Tanzania transit visa

A transit visa is for foreigners who enter Tanzania only to continue to another destination outside the United Republic. It is issued for at most seven days. Typical cases are overland journeys through Tanzania to a neighbouring country, or flights that require leaving the airport and continuing a few days later. The guidelines stress that the visa is strictly for transit and is not meant for tourism or any other purpose; a traveller who wants to go on safari or to Zanzibar during the stop needs an ordinary visa (USD 50) instead.

Nationals of visa-exempt countries do not need a transit visa; the immigration website describes an in-transit pass of up to seven days for them.

The guidelines list a copy of the passport biographic page, the USD 30 fee, and an entry visa and/or onward ticket for the country of destination. The visa brochure adds that the visa is issued only to people with onward tickets, sufficient funds for the crossing and an entry visa for the destination, or other proof that arrangements have been made. As for every visa, the passport needs at least six months of validity and one unused visa page, and the online system requires a compliant digital photo.

Transit visas can be requested on the electronic visa system like any other category: create the application with your e-mail address, upload the passport page, onward ticket and destination visa, pay USD 30 by Visa or Mastercard and submit. Online applications are decided within ten days. Nationals of countries on the on-arrival list may also obtain visas on arrival at official entry points, but the department recommends applying online.

Applications without the onward ticket or the destination visa can be rejected, and the fee is not refunded. At the border the immigration officer decides on entry and may ask for the onward ticket and funds. Nationals of referral countries, refugees and stateless persons must obtain approval in advance even for transit.

The transit visa cannot be used to work, study or travel for leisure, and Tanzanian embassy guidance describes it as non-extendable. Plan the connection so that you leave Tanzania within seven days. If your plans change and you want to stay longer or travel within the country, the correct visa is the ordinary visa, which must be applied for as a new application, since submitted applications cannot be modified.

Families and groups need one transit visa application and one USD 30 fee per passport holder, children included. The fee is not refunded if the journey is cancelled or postponed.