Tanzania e-Visa Application Step by Step: Detailed 2026 Guide

The Tanzania e-Visa application is a straightforward online process — but small mistakes cause delays or rejections. This step-by-step guide covers every screen, every field, and every requirement on the official Tanzania Immigration portal so your application goes through without issues the first time.

Overview: Tanzania e-Visa Application at a Glance

• Where: eservices.immigration.go.tz (official Tanzanian government portal)
• Time to complete: 20–30 minutes
• Fee: $50 USD (single entry tourist), $100 USD (multiple entry), $250 USD (business)
• Processing: 3–10 business days
• Result delivered: PDF e-Visa by email and downloadable from your account
• Eligibility: Nationals of 160+ countries

Before starting, see Tanzania e-Visa requirements to confirm your nationality is eligible and check the Tanzania e-Visa cost breakdown.

Pre-Application Checklist

Print or bookmark this checklist and verify each item before you begin:

• Passport valid for 6+ months beyond your departure date from Tanzania
• Passport has 2+ blank visa pages
• Passport data page scanned clearly (color, 300 DPI or higher, all text legible)
• Passport photo ready: white background, recent, JPEG, minimum 300×300px
• Return/onward ticket PDF or screenshot saved
• Hotel booking confirmation or safari itinerary or host invitation letter
• Email address accessible
• Visa or Mastercard ready for $50 payment

Step 1: Navigate to the Official Portal

Open your browser and go to:

https://eservices.immigration.go.tz

This is the only official government portal for Tanzania e-Visa applications. Key identifiers of the genuine site:

• Domain ends in .go.tz (Tanzanian government domain)
• No upfront payment before form completion
• No service fees beyond the stated government rate

If a site shows prices higher than $50 for a tourist single-entry visa before you have even started the form, it is a third-party agent site — not the official portal. See our Tanzania e-Visa scam warning for how to spot unauthorized sites.

Step 2: Register Your Account

From the portal homepage:

1. Click "Apply for e-Visa" or "New Application"
2. Enter your email address (use one you check regularly)
3. Create a strong password (8+ characters, mix of letters, numbers, symbols)
4. Click "Register" or "Create Account"
5. Open your email inbox and click the verification link sent by the system
6. Return to the portal and log in with your credentials

> Tip: Use your personal email, not a work address, to ensure you receive all notifications. The approval notification and e-Visa download link will come to this address.

Step 3: Start a New Application

After logging in:

1. Click "Apply for e-Visa" from your dashboard
2. Select visa type:
3. Tourist Single Entry — for holidays, tourism, visiting family, one trip (90 days max stay)
4. Tourist Multiple Entry — for multiple trips within 12 months (90 days max per entry)
5. Business — for business meetings, conferences, commercial activities
6. Transit — for passing through Tanzania to another country (7 days max)
7. Confirm your nationality and check you are eligible

Step 4: Enter Personal Information

This section must match your passport exactly — character for character.

Required fields:

Common error: Some travelers enter a preferred name or shortened version of their name. Always use the exact full name on your passport. Discrepancies at the border can cause entry problems.

Step 5: Enter Passport Details

Check: Is your passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your last day in Tanzania? If not, renew your passport before applying for the e-Visa.

Step 6: Enter Travel Information

Port of entry options (airports):

• Julius Nyerere International Airport — Dar es Salaam (DAR)
• Kilimanjaro International Airport — Arusha/Moshi (JRO)
• Zanzibar International Airport — Zanzibar City (ZNZ)
• Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ is main Zanzibar)
• Plus multiple land border crossings

Step 7: Emergency Contact Information

Enter the details of someone who is NOT traveling with you:

• Full name
• Relationship (family, friend, colleague)
• Phone number (include country code)
• Email address
• Address

This is a required field. The emergency contact should be someone in your home country who can be reached if needed.

