Tanzania e-Visa Passport Requirements: Complete Guide

Your passport is the most important document in your Tanzania e-Visa application. Tanzania has specific passport validity, blank page, and condition requirements that must be met both at application time and at the time of travel. Failing to meet passport requirements is a common reason for e-Visa rejection and denied entry at the border.

Tanzania e-Visa Passport Requirements Summary

6-Month Validity Rule Explained

The 6-month rule means your passport must remain valid for at least 6 months after your last day in Tanzania — not your arrival date.

Calculation example:

• You plan to arrive March 1 and leave March 21 (20-day safari)
• Your passport must be valid until at least September 21 (6 months after March 21)
• If your passport expires August 15 — you cannot travel; renew first

This rule is enforced at the application stage (your passport expiry is entered on the form) and again at the border by immigration officers.

Blank Visa Page Requirement

Tanzania requires at least 2 blank visa pages in your passport at the time of travel. These must be consecutive (facing pages), not scattered throughout the passport.

Why this matters:

• Tanzania immigration stamps occupy a full page
• Having only one blank page risks denial of entry

Count your blank pages before applying. If you have fewer than 2, apply for a new passport before submitting your e-Visa application.

Note: Observation pages, declaration pages, and amendment pages at the back of the passport do not count as visa pages.

Passport Condition Requirements

Your passport must be in good physical condition:

• No missing pages or signatures
• No water damage that has blurred personal information
• No significant tears along the spine or corners
• No stickers, stamps, or markings obscuring the data page
• No alterations of any kind to the printed information

A damaged passport may be rejected both during the application (if the scan is unreadable) and at the border.

Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) Requirement

All modern passports issued since the 1990s have an MRZ — the two lines of letters and numbers at the bottom of the bio page. Your passport must have a readable MRZ.

If your passport was issued before 1990 and lacks an MRZ, you must renew it before applying for a Tanzania e-Visa.

Scanning Your Passport for Tanzania e-Visa

The passport data page scan must:

• Be in color (black and white scans are rejected)
• Show the entire page — no cropping of edges or corners
• Have all text clearly legible — no blurriness, shadows, or glare
• Be in JPEG or PDF format, maximum 2MB
• Show the MRZ lines at the bottom fully

Best practice for scanning:

• Use a flatbed scanner at 300 DPI
• Or photograph the passport under diffuse natural light, with the passport lying flat
• Avoid photographing at an angle — this creates distortion
• Check the file before uploading — zoom in to verify all text is readable

Types of British Passports and Tanzania e-Visa

UK nationals should note:

• British Citizen passport: Fully accepted — apply for Tanzania e-Visa
• British National (Overseas) — BNO: Generally accepted, but verify with Tanzania Immigration if uncertain
• British Overseas Territories Citizen: Check your specific territory's eligibility
• Emergency travel document: May not be accepted — contact Tanzania Immigration before travel

Emergency Passports and Tanzania

Emergency travel documents (temporary passports) are generally not accepted for Tanzania e-Visa applications. If your regular passport is lost or stolen before travel:

1. Obtain a full replacement passport from your country's embassy (takes several days)
2. Apply for a Tanzania e-Visa with the new passport
3. If time does not allow, contact Tanzania Immigration about your options

What If Your Passport Is Expiring Soon?

If your passport expires within 6 months of your Tanzania departure date:

1. Renew your passport first
2. Then apply for your Tanzania e-Visa
3. A Tanzania e-Visa issued on an old passport cannot be transferred to a new one

Do not apply for a Tanzania e-Visa if your passport will need renewal before the trip.

Frequently Asked Questions