Important documents for a Kilimanjaro trek
When you travel, especially for something as significant as a Kilimanjaro trek, always ensure your essential documents are handy. Recommended documents include:
- Passport and passport copy
- Visa for Tanzania
- Airline travel documents
- Insurance
- Booking confirmation
- Yellow fever certificate
Although you might rely on digital copies, remember that internet connections can sometimes be sketchy in Tanzania's remote areas. It's prudent to have both hard copies and digital backups.
Visa for Tanzania
Non-Tanzanian citizens typically need a valid visa for Tanzania to enter the country. You might get a visa upon arrival (available at all major entry points or international airports), but using the E-visa system initiated in 2019 is more recommended.
You can complete your online visa application directly with our immigration department here: https://visa.immigration.go.tz/
Important notes:
- Before applying for a visa for Tanzania applicants are advised to read the Visa Guidelines (https://visa.immigration.go.tz/guidelines) carefully.
- Visa applicants are advised to make their applications through the Official Tanzania Immigration website (https://visa.immigration.go.tz/) ONLY and not through any other links.
- Applicants must ensure that their passports have a validity of at least six months and at least one unused visa page before submitting their application;
- Most passport holders who wish to come for holiday or tourism such as a Kilimanjaro trek or safari are advised to apply for an 'Ordinary Visa'.
- Holders of US (American) passports who come for holiday or tourism will have to apply for Multiple Entry Visa;
- isa applications can take a minimum of 10 working days to process and sometimes more. It is recommended to apply at least 30+ days in advance of your arrival.
- Applicants whose nationals fall under Referral Visa category are not eligible for standard visas and require special permission to enter Tanzania.
- Visa regulations and conditions may be subject to change at any time and it is always best to reconfirm the guidelines directly on the official Tanzania immigration website Official Tanzania Immigration website (https://visa.immigration.go.tz/).
ORDINARY VISA (for most nationalities excluding US citizens) - $50 per person
This visa is granted to most foreign national for the purposes of Visit, Tourism, Leisure, Holiday, attending Conference, Humanitarian and charity activities, Family Visit, Health Treatment or any other purpose as may be determined by the issuing authority. Its validity does not exceed 90 days for a single entry.
An 'ordinary visa' application will require a minimum of:
- Copy of the applicant’s valid passport (biographic data page)
- Return ticket of the flight
- Dully filled in declaration form
- 50 USD visa fee.
MULTIPLE ENTRY VISA (mandatory for US citizens)
Multiple Visa may be issued to American nationals (due to bilateral agreements between Tanzania and America) who wish to come for such purposes like Holiday/Tourism, visiting friends and relatives or attending a conference, as they are not eligible for the Ordinary Visa. This implies that, USA passport holders who visit Tanzania for tourism or holiday MUST apply for Multiple Visa even If they come for single entry.
A 'multiple entry visa' application will require a minimum of:
- A recent passport size photo of the applicant
- Copy of the applicant’s valid passport (biographic data page)
- Return Ticket of the flight
- 100 USD Visa fee
How to apply for a visa for Tanzania
To apply for a visa for Tanzania, you can follow the steps below:
- Visit the Immigration Services Website (https://visa.immigration.go.tz/)
- Click the 'New Application' button and enter the 'Basic Information' requested and press the 'Start New Application' button.
- Your application ID will be generated and you can 'proceed to next step' via the button.
- Complete all personal information, contact details, passport details, travel information, documents and declaration form.
- You will be requested to upload and attach relevant documents for the Visa.
- After completion of filling an online visa application form, your final step is to pay for a for respective visa fee;
- Upon successful payment, your application will have been submitted. The system works using government control numbers and when a successful payment is made it should automatically apply this payment to your application ID.
You can make payment of visa fee online through one of the following methods:
- By Visa card or By Master card
- By Swift transfer (i.e. depositing money directly into bank account at the bank counter).
Online payment systems can be volatile for card payments. If the initial payment is unsuccessful then you may need to try again at a later date / time.
Most nationalities will select the 'ORDINARY VISA' category however US (American) citizens must apply for the 'MULTIPLE ENTRY' category.
Visa exemptions: Nationalities who don't require a visa for Tanzania
There are some countries whose nationals do not require a visa for entry. These countries fall under an exempted list. The following do not require a visa for entry:
- Antigua & Barbuda
- Anguilla
- Ashmore & Cartia Islands
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Bermuda
- Belize
- Brunei
- British Virgin Islands
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- Botswana
- Burundi
- Cyprus
- Cayman Islands
- Channel Islands
- Cocos Islands
- Cook Islands
- Congo, Democratic Republic (Zaire)
- Christmas Islands
- Dominica (Commonwealth of Dominica)
- Falkland Islands
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Gibraltar
- Grenada
- Guernsey
- Guyana
- Heard Island
- Hong Kong
- Isle of Man
- Jamaica
- Jersey
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Montserrat
- Malaysia
- Madagascar
- Malta
- Mauritius
- Macao
- Mozambique
- Nauru
- Niue Island
- Norfolk Island
- Namibia
- Papua new Guinea
- Rwanda
- Romania
- Samoa
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Swaziland
- Solomon Island
- St. Kitts & Nevis
- St. Lucia
- St. Vicent
- St. Helena
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Trinidad & Tobago
- Turks & Caicos
- Tokelau
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Referral visa: special visa for specific nationalities
There are some countries which their nationals cannot obtain Visa on arrival. These countries fall under the so called Referral Visa Category. The following nationalities require special visa or permission to enter Tanzania:
- Afghanistan
- Azerbaijan
- Bangladesh
- Chad
- Djibouti
- Eritrea
- Equatorial Guinea
- Iran
- Iraq
- Kazakhstan Republic
- Kyrgyz Republic (Kyrgyzstan)
- Lebanon
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Palestine
- Senegal
- Somalia
- Sri Lanka
- Somali land
- Sierra Leone
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Turkmenistan
- Uzbekistan
- Yemen
- Stateless persons or persons with refugee status
