Tanzania Visa for US Citizens 2026: e-Visa, Zanzibar Rules, Fees and Safari Entry

Do US Citizens Need a Visa for Tanzania? (2026 Quick Answer)

Yes. US passport holders need a visa for a Serengeti safari, a Kilimanjaro climb or a Zanzibar beach week. The United States has no visa abolition agreement with Tanzania.

The twist: because of bilateral reciprocity arrangements, Americans cannot get the USD 50 single-entry Ordinary visa. The official e-visa portal says US tourists apply for the Multiple Visa, even for one trip. It costs USD 100 and can be valid for up to 12 months.

The portal lists two routes: apply online before travel, or get a visa on arrival at an official entry point. We recommend the online route, with the visa on arrival only as a fallback.

There is no separate Zanzibar visa, since Zanzibar falls under the union immigration system, though no single official sentence says so. Every trip now also needs state travel insurance (since 1 October 2026) and an online health form (since 17 October 2026).

Tanzania e-Visa - Ordinary and Multiple Entry

Visa types on the official portal, as of November 2026:

• Ordinary visa: USD 50, valid up to 90 days, not available to US citizens
• Multiple Visa: USD 100, valid up to 12 months, the visa for US tourists
• Business visa: USD 250
• Transit visa: USD 30, for no more than seven days

The US Multiple Visa covers tourism, visits to friends and relatives, and conferences. Each visit can last up to 90 days, and the holder cannot stay 12 consecutive months.

Documents for US nationals visiting for holiday or tourism:

• A recent passport-size photo
• A copy of the passport biographic data page
• A return flight ticket
• The USD 100 fee

Unlike the list for other nationalities, the US list includes no permission letter from the Commissioner General of Immigration. On arrival, the officer issues a Visitor's Pass valid for no more than three months.

Visa on arrival remains the portal's second option. The official text we checked does not confirm its price for Americans or which entry points offer it, so we would not build a safari around it.

Cost, Processing Time and Validity

Official costs for one American adult, as of November 2026:

• Multiple Visa: USD 100, paid online by Visa or Mastercard
• State travel insurance: USD 44
• Total before park fees: USD 144

Visa fees are prepaid, non-refundable and non-transferable. The grant notice shows a start date and an end date, and the holder is expected to observe both.

The portal says applications are processed within ten days. According to a news report, Tanzania Immigration announced on 4 March 2026 that its system was down after a technical incident, and some travelers have reported approvals arriving the day before departure. We recommend applying two to three weeks ahead.

The Tanzanian Embassy in Washington lists a USD 20 rush fee (three working days), but that is an embassy consular service, not an e-visa expedite option.

Your passport needs at least six months of validity and one unused visa page. The portal does not say how long a grant notice stays usable before first entry, so check the dates on yours.

How to Apply Step by Step

Apply only on the official Tanzania Immigration e-visa portal, which also lets you continue a saved application and check visa status.

• Step 1: Check your passport for six months of validity and a blank page.
• Step 2: Prepare a photo no larger than 45 mm by 35 mm, under 500 KB, in JPG or JPEG.
• Step 3: Scan the passport bio page and save your return ticket.
• Step 4: Fill in the form and select the Multiple Visa.
• Step 5: Pay USD 100 by card and submit.
• Step 6: Wait for the email decision. Some applicants may be called for an interview at a Tanzanian embassy.
• Step 7: Buy the state insurance, then complete the health form within 24 hours before landing.

Wait for the grant notice before flying. It is not a final authority to enter, and a visa gives no automatic right of entry. The officer at the port of entry decides, and visitors are asked to show their return ticket.

Visarun helps US travelers check documents and submit the Tanzania e-visa application. The decision belongs to Tanzania's Immigration Services Department, and no agency can guarantee approval.

Zanzibar - Insurance and Entry Rules

Your Tanzanian visa is the one you use in Zanzibar. What sets Zanzibar apart is insurance.

Zanzibar insurance since October 2024

Since 1 October 2024, the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar has required foreigners arriving by air or sea, residents excluded, to hold Inbound Travel Insurance from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC). Without it, entry may be denied. ZIC terms as of November 2026:

• USD 44 per adult, all charges included
• Up to 92 consecutive days per the certificate dates, non-renewable
• Infants 0 to 2 free, children 3 to 17 at half price
• Groups of 10 or more: 10% off for adults

A US travel or medical policy is not accepted instead, and only one policy per visitor per trip is allowed. The basic plan covers emergency medical costs, repatriation, personal accident, baggage, legal expenses and personal liability, with no terrorism cover. Cover starts on arrival. Cancellation before the trip is possible, but fees apply.

Nationwide insurance since October 2026

According to the US Embassy in Dar es Salaam, from 1 October 2026 all foreign non-residents need state travel insurance. The insurer follows your first point of entry:

• Mainland first: National Insurance Corporation (NIC)
• Zanzibar first: ZIC

One policy covers both parts of the country, as the Embassy of Norway in Tanzania confirms. NIC charges the shilling equivalent of USD 44, covers 92 days with multiple entries, and starts on payment. Children get reduced rates, so check the portal. Residents of East African Community (EAC) or Southern African Development Community (SADC) states are exempt, a residence rule rather than a nationality one.

