Tanzania e-Visa for Indians in 2026 (Plus the Zanzibar Insurance Rule)
By Saanvi Iyer (Saanvi Iyer is a FlightGPT travel-policy writer who tracks entry rules, e-visa portals and immigration paperwork for Indian passport holders across Africa and the Indian Ocean. She specialises in turning fast-changing eTA and e-visa systems into plain-English, India-first checklists.) · Published · Last updated · 12 min read
Indians need an e-Visa for Tanzania — USD 50 single-entry covering a 90-day stay, applied for at the official immigration portal. If you're heading to Zanzibar, there's also a separate mandatory USD 44 travel-insurance fee. Here's everything, India-first.
Quick answer
Indian passport holders need an e-Visa for Tanzania. As of June 2026 the standard tourist (ordinary) e-Visa is USD 50 (around ₹4,300), single-entry, with a stay of up to 90 days, applied for online at the official portal visa.immigration.go.tz; a multiple-entry visa is USD 100. Processing usually takes about 4–10 working days, so apply at least two weeks ahead. The one e-Visa covers both mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar — but if you visit Zanzibar you must also buy mandatory travel insurance of about USD 44 separately. Fees change; verify on the official site. See our Tanzania visa page.
Tanzania e-Visa basics for Indians
Tanzania moved its tourist entry to an online e-Visa system, and Indian passport holders are eligible. You apply before travel at the official Tanzania Immigration portal visa.immigration.go.tz, upload your documents, pay by card, and receive an approved e-Visa PDF by email. There is no Tanzanian embassy visit required for the standard tourist e-Visa from India, and no biometrics at the application stage.
The ordinary (single-entry) tourist e-Visa is the right choice for almost every Indian holidaymaker — a Serengeti and Ngorongoro safari, a Kilimanjaro trek, or a Zanzibar beach week. It permits a stay of up to 90 days. If your itinerary involves leaving Tanzania and coming back (for example, a Kenya–Tanzania–Kenya safari loop, or a side trip to Zanzibar counted as a re-entry on some routings), you need the multiple-entry e-Visa instead, which costs more. For internal Tanzania travel between the mainland and Zanzibar you do not need a new visa — but you will pass through a passport/insurance check at Zanzibar.
Crucially, the Tanzania e-Visa is valid for both the mainland and the semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar — you do not need a separate visa for Zanzibar. What Zanzibar does require on top is a mandatory insurance policy, covered below. A point of confusion for first-timers: Zanzibar is part of Tanzania, so there is no separate Zanzibar visa, yet it runs its own insurance and immigration check — keep both your e-Visa and (if going to Zanzibar) your insurance QR code handy.
Fees and processing — the numbers
Here are the current figures as of June 2026. Fees are charged in US dollars and can be revised, so treat these as a date-stamped guide and confirm on the official portal before paying.
| Item | Detail (June 2026) |
|---|---|
| Tourist e-Visa (single entry) | USD 50 (~₹4,300) — stay up to 90 days |
| Multiple-entry e-Visa | USD 100 — for trips needing re-entry |
| Transit visa | Lower fee; for short stopovers — check portal |
| Processing time | ~4–10 working days (allow 2 weeks) |
| Official portal | visa.immigration.go.tz |
| Zanzibar insurance (if visiting) | ~USD 44 per adult, separate and mandatory |
On payment: your Indian Visa/Mastercard works on the portal, with the usual ~3.5% forex markup added by most banks; a zero-forex card (Niyo Global, Fi) or a USD-loaded forex card avoids it. The 20% TCS under the LRS does not bite at these small amounts — that threshold applies only to much larger forex remittances, not a single visa fee. As always, skip third-party "Tanzania visa" agents charging a premium on top of the government fee — apply directly on visa.immigration.go.tz, and keep your card statement as proof of payment.
Documents you need
Have these ready as clear digital files before you open the form:
- Passport bio-page scan — colour, valid at least 6 months beyond travel, with blank pages
- Passport-style photo — recent, plain background
- Return or onward flight ticket
- Proof of accommodation — hotel/lodge booking or host details; a safari operator's confirmation works
- Travel itinerary — especially if on an organised safari
- Yellow fever vaccination certificate — required if arriving from or transiting a yellow-fever-risk country; carry it regardless for East Africa
Fill in your details exactly as they appear in your passport. Mismatches between the form and the passport are the most common cause of delays.
The Zanzibar mandatory insurance rule (don't skip this)
This is the step most Indian travellers miss. Since 1 October 2024, every visitor to Zanzibar must buy a mandatory inbound travel-insurance policy from the government-owned Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC), and show proof on arrival. It is separate from your e-Visa and separate from any travel insurance you already hold in India — your Indian policy does not exempt you.
- Cost (June 2026): about USD 44 per adult, valid up to three months. Reduced rates apply for children (roughly USD 22 for ages 3–17), with infants typically free — confirm on the official site.
- What it covers: emergency medical expenses, evacuation and repatriation across the archipelago.
- Where to buy: the official Zanzibar inbound portal (visitzanzibar.go.tz). You receive a confirmation with a QR code.
- At the airport: show the QR-coded insurance proof at Zanzibar (Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, ZNZ) immigration alongside your e-Visa.
This applies only to Zanzibar, not mainland-only trips. So a Serengeti-and-Kilimanjaro itinerary that never touches Zanzibar does not need it — but the moment Zanzibar is on your route, budget the extra ~USD 44 per adult. Buy it before you fly so you are not stuck at the ZNZ counter.
Step-by-step: applying for the Tanzania e-Visa
Plan for about 30 minutes on a desktop browser at the official portal visa.immigration.go.tz.
- Create an account on the portal and verify your email.
