any of the land or sea ports of entry.

Tanzania Immunization Requirements

Important Note: I am not a medical doctor and don’t have medical experience. The information provided in this section is a summary of information that I got from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States for travel to Tanzania. I am providing you this information to help bring awareness of the necessary vaccinations to you, but consultation with my guide should not replace a discussion about your travels with your doctor or a travel medical clinic.

One of the most important, and yet most often overlooked, aspects of travel is the necessary vaccinations that are required or recommended to keep you safe and healthy when you travel. Before you depart for Tanzania, you are going to want to make sure that you have all of the proper vaccinations.

Some of these vaccinations, like the Yellow Fever vaccination, are included in the Tanzania entrance requirements. Other vaccinations, such as a flu shot and the Rabies vaccine, are recommended, but not required. For your convenience, I have summarized the CDC’s recommendations on vaccines and healthcare for travelers visiting Tanzania for you to review below.

Recommended Travel Vaccinations for Tanzania

There are several vaccinations that the CDC recommends that you get before traveling to Tanzania, which I have outlined for you below. Please pay special attention to the details in this guide section and ensure you discuss all vaccinations with your doctor or travel health clinic.

Routine Vaccinations for Tanzania

In addition, the vaccinations that are recommended for travel to Tanzania specifically, there are other routine vaccinations you should be current on before traveling anywhere in this world. For an overview of the routine vaccinations recommended by the CDC, please review the chart that I have included below.

Non-Vaccine Preventable Diseases

In addition to the recommended vaccinations, there are other health precautions to take when visiting Tanzania to avoid getting sick. While these health precautions aren’t on the list of the Tanzaniaan entrance requirements, they are important measures that you can take to make sure you don’t get ill while traveling.

AVOID CONTAMINATED WATER

When traveling, one of the easiest ways to get sick is to come into contact with contaminated water. Several illnesses are found in Tanzania that can be spread by either drinking or swimming in contaminated water. Before you depart for your trip, you will want to be aware of the illnesses below. To avoid getting sick, make sure you stick to drinking bottled water and avoid swimming in stagnant pools.

AVOID BUG BITES

Another easy way to get sick while traveling is to be bitten by bugs that carry illnesses. The most common insect that spreads diseases to humans is the mosquito, but ticks and flies can also spread serious illnesses through their bites.

To make sure you don’t fall ill from an insect bite while in Tanzania, I would recommend bringing insect repellent and mosquito netting with you when you visit and avoid getting bitten by bugs as much as possible. This is especially true if you plan to go on a safari in one of Tanzania’s incredible national parklands.

BE AWARE OF AIRBORNE AND DROPLET ILLNESSES

Out of all the ways that illnesses can be spread, airborne diseases are the hardest to protect yourself against. After all, you don’t have to physically touch or be touched by an infected person or animal and there isn’t a repellant that you can spray on to avoid catching these illnesses.

This is why it is always important to be observant of those with whom you interact while traveling and make sure you don’t expose yourself to potentially harmful airborne illnesses. According to the CDC, the particular airborne illnesses that you should be aware of while traveling to Tanzania are as follows:

Tanzania Customs Restrictions

Another important aspect of travel to Tanzania that you must be aware of before you travel is the country’s customs regulations. Like other countries, there are certain goods that you are restricted or even prohibited from bringing into the country. To ensure you don’t make the costly mistake of having one of these restricted items in your baggage, I have outlined the Tanzania entrance requirements for customs regulations for you to review below.

FREE IMPORT

According to the VISAHQ.com, website, the following items are considered free-import items when entering Tanzania, but with limits (as described below).

• 200 cigarettes.
• 50 cigars.
• 250g of tobacco.
• 1 Imperial pint of spirits.
• Non-commercial amount of gifts and other items for personal use.
• Foreign currency.

IMPORTANT NOTE: You must be 18 years of age or older to use tobacco products or consume alcohol in Tanzania.

PROHIBITED ITEMS

Before you will be allowed into Tanzania, you will also need to clear customs to be sure you aren’t carrying any prohibited items with you. For instance, travelers are strictly prohibited from bringing the following items into Tanzania:

• Narcotics.
• Pornography.
• Counterfeit items.
• Local currency (Tanzanian shilling).

CONTROLLED ITEMS

In addition to these prohibited items, the government of Tanzania has placed limits on the quantity of other items that can be brought into the country. If you plan to travel with any of the following items when visiting Tanzania, you will want to plan accordingly so that you do not violate the Tanzanian entrance requirements:

• Live animals (pets must have a health certificate with the required vaccinations).
• Plants and seeds (a health certificate is required).
• Weapons and ammunition.
• Medication (make sure your medicine is in prescription bottles).
• Video recorders, tape recorders, radios, and musical instruments (you may be required to post a bond to ensure the goods are re-exported).

Tanzania Currency Restrictions

The final aspect of the Tanzania entrance requirements that you will want to ensure you comply with is the amount of currency you plan on bringing to the country. Like all countries, you can’t bring in or take out as much currency as you want when visiting Tanzania. Most countries have currency restrictions, and Tanzania is no different. According to the US State Department website, the government of Tanzania has the following currency limits and regulations in place:

• You must declare currency valued at more than $10,000 both when entering and exiting Tanzania. Also, non-residents may not import or export Tanzanian Shillings (TSH).
• Non-residents (except Kenyans and Ugandans) may not import or export Tanzanian Shillings (TZS)

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