What are the new Tanzania entry requirements since October 2026?
Two obligations were added in October 2026, a fortnight apart.
State insurance on entry to the mainland. Since 1 October 2026, every foreign visitor entering mainland Tanzania presents insurance from the National Insurance Corporation (NIC): $44 per adult, $22 for ages 3–17 years, free under 3 years. A UK or European travel insurance policy does not replace it. Zanzibar has applied its own since 2024.
A health form for everyone. Notice No. 18 of the Ministry of Health, dated 17 October 2026, requires every traveller, at every point of entry, to complete the Afya Msafiri online form. Until then it applied only to arrivals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
These come on top of the rules already in place: passport, yellow fever depending on the stopover, visa.
Tanzania mandatory insurance: mainland (NIC) or Zanzibar (ZIC)?
Tanzania is made up of two territories, each with its own public insurer: the NIC on the mainland, the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC) on the archipelago. Only one insurance is required: the one for the territory entered first. It then covers onward travel to the other, for up to 92 days. The rule comes from Government Notice No. 256 of 4 September 2026, restated by the NIC and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
A safari in the north followed by Zanzibar beaches almost always starts at Kilimanjaro or Dar es Salaam: the NIC insurance covers the whole trip. Map I, at the top of the page, lets the reader choose a first point of entry; the tools on the page adjust to it.
| Criterion | Mainland Tanzania | Zanzibar |
|---|---|---|
| Territory covered | Mainland Tanzania (Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Kilimanjaro, northern and southern parks, Mafia) | Zanzibar archipelago (Unguja and Pemba) |
| Compulsory since | 1 October 2026 | 1 October 2024 |
| Insurer | National Insurance Corporation (NIC) | Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC) |
| Adult price | $44 | $44 |
| Children aged 3–17 years | $22 | $22 |
| Under 3 years | Exempt | Exempt |
| Validity | Up to 92 days | Up to 92 days |
| Also covers | Zanzibar, if the mainland is the first point of entry | The mainland, if Zanzibar is the first point of entry |
| Observed issue time | under an hour | under an hour |
| Official portal | inbound.nicinsurance.co.tz | visitzanzibar.go.tz |
The certificate takes under an hour on average to obtain: a week before departure is enough. It is kept on the traveller for the whole stay. Details and special cases: mandatory insurance.
Yellow fever vaccine and the Afya Msafiri health form
Yellow fever is required only after a stay in a risk country, or a stopover of more than twelve hours in one, from the age of 1. The trap is overnight connections in Nairobi or Addis Ababa. The vaccine must date from at least ten days before arrival.
Not required on paper, but caution is wise. A short stopover does not trigger the rule; a delay that pushes it past 12 hours does.
The Afya Msafiri form is completed on the Ministry of Health portal, in English if needed, before departure or on arrival. One form per traveller, children included; the QR code obtained is checked at the point of entry. Free helpline: 199. Full procedure: health form.
Malaria, finally, is not a formality but a risk all year round below 1,800 metres, Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar included: a consultation before departure is advisable.
Do I need a visa for Tanzania, and how much does it cost?
Yes for British, Irish and Canadian citizens and most Europeans. The tourist e-visa is applied for on visa.immigration.go.tz: $50.75 at payment, transaction fees included, a stay of 90 days, single entry, for tourism or medical treatment. Volunteering requires a separate permit. The visa is valid for the mainland and Zanzibar alike.
United Kingdom: e-visa required. $50.75, stay of 90 days, average observed delay about 7 days. Insurance for the first point of entry and the health form also apply.
The delay observed by the team on real applications is about 7 days: apply at least 14 days before the flight. The file comes down to three items: a passport valid 6 months after entry, a photo on a neutral background, a return booking. One e-visa per passport, children included. The visa on arrival still exists, but with a queue.
- tourism e-visa × 2
- $101.5
- NIC insurance: 2 × $44
- $88
- Afya Msafiri form × 2
- free
- Total to pay
- $189.5
Amounts paid online, transaction fees included. One e-visa per passport, children included. A single insurance per traveller: the one for the first point of entry.
Steps and photo: Tanzania e-visa.
What to do before travelling to Tanzania
Passport and yellow fever are dealt with early, the e-visa next, insurance and the health form last. Enter the arrival date: each deadline becomes a calendar date.
The D-x deadlines become dates.
D-60
It must be valid for at least 6 months after the date of entry into Tanzania.
Not required: the insurance for the first point of entry also covers this territory
D-30
Certificate required from age 1 after a transit of more than 12 hours in a risk country. The vaccine counts only from 10 days after the injection.
