Passports
Foreigners seeking to enter the United Republic of Tanzania should be in possession of a valid passport, at least six months prior to expiration.
The passport must be presented to Immigration Control along with one of the following:
- A valid visa (most common)
- Resident permit
- A pass
Additionally, visitors may be asked to show an onward or return ticket and sufficient funds to support himself or herself while in Tanzania.
Visas
All foreigners from non-Commonwealth countries are required to have a valid visa unless their countries have agreements with Tanzania which waive the visa requirement. Citizens of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are required to have a visa.
Visas can be obtained online at Tanzania’s Electronic Visa Application System.
The online process takes about 20 minutes and the turn around is days. You will need a digital photo of your passport, a separate photo of your face, and a pdf of your flight confirmation email.
You can also obtain visas at Tanzanian Embassies and High Commissions, such as the Tanzanian Embassy of the United States.
The cost of a Tanzanian visa for US citizens is $100, payable in US dollars. For other nationalities, the cost of a Tanzanian visa is $50, payable in US dollars. Confirm with your embassy.
Those with passports issued by the United States, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom and most of Europe can also obtain visas upon arrival at entry points including Kilimanjaro International Airport.
Traveler’s Surveillance Form
Visitors are required to complete a Traveler’s Surveillance Form online. This form must be filled out online at here within 24 hours before arrival to Tanzania.
Although it is possible to complete the form upon arrival at Kilimanjaro airport, we strongly recommend you do this before departing as the airline may require this before allowing you to board the flight.
Note that you can use the address and phone number of Stella Maris hotel to complete the form. Don’t worry if you are staying at an alternative hotel.
Covid Testing
Fully vaccinated travelers are exempt from Covid-19 test requirements for entry to Tanzania. Fully vaccinated travelers will be required to present a valid, original vaccination certificate for verification upon arrival.
Those who have received two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, with the second dose administered at least 14 days prior to travel, are considered fully vaccinated. Covid boosters are not required.
Unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated travelers are required to present a negative Covid-19 test to enter Tanzania. The test must be a PCR Test that was done within 72 hours of departure to Tanzania. Travelers who are not fully vaccinated may also be required to take a Rapid Antigen Test upon arrival. We are not responsible for clients who are denied entry due to failure to meet Tanzania’s regulations.
Declaration Forms
You should receive a flight card or declaration form from the airline staff. You will need to fill this out and present it to the Immigration Officer.
These forms are available inside the building if you did not get one on your flight.
Navigating Customs at Kilimanjaro Airport
At Kilimanjaro Airport, passengers disembark their flights outside on the tarmac. You may be required to show your boarding pass to staff outside the airport for verification that you got off the plane at the correct destination, so keep your boarding pass handy.
Upon entering the airport (which would be from the left side of the photo), there are several lines for visitors who have their visas and lines for visitors who need to purchase their visas. Pay attention to all open booths as the airport staff are not very helpful in directing the crowd to open lines.