Step 8: Upload Documents

Document 1 — Passport data page:

• Format: JPEG or PDF
• Maximum file size: 2MB
• Requirements: Color scan, all text clearly readable, no shadows or glare, full page visible
• The page must show: your photo, full name, nationality, passport number, issue date, expiry date, and your signature

Document 2 — Passport-style photograph:

• Format: JPEG
• Size: Minimum 300×300 pixels, maximum 2MB
• Background: White or off-white only
• Expression: Neutral expression, mouth closed
• Head position: Facing directly forward, eyes open
• Coverage: Face must be 70–80% of the photo frame
• Glasses: Not permitted (even clear lens frames)
• Head coverings: Only for verifiable religious reasons
• Recency: Taken within the last 6 months
• No filters, enhancements, or digital alterations

See our complete Tanzania e-Visa photo requirements guide with example images.

Document 3 — Return/onward ticket:

• Your confirmed flight booking showing departure from Tanzania (or onward journey)
• Does not need to be a paid ticket — a booking confirmation is acceptable
• Must show your name, flight dates, and route

Document 4 — Accommodation proof:

• Hotel booking confirmation with your name, dates, and hotel address
• OR safari operator booking confirmation
• OR letter of invitation from your host in Tanzania (with their full name, address, phone, and copy of their ID/passport)

For business visa applicants, additionally upload:

• Invitation letter from Tanzanian company (on letterhead, signed by authorized signatory)
• Company registration certificate of the Tanzanian host company
• Your employer's letter confirming purpose of business visit
• Copy of host's national ID or passport

Step 9: Review Your Application

Before submitting, the portal will show you a full summary of all entered information.

Carefully verify:

• Full name matches passport exactly
• Passport number is correct (no transposed digits)
• Passport expiry date is correct
• Travel dates are realistic
• Accommodation address is complete (street, city, country)
• All uploaded documents are clear and meet specifications

This is your last chance to make corrections before payment. After payment, you cannot edit the application.

Step 10: Pay the Application Fee

Tanzania e-Visa government fees:

Payment is processed via secure online form. Accepted cards: Visa, Mastercard (credit or debit). Some prepaid cards work, though this is not guaranteed.

After successful payment:

• You receive an email with your application reference number
• Your application enters the processing queue
• The fee is non-refundable regardless of outcome

Step 11: Track Your Application

Log back into the portal anytime to check status:

1. Go to eservices.immigration.go.tz
2. Log in with your credentials
3. Navigate to "My Applications" or "Application Status"
4. Enter your reference number or select your application from the list

Status meanings:

• Received — application logged in the system
• Under Review — immigration officers are reviewing your file
• Additional Information Required — you must log in and submit additional documents or clarification
• Approved — e-Visa ready for download
• Rejected — decision made against your application

See our Tanzania e-Visa status check guide for more detail.

Step 12: Download and Print Your e-Visa

When the status changes to Approved:

1. Log into your portal account
2. Navigate to your application
3. Click "Download e-Visa"
4. Save the PDF file to your device
5. Print at least one copy on plain white paper (A4 size)
6. Store the printout with your passport

You will also receive the e-Visa as an email attachment. Print it — Tanzanian immigration officers require a physical printed copy at the port of entry. See Tanzania e-Visa download and print.

What Happens at the Airport

On arrival in Tanzania:

1. Join the immigration queue
2. Present your passport + printed e-Visa
3. Answer standard immigration questions (purpose of visit, accommodation, duration)
4. Have your return ticket and accommodation booking accessible
5. Receive your passport stamp — entry granted

See Tanzania e-Visa at the airport for a full arrival walkthrough.

Tanzania e-Visa Application Tips

• Apply 3 weeks early — give yourself buffer time if there are any issues
• Use only the official portal — save $20–$100 in unnecessary agent fees
• Double-check your name — ensure it matches your passport letter by letter
• Use a good quality photo — photo rejections are the #1 application error
• Keep your documents organized — save all application emails and your reference number
• Don't book non-refundable tickets first — get your e-Visa approved before finalizing travel plans

Frequently Asked Questions