Entry Requirements & Customs

Passports

Passports must be valid for at least 6 months after your departure from Tanzania.

For Residents of the United States: Whether you're applying in person or by mail, you can download passport applications from the U.S. State Department website at http://travel.state.gov. To find your regional passport office, either check the U.S. State Department website or call the National Passport Information Center toll-free number (tel. 877/487-2778) for automated information.

For Residents of Canada: Passport applications are available at travel agencies throughout Canada or from the central Passport Office, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G3 (tel. 800/567-6868; www.ppt.gc.ca).

For Residents of the United Kingdom: To pick up an application for a standard 10-year passport (5-yr. passport for children under 16), visit your nearest passport office, major post office, or travel agency or contact the United Kingdom Passport Service (tel. 0870/521-0410; www.passport.gov.uk).

For Residents of Ireland: You can apply for a 10-year passport at Passport Offices in Dublin (tel. 01/671-1633) or Cork (tel. 021/494-4700), or at most main post offices. Visit www.foreignaffairs.gov.ie.

For Residents of Australia: You can pick up an application from your local post office or any branch of Passports Australia, but you must schedule an interview at the passport office to present your application materials. Call the Australian Passport Information Service at tel. 131-232, or visit the government website at www.passports.gov.au.

For Residents of New Zealand: You can pick up a passport application at any New Zealand Passports Office or download it from their website. Contact the Passports Office at tel. 0800/225-050 in New Zealand, or log on to www.passports.govt.nz.

Visas

Nationals of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand require a visa to enter Tanzania. Citizens of Ireland do not presently need one. Visas are available on arrival at the airports and road border crossings and are paid for in U.S. dollars, British pounds, or euros. You'll need to fill out a form and wait in a lengthy queue. A single-entry visa valid for 3 months costs $50. If you are on an extensive safari in East Africa, note that you can move freely between Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda without the need for re-entry visas. This effectively means you need to buy only one visa for each of these countries and can travel in and out of them unrestricted. Up-to-date requirements can be found at www.tanzania.go.tz.

Customs

The import and export of firearms, narcotics, and pornography is illegal, as is the export of items made from animal by-products in Tanzania such as ivory, turtle shells, and skins. The government has the right to charge duties on items brought in intended for re-sale, but personal items such as jewelry, laptops, and cameras can be brought in duty-free. There are no restrictions on the import or export of foreign currency, but as the Tanzanian shilling (TSh) is not a hard currency, it cannot be taken in and out of the country.