Tanzania
Tanzania visa guide: visits, eVisa, study, work, investment and residence
- 14 visa types
- checked 24 October 2026
How visas for Tanzania work
Entry to the United Republic of Tanzania, which covers both the Mainland and Zanzibar, is controlled by the Immigration Services Department under the Ministry of Home Affairs. The department separates three kinds of authority: visas, which allow a foreigner to travel and present himself at a border post; passes, such as the visitor's pass stamped on arrival, the dependant pass and the student pass; and residence permits, which cover stays of more than 90 days for investment, employment and other lawful activities. One visa covers both the Mainland and Zanzibar.
Tanzania issues six visa types: ordinary (single entry, USD 50, up to 90 days), multiple entry (USD 100, up to 12 months with stays of at most 90 days), business (USD 250, up to 90 days), transit (USD 30, up to seven days), student (USD 50 to USD 550) and gratis visas for official travel. Visas can be obtained online through the electronic visa system or on arrival at an official entry point; the department recommends applying online. Nationals of East African Community states, most SADC states and many Commonwealth countries do not need a visa, while 23 nationalities as well as refugees and stateless persons need a referral visa approved in advance.
Many nationalities, among them most European states, the Gulf states, China, Russia, the United States and Türkiye, are on the official list of countries whose nationals can use both the online visa and the visa-on-arrival facility, so they need a visa but no prior approval. Tanzanian embassies also provide visa information and consular services. Longer stays rely on residence permits Class A (investors), Class B (employees) and Class C (researchers, retirees, volunteers, medical patients, property buyers and others), which are applied for online, in most cases before arrival and together with a work permit from the Labour Commissioner.
Which visa do I need?
Safari, beach holiday or visiting friends: ordinary visa, USD 50, online or on arrival if your nationality is eligible.
Several trips in a year as a non-resident company director or to visit a spouse or child: multiple entry visa, USD 100.
Short assignment, audit, repair or training up to 90 days: business visa, USD 250.
Passing through on the way to another country: transit visa, USD 30, up to seven days.
Studying at a Tanzanian institution: student visa from abroad, or a student pass if already in the country.
Employment: work permit plus residence permit Class B; own business or investment: Class A; research, retirement (55+), treatment, volunteering or a property purchase of at least USD 100,000: Class C.
Joining a resident or citizen as a spouse or child: dependant pass.
Fleeing persecution: apply for refugee status within seven days of entry under the Refugees Act.
Visa types for Tanzania
Visits and short stays
- Tourist visa Ordinary Visa (single entry visa)
Tourists visiting Tanzania, including Zanzibar, apply for the Ordinary Visa: a single-entry visa valid for up to 90 days that costs USD 50.
Maximum stay: Up to 90 days, single entry - Transit visa Transit Visa
The Tanzania Transit Visa costs USD 30 and allows a stay of up to seven days for travellers passing through on their way to another country.
Maximum stay: Up to seven days - Medical treatment visa Ordinary Visa for treatment and Residence Permit Class C-6 (medical treatment)
Foreigners who travel to Tanzania for treatment lasting up to 90 days use the ordinary visa, which lists health treatment among its purposes and costs USD 50.
Maximum stay: Ordinary visa up to 90 days; residence permits up to two years
Business and self-employment
- Business visa Business Visa and Multiple Entry Visa for non-resident directors
The Tanzania Business Visa costs USD 250 and allows one entry for up to 90 days to carry out short assignments such as repairing machines, running training, auditing or preparing an investment.
Maximum stay: Up to 90 days, single entry - Investor visa Residence Permit Class A (investors)
Residence Permit Class A is for foreigners who are shareholders and directors of a company in Tanzania and engage in self-employed investment.
Maximum stay: Up to two years per grant, renewable
Study and training
- Student visa Student Visa and Student Pass
International students admitted to a registered institution in Tanzania apply online for a Student Visa while still abroad.
Maximum stay: Up to the length of the programme, at most two years per visa - Researcher visa Residence Permit Class C-1 (researchers) and research student visa
Foreign researchers who will stay in Tanzania for more than 90 days need Residence Permit Class C-1, for persons approved by a competent authority to conduct research.
Maximum stay: Up to two years per permit, renewable
Work
- Work visa Work permit and Residence Permit Class B (employees)
Foreigners employed in Tanzania need two approvals: a work permit from the Labour Commissioner under the Non-Citizens (Employment Regulation) Act and Residence Permit Class B from the Immigration Services Department.
Maximum stay: Residence permit up to two years per grant, renewable
Family
- Family reunification visa Dependant Pass
Family members of foreign residents and of Tanzanian citizens live in Tanzania on a Dependant Pass, which covers a dependant wife, children and near relatives.
Maximum stay: Up to two years per pass, renewable
Residence
- Golden visa and residence by investment Residence Permit Class C-11 (buyer of real estate)
Tanzania's closest equivalent to a golden visa is Residence Permit Class C-11, for persons who buy houses in the real estate market and do not qualify for another permit.
Maximum stay: Up to two years per grant, renewable - Retirement visa Residence Permit Class C-2 (retired persons)
Retirees who want to live in Tanzania apply for Residence Permit Class C-2, for persons aged 55 or over who retired in Tanzania or abroad and have an assured income to support themselves and their dependants.
Maximum stay: Up to two years per grant, renewable
Online travel permits
- e-Visa Tanzania Electronic Visa (online visa application)
Tanzania's electronic visa system lets foreigners apply online for every visa type for both the Mainland and Zanzibar.
Maximum stay: Depends on the visa: 90 days per stay for ordinary, business and multiple visas; seven days for transit - Visa on arrival Visa on arrival at official entry points
Tanzania issues visas on arrival at official entry points to nationals of the countries on its on-arrival list.
Maximum stay: Ordinary visa up to 90 days
Asylum and international protection
- Asylum and international protection Refugee status under the Refugees Act (Cap. 37)
Tanzania decides refugee claims under the Refugees Act, Cap.
Processing time: Committee to consider the claim within 60 days, extendable for reasonable cause
Frequently asked questions
Who needs a visa for Tanzania?
Everyone except nationals of the visa-exempt countries, mainly East African Community members, most SADC states and many Commonwealth countries. Many other nationalities can apply online or obtain the visa on arrival without prior approval; 23 referral nationalities need clearance in advance. A tourist pays USD 50 for an ordinary visa.
Does one visa cover both the Mainland and Zanzibar?
Yes. The visa guidelines tell applicants to select their first destination in the form; the same visa then allows travel to both the Mainland and Zanzibar.
How long does an online Tanzania visa take?
Online applications are processed within ten days, except referral cases, which should be lodged at least two months before travel. The terms ask applicants to apply at least ten days before the trip.
What passport validity is required?
At least six months of validity and at least one unused visa page. Visitors must also show a return ticket on arrival.
Can I work in Tanzania on a visa?
No. A visa only allows entry; ordinary visa holders may not work or do business. Employment needs a work permit from the Labour Commissioner and a residence permit from the Immigration Services Department.
Are visa fees refunded if the application is refused?
No. All visa fees are prepaid, non-refundable and non-transferable, including after a refusal or when a traveller pays again on arrival because the online visa was not yet approved.
Does Tanzania have permanent residence?
Official sources describe residence permits of up to two years that can be renewed, and citizenship by naturalisation after long residence; no separate permanent residence status is described.
Embassies and consulates
Last checked 24 October 2026. Each visa page lists the official sources it is based on.