Not required: the insurance for the first point of entry also covers this territory
D-14
Average observed delay: about 7 days. Amount paid: $50.75, on visa.immigration.go.tz.
Not required: the insurance for the first point of entry also covers this territory
D-7
$44 per adult, issued in under an hour. inbound.nicinsurance.co.tz
Not required: the insurance for the first point of entry also covers this territory
D-7
$44 per adult, issued in under an hour. visitzanzibar.go.tz
Not required: the insurance for the first point of entry also covers this territory
D-3
One form per traveller, children included. Keep the QR code. afyamsafiri.moh.go.tz
Not required: the insurance for the first point of entry also covers this territory
Arrival
E-visa, insurance certificate, Afya Msafiri QR code and, if required, yellow fever certificate. Keep the insurance certificate for the crossing to the other territory.
Not required: the insurance for the first point of entry also covers this territory
The weather on the ground is part of the preparation too: the coast and Zanzibar stay hot all year, while the summit of Kilimanjaro drops below freezing.
Loading the readings…
Forecasts from the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, MET Norway (licence CC BY 4.0), Tanzania time.
Three webcams show the places as they are now: the Stone Town waterfront, Kilimanjaro seen from Moshi, a waterhole in Tarangire National Park.
- Zanzibar, Stone TownSeafront, Mizingani RoadEarthCam webcam, opens in a new tab
- MoshiMount Kilimanjaro, often in the cloudsEarthCam webcam, opens in a new tab
- Tarangire National ParkNimali waterhole, day and night, with soundAfricam webcam, opens in a new tab
For getting there, the page on flights and airlines lists direct and connecting flights, what to expect from London, and the European ban on Tanzanian carriers.
Start my assisted application
- The e-visa file prepared with you and checked before filing: photo, passport, dates.
- Insurance for the first point of entry and the Afya Msafiri form at the right time.
- Follow-up until the visa is issued, with real delays as a benchmark.
Tanzania customs: plastic bags, currency and drones
Plastic bags have been banned on the mainland since June 2019 and in Zanzibar for longer; only clear zip pouches for liquids are tolerated. Currency: Tanzanian shillings (TZS): import and export prohibited. Foreign currency: no restrictions, but amounts over the equivalent of USD 10,000 must be declared on arrival and departure. Drones need prior authorisation from the civil aviation authority. CBD exposes the traveller to prosecution. Full list: customs.
United Kingdom · FCDO
Level 2 of 4: Increased caution
Updated information about Ebola screening measures for all travellers arriving into Tanzania, addition of information about the risk of protests on 29 October and new information about the risks of bringing cannabidiol (CBD) products into Tanzania (‘Entry requirements’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages). Read the notice
France · France Diplomatie
Level 2 of 4: Increased caution
Security zones: Do not travel · Reconsider travel · Exercise increased caution. Read the notice
Germany · Auswärtiges Amt
Level 1 of 4: Normal precautions
Last updates: · Editorial changes Read the notice
United States · State Department
Level 2 of 4: Increased caution
Exercise increased caution in Tanzania due to crime, terrorism, health, unrest, arbitrary enforcement of laws, and targeting gay and lesbian individuals. Read the notice
Canada · Global Affairs Canada
Level 2 of 4: Increased caution
Safety and security – added information on demonstrations Read the notice
Frequently asked questions
What are the entry requirements for Tanzania?
A passport valid 6 months after entry, an e-visa for most Europeans (British and Irish passport holders included), the insurance for the first point of entry (NIC or ZIC), the Afya Msafiri health form and, depending on the stopover, a yellow fever certificate.
Is travel insurance mandatory for Tanzania?
Yes. Since 1 October 2026 on the mainland (NIC, $44) and since 1 October 2024 in Zanzibar (ZIC, $44). One is enough: the one for the first point of entry.
Do I need two insurances for a safari and Zanzibar?
No. The insurance for the territory entered first then covers the other, for up to 92 days.
Is the yellow fever vaccine compulsory for Tanzania?
Only after time spent in a risk country or a stopover of more than 12 hours there, from the age of 1. A night in Nairobi or Addis Ababa is enough to make it compulsory.
Do I need a visa for Tanzania?
Yes for British, Irish and Canadian citizens and most Europeans: an e-visa at $50.75, for 90 days, applied for on visa.immigration.go.tz.
How long does the Tanzania e-visa take?
The delay observed by the team on real applications is about 7 days. Apply at least 14 days before departure.