Preparing Documents for Your Safari

Wanderful Tanzania will take you into the wild to experience the nature you’ve previously seen only in documentaries or magazines. When you begin to plan your safari, you’ll likely be thinking about all the great things you’ll see and do. Perhaps you’ll start purchasing clothing and gathering your camera and binoculars. But during this planning process, don’t forget about important paperwork you’ll need for your travels, including  a visa.

What’s required to visit Tanzania

Even though Covid-19 has made travel difficult to some countries, Tanzania opened its borders on May 18, 2020, lifted the ban on international travel, and warmly welcomes visitors.  

Tanzania requires all tourists to obtain a visa. If you’re taking a safari with a friend who is not a United States citizen, it’s important to understand the requirements for their country.

Because obtaining a visa on arrival at the Tanzania borders may be more complicated than before, citizens of the United States as well as those from the United Kingdom, European Union, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Latin American, and Asian countries (excluding Hong Kong and Singapore) must apply for a visa before traveling to Tanzania.  

Which visa to select

Americans who apply for a visa are required to have the following items:

• U.S. passport valid for at least 6 months upon arrival in Tanzania
• Scanned copy of the passport information page
• Digital passport-style photo
• A return ticket to the United States or an onward destination when entering Tanzania

Additionally, if you’ve recently done any other traveling to other countries before your safari, you may need a vaccination.

There are several different visas. When applying, take into consideration the travel you expect for the year.

The “Ordinary Visa” grants a single entry to Tanzania for a stay lasting up to three months. If you are taking one Wanderful Tanzania safari, apply for this visa.

If there’s any chance you might take a second trip within a year’s time, the multiple-entry Tanzania tourist visa for Americans is designed for those who frequently visit the country. It is valid for a period of 12 months and allows travelers a maximum consecutive stay of 3 months at a time in Tanzania.  

Note that a Tanzania transit visa is available for travelers who plan to stay no longer than 7 days while transiting to an onward destination. Since all Wanderful Tanzania safaris are more than 7 days, do not make the mistake of applying for a Tanzania transit visa.

Your visa application

While Americans can obtain a Tanzania visa on arrival when entering the country, the process can be arduous, involving long wait times at the border and fees that may vary in cost.

Apply for a visa online in advance of your planned travel date. Complete the e-visa application form and make payment online with a credit card at www.immigration.go.tz, the website for the United Republic of Tanzania Ministry of Home Affairs. If the e-visa is approved, you will receive a “grant notice” via email. Present a copy of the grant notice to the Immigration Officer on arrival at the airport in Tanzania.

The team at Wanderful Tanzania looks forward to making your travel dreams come true. If you have any questions about your safari, contact us.