- Choose visa type — "Ordinary visa" for single-entry tourism, or "Multiple entry visa" if you need re-entry.
- Complete the form — personal details, passport data, trip dates, accommodation, and your point of entry (e.g., Kilimanjaro JRO, Dar es Salaam DAR, or Zanzibar ZNZ).
- Upload documents — passport bio-page, photo, return ticket, and accommodation proof.
- Pay the fee by card and submit; save the application reference.
- Track and wait — approval usually arrives within 4–10 working days as a PDF.
- Print two copies — one for the airline, one for immigration.
- If Zanzibar is on your itinerary, separately buy the ZIC insurance and save its QR code.
Sorting flights? Most Indians reach Tanzania via the Gulf — compare live fares in the FlightGPT chat and see related reading in our East Africa safari guide and our best safari destinations piece for timing the migration.
Common mistakes Indian travellers make
- Forgetting the Zanzibar insurance. This is the number-one slip — the e-Visa alone is not enough for Zanzibar; you also need the ~USD 44 ZIC policy with its QR code. Buy it before you fly.
- Assuming an Indian travel-insurance policy exempts you. It does not — the Zanzibar requirement is a specific government scheme bought through the official inbound portal.
- Buying through a third-party agent. Both the e-Visa (visa.immigration.go.tz) and the insurance (visitzanzibar.go.tz) are official government portals; agents simply add a markup.
- Cutting it fine on processing. The e-Visa can take longer than the headline few days in busy periods; apply at least two weeks out.
- Wrong entry type. If your route leaves and re-enters Tanzania, you need the USD 100 multiple-entry visa, not the single-entry one.
- No yellow fever certificate when required. If you transit a yellow-fever-risk country en route, carry the certificate or you can be refused.
Best time to visit and India-first planning
Tanzania rewards good timing. For the northern safari circuit — Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire — the dry season of June to October is prime, with the Serengeti's wildebeest calving around January–February. The Mara River crossings of the Great Migration are usually best around July–September. For Kilimanjaro treks, the clearest windows are January–March and June–October. For Zanzibar's beaches, the dry months (June–October and December–February) are ideal, while the long rains (March–May) mean lower prices but wetter days.
India-specific tips: most Indians fly to Tanzania via the Gulf (Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad) or via Nairobi on Kenya Airways, landing at Kilimanjaro (JRO) for safaris or Zanzibar (ZNZ) for the beach. Apply for the e-Visa at least two weeks out, and if Zanzibar is on the plan, buy the ZIC insurance the same week so both QR codes are saved offline on your phone before you fly. Carry US dollars in cash for park fees, tips and the Zanzibar insurance counter if needed; the Tanzanian shilling (TZS) is the local currency but camps and parks quote in USD. A local Vodacom or Airtel Tanzania SIM at the airport keeps you connected cheaply. Combining Tanzania with Kenya? Plan how to sequence the two so you are in the right park at the right time of year.
Arrival, stay and honesty notes
On arrival at Kilimanjaro (JRO), Dar es Salaam (DAR) or Zanzibar (ZNZ), present your passport, printed e-Visa, return ticket and accommodation proof; at ZNZ also show the insurance QR code. Confirm the stay stamped in your passport before leaving the counter. The standard tourist allowance is up to 90 days, and overstaying carries fines, so note your exit date.
Two honesty points. First, fees and timelines move — the USD 50 single-entry fee, USD 100 multiple-entry fee and ~USD 44 Zanzibar insurance are correct as of June 2026, but always verify on the official portals visa.immigration.go.tz and the Zanzibar inbound site before paying. Second, an approved e-Visa permits travel but the immigration officer makes the final entry decision. For neighbouring options and combined trips, see our Kenya eTA page and the FlightGPT visa hub; check live fares anytime in the FlightGPT chat at flightgpt.in.
Frequently asked questions
Do Indians need a visa for Tanzania in 2026?
Yes. Indian passport holders need an e-Visa, applied for online at visa.immigration.go.tz before travel. The standard tourist (single-entry) e-Visa is USD 50 and allows a stay of up to 90 days. It covers both mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.
How much is the Tanzania e-Visa for Indians?
USD 50 (about ₹4,300 in June 2026) for the single-entry tourist e-Visa, or USD 100 for multiple-entry. If you visit Zanzibar, add the mandatory ZIC travel insurance of about USD 44 per adult. Verify all fees on the official portal.
Is the Zanzibar travel insurance compulsory for Indians?
Yes. Since 1 October 2024, all visitors to Zanzibar must buy a mandatory inbound insurance policy from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (about USD 44 per adult) and show the QR-coded proof at ZNZ immigration. Your Indian travel insurance does not exempt you. It applies only to Zanzibar, not mainland-only trips.
Does the Tanzania e-Visa cover Zanzibar?
Yes — one Tanzania e-Visa is valid for both mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar; you do not need a separate Zanzibar visa. Zanzibar additionally requires the mandatory inbound insurance, which is separate from the visa.
How long does the Tanzania e-Visa take?
Usually about 4–10 working days, though it can take longer in busy periods. Apply at least two weeks before travel. You receive the approved e-Visa as a PDF by email — print two copies.
Can I get a Tanzania visa on arrival as an Indian?
Tanzania does offer visa-on-arrival to many nationalities, but applying online for the e-Visa in advance is strongly recommended for Indians to avoid airport queues and the risk of issues. Confirm current rules on the official immigration portal before relying on visa-on-arrival.
How long can Indians stay in Tanzania?
Up to 90 days on the tourist e-Visa, as stamped by the immigration officer on arrival. Overstaying carries fines, so note your exit date and keep your printed e-Visa handy.