Tanzania introduces e-Visa for tourists

DODOMA: THE Tanzanian government, through the Immigration Department, has introduced an online visa application system (e-Visa), allowing tourists to apply for visas from anywhere in the world without having to visit an embassy. The initiative aims to simplify the visa acquisition process and attract more tourists to visit the country. The announcement was made today, …

DODOMA: THE Tanzanian government, through the Immigration Department, has introduced an online visa application system (e-Visa), allowing tourists to apply for visas from anywhere in the world without having to visit an embassy. The initiative aims to simplify the visa acquisition process and attract more tourists to visit the country.

The announcement was made today, Wednesday, in Parliament by the Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Dunstan Kitandula, while responding to a question from Manyoni West MP (CCM), Dr. Pius Chaya. The MP had inquired about the government’s efforts to ease visa access for tourists from various countries, especially those responding to the Royal Tour campaign.

In his response, Kitandula said the government has been improving the visa issuance process to align with global technological advancements and to enhance service delivery to tourists.

ALSO READ: Tanzania eyes more UK tourists

He also noted that the government has amended the 2023 Immigration Regulations, allowing tourists holding a valid visitor’s pass to travel to other East African Community (EAC) countries and return to Tanzania without having to reapply for the pass, as long as it remains valid.

Furthermore, the government continues to enter into agreements with various countries to ease visa procedures. Currently, citizens of 71 countries are allowed to enter Tanzania without a visa. In addition, tourists from many other nations can now obtain visas on arrival at major international airports, including Julius Nyerere International Airport (Dar es Salaam), Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA), and Zanzibar International Airport.

These efforts are part of the government’s broader strategy to increase tourist arrivals and promote the growth of the tourism sector in Tanzania.