Get Consultancy for Tanzania Visa
Independent consultancy • Free initial evaluation
Tanzania Visa for US Citizens: Visa on Arrival, Fee and Documents
US citizens get a Tanzania visa on arrival or in advance: US$100 multiple entry valid 12 months, the four entry points, documents and extensions explained.
About this route
This guide covers the official Tanzania entry process for United States passport holders: required documents, the application steps, and where our optional support fits in.
Do United States citizens need a visa for Tanzania?
Yes. United States passport holders need a visa for Tanzania, and they can obtain it on arrival. The U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam confirms that travellers may obtain entry visas at select ports of entry, and the Tanzanian Embassy in Washington lists the visa for American citizens at US$100, multiple entry and valid for 12 months. Americans can also apply in advance through the Tanzanian embassy or the government's online visa application service.
The visa on arrival is issued at Dar es Salaam International Airport, Kilimanjaro International Airport, Zanzibar Airport and the Tanzania-Kenya border post at Namanga. Safari and Kilimanjaro itineraries almost always land at one of these, which is why most American visitors never deal with a consulate.
Why Americans pay a different fee: the multiple-entry rule
The fee table published by the Embassy of Tanzania in Washington separates two products. A visa for American citizens costs US$100 and is multiple entry, valid for 12 months. A visa for other nationalities costs US$50 and is single entry. The U.S. Embassy describes the same figure as the usual fee for regular passport holders at the ports of entry.
In practice this favours the typical East Africa itinerary. A traveller who lands in Arusha, crosses into Kenya for the Masai Mara and returns to Tanzania for Zanzibar re-enters on the same visa without paying again.
| Visa | Official fee | Validity and entries |
|---|---|---|
| Visa for American citizens | US$100 | Multiple entry, valid 12 months |
| Visa for other nationalities | US$50 | Single entry |
| Rush processing at the embassy | US$20 extra | 3 working days |
| Travel document holders (stateless, refugee status) | US$50 | An additional US$50 handling fee may apply |
Fees are paid to the Tanzanian government. Kolay Seyahat is an independent consultancy; any assistance fee we quote is separate from the consular fee.
Other destinations for United States passport holders
You can apply yourself.
This guide covers the full official process step by step. Honesty builds trust. If you have questions, you can reach us through the contact options above.
Visa on arrival: where it works and what to bring
The four ports named by the U.S. Embassy cover the arrivals that matter to tourists: Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar and the Namanga road crossing from Kenya. Travellers arriving elsewhere, for example by ferry or at a smaller border post, should hold a visa in advance rather than assume a counter exists.
- Your passport and the visa fee in US dollars; the embassy list shows the amount for American citizens as US$100.
- A flight itinerary, ticket or tour operator package receipt, which the Tanzanian embassy lists among the documents for an ordinary tourist visa.
- A letter from your organisation if you travel for a purpose other than tourism, such as volunteering, meetings, conferences or study.
- For a minor under 18 travelling alone or with one parent, a notarised letter jointly signed by the parents or legal guardians approving the travel, plus a copy of their ID.
Applying in advance through the Tanzanian Embassy in Washington
Travellers who prefer a visa before departure, or who need a category the airport does not issue, apply to the Embassy of Tanzania in Washington. Its requirements page separates the categories, and the differences matter.
| Category | Documents listed by the embassy |
|---|---|
| Single entry, ordinary or tourist | Passport copy, completed form, fee, 2 passport photos, flight itinerary or tour receipt, letter from your organisation for non-tourist purposes |
| Multiple entry | Passport valid at least 6 months, form, security bond, invitee's passport copy, 3 photos, host ID copy, company documents such as TIN, VAT and registration certificate, evidence of frequent travel |
| Transit | Passport copy, entry visa or onward ticket to the destination, fee, 2 photos |
| Business | Passport valid at least 6 months, work contract or proof of an assignment not exceeding three months, fee |
The embassy also offers an online visa application through Tanzania's eServices platform for those who want an approval in hand before flying. Rush processing at the embassy costs an extra US$20 and takes three working days.
How to get the Tanzania visa step by step
For most American tourists the sequence is short, because the decision happens at the airport. The steps below cover the arrival route, with the advance route as the alternative at each point.
⏱️ Application Steps
1. Step 1: Check your passport
Six months of validity is the standard the embassy applies to multiple-entry and business visas; apply it to your trip regardless of route.
2. Step 2: Prepare the documents
Flight itinerary or tour receipt, a letter from your organisation for non-tourist travel, and a notarised parental letter for a minor travelling with one parent.
3. Step 3: Choose the route
Visa on arrival at Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar or Namanga, or an advance visa through the Tanzanian Embassy in Washington or the online eServices application.
4. Step 4: Pay the fee
US$100 for the multiple-entry visa for American citizens, in US dollars at the port or as listed by the embassy.
5. Step 5: Keep the visa for re-entry
The 12-month multiple-entry visa covers crossings to Kenya and back; keep the passport page intact.
Extensions, longer stays and business trips
A limited extension of stay can be obtained inside Tanzania from the Immigration Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Anything beyond a short visit belongs in a different category: the U.S. Embassy states that long-term residency requests beyond four months go through the Tanzanian mission at home, and the embassy's business visa covers an assignment of no more than three months, supported by a work contract.
Residence permits are not issued at the embassy. Investors, businesspeople and consultants fall under Class A permits at US$1,620, expatriate employees under Class B at US$620, and short-term assignments under the Carrying on Temporary Assignment permit at US$100, according to the embassy's fee list.
Arrival on the mainland and in Zanzibar
Immigration formalities are the same at Dar es Salaam and Kilimanjaro: queue at the visa counter, pay, receive the visa, then pass through passport control. Zanzibar has its own airport counter and its own rules for foreign visitors; the Tanzanian embassy publishes a travel advisory notice for all foreigners entering Zanzibar, issued in October 2024, and travellers heading to the islands should read it before departure.
| Question | Visa on arrival | Advance visa |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar, Namanga | Tanzanian Embassy in Washington or online eServices |
| Timing | Issued at the counter on arrival | Standard processing, or 3 working days with the US$20 rush fee |
| Payment | US dollars in cash | As instructed by the embassy |
| Best for | Tourists landing at the main airports | Business, transit, arrivals at minor border posts, travellers who want certainty |
Pros of getting the visa on arrival
- No paperwork before departure beyond the itinerary
- The US$100 product is multiple entry and valid 12 months
- Available at all the airports safari travellers use
Cons of getting the visa on arrival
- Queues after an overnight flight, and cash in US dollars is required
- Not available at every border post or port
- Non-tourist travellers without an organisation letter face questions at the counter
Official Sources
The information on this page has been verified from the official sources below.
Questions & Answers(7)
1Can US citizens get a visa on arrival in Tanzania?
2How much is the Tanzania visa for US citizens?
3Is the Tanzania visa for Americans single or multiple entry?
4What documents do I need for a Tanzanian tourist visa?
5Can I extend my stay in Tanzania?
6How long does an advance visa take at the Tanzanian Embassy in Washington?
7Do children need extra documents for a Tanzania visa?
Arrive prepared for the Tanzania visa on arrival
Let's review the documents and fee required at the border before you travel, and book your flight and hotel here.
Free pre-assessment