NIC accepts cards online, or US dollars in cash at NIC or NMB Bank counters on arrival. A digital or printed certificate is checked when you land. NIC covers medical emergencies, lost luggage and evacuation or repatriation. Refunds are limited and impossible once cover is in force.

We recommend buying online before departure, especially for Zanzibar-first trips.

According to a September 2026 summary by law firm Clyde & Co (we have not seen the gazette text), the mainland rule rests on Government Notice No. 256 of 2026, which allows denial of entry without a policy. A news report also says ZIC stated that policies fully paid before 1 October 2026 stay valid even if the trip starts on the mainland.

Neither portal publishes benefit limits, so we suggest keeping your own US travel medical policy as well, for example for higher evacuation limits.

Yellow Fever and Health Checks

According to the CDC, Tanzania does not require yellow fever vaccination for direct travel from the United States.

Travelers aged 1 and older arriving from a risk country need proof of vaccination, including after airport layovers over 12 hours there. Kenya (in part) and Uganda are on the CDC risk list, while Tanzania and Rwanda are not. A Kenya or Uganda leg, or a long Nairobi layover, means carrying your yellow card.

The CDC also recommends malaria prevention medicine for parts of Tanzania, with transmission in all areas below 1,800 m (5,900 ft).

Health form and entry screening

Since 17 October 2026, under Ministry of Health Travel Advisory No. 18, travelers complete an online Traveler's Health Surveillance Form. The US Embassy advises doing it within 24 hours before arrival and keeping the QR code. Filling it in at the airport is possible but may cause delays.

Every entry point checks body temperature. This builds on enhanced screening in place since 18 May 2026 because of the Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda.

Combining Tanzania With Kenya, Uganda or Rwanda

The East Africa Tourist Visa (USD 100, 90 days) covers Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda only. Tanzania needs its own visa in every case.

The 12-month US Multiple Visa makes a Kenya to Tanzania to Kenya loop easy on the Tanzanian side, as long as each visit stays within 90 days.

Kenya

• Standard eTA, one entry: USD 30
• Five-Year Multi-Entry eTA for Americans: USD 185
• Kenya's own insurance since 5 October 2026: up to USD 44, bought inside the eTA application

Kenya's insurance is a separate national scheme, and no official source says a Tanzanian policy counts there. Kenya's Embassy in Washington says a single-entry eTA can be reused to re-enter from Tanzania within your Kenyan stay, but the eTA portal says it allows entry once, so we recommend confirming or choosing the multi-entry eTA.

Uganda and Rwanda

Uganda's tourist visa costs USD 50 for a single entry, and Uganda requires yellow fever vaccination from all arrivals aged 1 and older. US citizens who were in Uganda within 21 days before returning home are required to enter the United States through designated airports for Ebola screening.

Rwanda offers a visa on arrival to all nationalities, at no more than USD 50 for single entry.

Recent Changes (2025-2026)

• 4 March 2026: e-visa system outage after a technical incident, with visa on arrival still available, according to a news report.
• 18 May 2026: enhanced health screening at all entry points (US Embassy alert).
• 1 October 2026: state travel insurance mandatory across Tanzania.
• 5 October 2026: Kenya's separate insurance rule took effect.
• 16 October 2026: the US travel advisory eased from Level 3 to Level 2, according to the travel trade association ATTA, with Level 3 kept for the Mtwara border area. The US Embassy site also shows Level 2, but check the State Department advisory before booking.
• 17 October 2026: online health form and temperature checks mandatory.
• 28 October 2026: a US Embassy security alert warned of roadblocks, checkpoints, movement restrictions and intermittent internet blackouts around the anniversary of the 29 October 2025 election violence.

Visa on arrival was rumored to end in late 2024, but Immigration said in a public notice, as reported by a visa news site, that visa on arrival had not been stopped, and the portal still lists it. Both the portal and the embassy still list the USD 100 US fee as of November 2026. Given possible blackouts, we recommend printed copies of your grant notice, insurance certificate and health form QR code.

FAQ

Can US citizens get the USD 50 Tanzania visa?

No. Americans are not entitled to the Ordinary visa and apply for the USD 100 Multiple Visa, even for one trip.

Do I need a separate visa for Zanzibar?

No. Zanzibar uses the Tanzanian visa under the union immigration system, though no single official sentence says so. One insurance policy covers both the mainland and Zanzibar.

Can Americans get a visa on arrival?

It is still an official option, but its price for Americans and its entry points are unconfirmed. We recommend applying online.

How long does the e-visa take?

Officially within ten days. Late approvals have been reported, so we recommend applying two to three weeks ahead.

How long can I stay?

Up to 90 days per visit, within a validity of up to 12 months. You cannot stay 12 months in a row.

Does my US travel insurance count?

No. Since 1 October 2026 you need a state policy from NIC or ZIC, USD 44 per adult.

Do I need a yellow fever vaccine?

Not when flying directly from the US. Proof is required if you arrive from Kenya, Uganda or another risk country, including layovers over 12 hours.

Does the East Africa Tourist Visa cover Tanzania?

No. It covers Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda only.

Is the visa fee refundable?

No. Fees are prepaid, non-refundable and non-transferable.

Can Visarun guarantee my visa?

No. Visarun helps check documents and submit the application. Tanzania's Immigration Services Department makes the decision.