Which visa
The Tanzanian one. Zanzibar has no separate visa
Cost
$50, or $100 on a US passport
Length
90 days for tourism
Passport
Six months validity, one blank page
Apply
visa.immigration.go.tz, allow ten working days
Also required
ZIC travel insurance, $44
The paperwork in four lines
- There is no Zanzibar visa. Zanzibar is part of Tanzania and uses the Tanzanian one. Anything advertising a separate Zanzibar visa is an intermediary.
- $50, or $100 on a US passport. Americans cannot buy the ordinary single entry visa and are issued a twelve month multiple entry one instead.
- The ZIC insurance is separate and compulsory. Forty four dollars an adult, bought on a different site, and checked at a different desk.
- Apply three to four weeks ahead. Ten working days is the quoted processing time, and there is no way to chase a slow one.
Zanzibar visa cost, by passport
There is no Zanzibar visa. Zanzibar is part of Tanzania and uses the Tanzanian system, so what follows is the Tanzanian tourist visa.
| What | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary tourist visa | $50 | Single entry, 90 days. British, EU, Australian, Canadian and most other passports. |
| US passport holders | $100 | Multiple entry, valid twelve months. It is not an upsell, it is the only class open to Americans. |
| Compulsory ZIC insurance | $44 | Per adult, up to 92 days. Introduced October 2024 and checked at immigration. |
| Transit visa | $30 | Seven days, not extendable. Only if you are passing through. |
| Multiple entry, non-US | $100 | Worth it only if you are leaving and re-entering Tanzania, which almost no holiday does. |
How to apply for the e-visa, step by step
- Use the government portal only. The official site is visa.immigration.go.tz. Everything else charging you a fee is an intermediary, and there are many of them buying ads above it.
- Apply three to four weeks out. Processing is quoted at around ten working days and is a guideline rather than a promise.
- Have the documents ready. Passport bio page scan, a passport photograph, your return ticket and the address of your first hotel.
- Save the application number. It is how you check status on the same portal, and it is the only reference anybody will accept if it stalls.
- Print the grant notice. Airlines at check in have asked for it, and phone batteries die on long connections.
- Buy the ZIC insurance separately. It is a different website and a different payment, and it is checked at a different desk on arrival.
Careful
Online beforehand, or in the queue on arrival
Both routes exist and both cost the same. The e-visa is applied for at the official Tanzanian immigration portal, takes about ten minutes to fill in and is normally issued within ten working days. Apply at least three weeks out, because the processing time is a guideline rather than a promise.
Visa on arrival still works for most nationalities. It costs the same fifty dollars, payable in cash, in US notes printed after 2013, and it adds half an hour or more to an arrival that is already long. In high season that queue is considerably worse.
One warning about the portal. The official site is visa.immigration.go.tz. A number of lookalike sites rank well on search and charge a large markup for filling in the same form. If you are paying more than the official fee, you are on the wrong site.
The insurance requirement, which is new
Zanzibar introduced its own compulsory travel insurance in October 2024. Every foreign visitor must hold a policy issued through the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation, costing forty four dollars for a stay of up to 92 days, bought online before you travel.
It is checked at immigration on arrival. It is separate from the visa, and it is separate from your own travel insurance, which you still want, because the ZIC policy is emergency medical cover and nothing more. It will not repatriate you and it will not replace a cancelled holiday.
Note that this applies to Zanzibar specifically, not to mainland Tanzania. Anyone combining a safari with the island needs it for the island half of the trip.
What immigration actually asks for
A passport with at least six months left on it and a blank page, the visa or the money for one, the insurance certificate, and an address for your first night. Have the hotel booking on your phone, because being asked for it and hunting through an inbox is how the queue slows down.
Yellow fever vaccination is not required if you arrive directly from Europe or North America. It is required if you arrive from, or have recently transited through, a country where yellow fever is endemic, which includes Kenya and Ethiopia. If your flight connects through Nairobi or Addis Ababa, check this before you fly.
Questions people ask about the Zanzibar visa
Do I need a visa for Zanzibar?
Almost certainly yes. Zanzibar is part of Tanzania and uses the Tanzanian visa system. Most nationalities, including British, American, Australian, Canadian and every EU country, need one. It costs fifty dollars for a single entry tourist visa valid ninety days.
Why do US citizens pay $100 for a Tanzania visa?
US passport holders cannot get the ordinary single entry tourist visa. They are issued a multiple entry visa instead, which costs one hundred dollars and is valid for twelve months. It is not a mistake or an upsell, it is the only category available to them.
Can I get a visa on arrival in Zanzibar?
Yes, for most nationalities, and it costs the same. What it costs you is time: expect an extra half hour or more in the queue after a long flight, payable in cash US dollars, in notes printed after 2013. Applying online beforehand takes ten minutes and skips that queue.
What is the compulsory Zanzibar insurance?
Since late 2024, every foreign visitor to Zanzibar must hold an insurance policy issued through the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation. It costs forty four dollars for stays up to 92 days, is bought online before arrival, and is checked at immigration. It is basic emergency cover and does not replace proper travel insurance.
Is there a visa ban on US citizens in Tanzania?
No. US citizens can and do travel to Tanzania and Zanzibar normally. What is true is that Americans cannot buy the ordinary $50 single entry visa. They are issued a multiple entry visa at $100 instead, which is a reciprocal fee arrangement rather than a restriction.
How far in advance should I apply for a Tanzania visa?
Three to four weeks. The portal quotes around ten working days and usually beats it, but it is a target rather than a guarantee and there is no way to escalate a slow application. Applying earlier costs nothing.
Is it better to get a Tanzania visa on arrival?
Only if you have run out of time. It costs exactly the same and it costs you thirty to sixty minutes in a queue after a long flight, paid in cash dollars printed after 2013. The e-visa takes ten minutes at home.
How long can I stay in Zanzibar as a tourist?
Ninety days on a tourist visa. Extending means dealing with immigration on the island, and anyone planning to stay longer or to work is in a different category entirely, which this guide does not cover.