Tanzania e-Visa Errors & Solutions: Fix Common Problems

Encountering an error during your Tanzania e-Visa application can be frustrating, but most problems have straightforward fixes. This guide covers the most common errors on the official Tanzania Immigration portal and provides specific solutions for each one.

Payment Errors

Error: Card Declined / Payment Failed

Causes:

• Bank blocked international transaction
• 3D Secure authentication failed
• Card not authorized for international online payments
• Prepaid card restrictions
• Portal payment gateway temporary issue

Solutions:

1. Call your bank — ask them to authorize the specific transaction to Tanzania Immigration (may be flagged as unusual)
2. Enable international payments via your banking app if the feature is toggled off
3. Complete 3D Secure verification — ensure you have access to the registered phone number for OTP
4. Try a different card — use an alternative Visa or Mastercard
5. Wait and retry — if the portal's payment gateway is experiencing issues, try again after 1–2 hours
6. Use a virtual card — Revolut, Wise, or similar cards often work when regular cards fail

Error: Duplicate Payment

If charged twice, contact Tanzania Immigration and your bank. Dispute the duplicate charge with your card provider.

Document Upload Errors

Error: File Too Large

Cause: Your document file exceeds 2MB.

Solution:

• For JPEG images: Compress using tinyjpg.com, iLoveIMG, or your phone's settings
• For PDF: Use ilovepdf.com to compress
• For passport photos: Export from photo editing software at lower quality (80–90% JPEG quality is sufficient)

Error: Wrong File Format

Cause: Uploading a PNG, HEIC, TIFF, or BMP file instead of JPEG or PDF.

Solution:

• Convert PNG to JPEG using online tools (cloudconvert.com) or phone settings
• iPhone users: HEIC photos can be converted by emailing the photo to yourself on a PC, or using iOS "Export as JPEG" setting

Error: Photo Rejected — Non-Compliant

Cause: Passport photo does not meet specifications (background color, glasses, size, etc.)

Solution:

• See the full Tanzania e-Visa photo requirements
• Take a new photo at a pharmacy or passport photo studio
• Use a compliant photo app

Error: Document Unclear / Unreadable

Cause: Passport scan has shadows, glare, or is photographed at an angle.

Solution:

• Rescan using a flatbed scanner at 300 DPI
• Or photograph the passport lying completely flat on a white surface under diffuse natural light
• Avoid taking photos in dim rooms or with flash directly on the passport

Form Submission Errors

Error: Cannot Submit — Missing Required Fields

Cause: One or more required fields are blank or contain invalid entries.

Solution:

• Review every page of the form carefully
• Look for red error indicators on fields
• Common missed fields: emergency contact details, occupation, previous visit history
• Ensure all dropdown menus have a selection (not left at default)

Error: Name Format Not Accepted

Cause: Special characters, apostrophes, or hyphens in your name not accepted.

Solution:

• Try entering your name with the special character removed (e.g., "O'Brien" → "OBrien")
• Use the Latin alphabet version of your name if your passport has a transliteration
• If you have a very long name, check if there is a character limit

Error: Travel Dates Invalid

Cause: Entry dates entered as past dates, or departure date before arrival date.

Solution:

• Ensure arrival date is in the future
• Ensure departure date is after arrival date
• Use the date format specified by the portal (DD/MM/YYYY or MM/DD/YYYY depending on the field)

Portal Technical Errors

Error: Portal Not Loading / 504 Gateway Timeout

Cause: Temporary server issue on the Tanzania Immigration portal.

Solution:

• Wait 30–60 minutes and try again
• Try a different browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
• Clear browser cache and cookies
• Try from a different network (switch from WiFi to mobile data or vice versa)
• Try a different device

Error: Cannot Log In / Forgot Password

Solution:

1. Click "Forgot Password" on the login page
2. Enter your registered email address
3. Check your inbox (including spam folder) for the reset link
4. Follow the link to create a new password
5. If you are not receiving the email, check that you are using the same email you registered with

Error: Application Reference Number Not Found

Cause: Entering the wrong reference number, or the application has not yet been processed into the tracking system.

Solution:

• Double-check the reference number from your confirmation email (copy-paste, do not type manually)
• Wait 24 hours after submission before tracking — applications may not appear immediately
• Log into your account and view "My Applications" to see the status without needing the reference number

Email Confirmation Errors

Error: Did Not Receive Confirmation Email

Solution:

1. Check your spam/junk folder — visa portal emails often trigger spam filters
2. Search your entire inbox for "tanzania" or "immigration"
3. Log into the portal — your application should be visible in "My Applications" even without the email
4. Add the Tanzania Immigration email address to your contacts to prevent future spam filtering

Frequently Asked Questions