In the last few weeks, rumours have been circulating that the Visa on Arrival that can be applied for on entering Tanzania would be suspended. The Tanzanian authorities have informed that the visa on arrival is still available, however travellers are advised to apply for an e-visa before departure.
What is the Visa on Arrival?
The Visa on Arrival is a visa that can be applied for when entering Tanzania. This type of visa is offered at most airports, ports and principal border crossing points. Travellers using this visa do not need to apply for a visa before departure.
This visa type has a series of disadvantages, however. Queues at the Visa on Arrival counter are often long. As a consequence, travellers may have to wait a long time to apply for their visa after an exhausting journey. On the other hand, one can never be sure that the visa will be granted until the moment of arrival. Travellers who are denied the visa on arrival need to leave the country immediately. Travellers who apply for an e-visa for Tanzania in advance, know for sure that their visa application has been approved.
Contradictory news about the Visa on Arrival
Begin November 2024, there were confusing news about the availability of the Visa on Arrival for Tanzania. Indeed, on November 1, 2024, the Tanzanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a notice to all diplomatic missions abroad announcing that the country had planned to suspend the Visa on Arrival as of 30 November 2024. The aim of this measure was to encourage online visa applications. This not only caused confusion among travellers, but also among the Tanzania embassies and consulates, as they needed to inform travellers about the changes in the visa policy.
After a few days, the immigration department of Tanzania confirmed that the issuance of Visa on Arrival had not been stopped. The authorities made a statement declaring that, for the time being, this visa type will continue to be available to eligible travellers as usual. At the same time, travellers were advised to use the Tanzania electronic visa, as border control on arrival is always faster and smoother, according to immigration authorities. To sum up, the Visa on Arrival is still being offered, although its use is discouraged.
Will the e-visa Tanzania be mandatory as of 30 January 2025?
Although Tanzanian authorities have not officially confirmed this yet, it is expected that the Visa on Arrival will permanently be withdrawn as of 30 January 2025. The governments of several countries have already updated their travel advice for Tanzania with the news that the Visa on Arrival will no longer be available after January 30, 2025. This would mean that from January, travellers would have to apply for their visas before travelling to Tanzania.
Travellers can make an appointment at the Embassy of Tanzania in order to apply for a physical visa, which will be affixed or stamped in their passport. A simpler option, however, is to apply for an e-visa Tanzania. In fact, the whole application can be done from home, with a computer, laptop, tablet or mobile phone. Travellers need to complete the online e-visa application form and then submit a digital ID photo and a scan or a photo of their passport. The visa will be issued digitally and sent to them by email.