Tanzania eVisa for UK Citizens: Requirements, Timing and Zanzibar Entry
Posted on 8/13/2026 by Tanzania Official eVisa Immigration Assistance Service
British passport holders can use this Tanzania eVisa application service. The United Kingdom is not visa-exempt for ordinary Tanzania visits. Apply with the passport you will hand to the immigration officer, including any recent replacement passport after a name change or renewal.
Quick answer: Open the United Kingdom requirements page. If this service is available, allow up to 15 business days, set arrival at least 12 days away, and complete the document checklist before you pay.
Table of Contents
- Do UK citizens need a Tanzania visa?
- British, Irish and dual nationality
- Which visa type fits a UK trip
- Fees
- Documents and name changes
- JRO, DAR, Zanzibar and overland from Kenya
- Timing around UK school holidays and Kilimanjaro
- What UK applicants usually get wrong
- Frequently asked questions
- Apply
Do UK citizens need a Tanzania visa?
Yes, for standard tourism, safari, Zanzibar holidays, business visits and transit. Always reconfirm on the UK country page, because both government policy and this site's service coverage can change.
A UK ETA, a Schengen visa or an old Kenya eVisa does not admit you to Tanzania. This site assists the application. It is not Tanzania Immigration and not GOV.UK.
Check the current GOV.UK Tanzania foreign travel advice for safety and health context; it does not replace the visa product on this form.
British, Irish and dual nationality
| Passport you will present | What to open |
|---|---|
| British citizen passport | This guide and the UK country page |
| Irish passport | The Ireland nationality page, not this one |
| Dual British and another nationality | The page for the passport in the ticket and at the desk |
| British passport in a new married name, ticket in a maiden name | Fix the ticket or apply after the names match |
Irish passports are a different nationality even on a shared family trip. Each traveler follows their own country page.
If you renewed a British passport after submitting, the approval is tied to the old number. Do not fly on the new book unless support or immigration has told you how the file was updated.
Which visa type fits a UK trip
| Itinerary | Product listed on this site | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Northern safari, southern parks, Zanzibar beach, visiting friends | Tourist eVisa, single entry, up to 90 days | The usual leisure choice |
| Meetings, short business activity | Business eVisa, single entry, up to 90 days | Invitation or employer letter |
| True connection through Tanzania to another country | Transit eVisa, up to 7 days | Not a safari substitute |
A two-centre trip (Serengeti then Zanzibar) is still one Tanzania tourist entry if you do not leave the United Republic. Flying JRO–ZNZ is a domestic connection after you have already entered.
The multiple-entry tourist option advertised for U.S. citizens is not automatically the UK product. Select only what the form offers for a British passport. U.S. rules are in Tanzania eVisa for US citizens; do not copy that product onto a British application.
Volunteer placements, teaching stints and paid work are not tourist holidays. Using the cheaper tourist row for those trips is how files stall.
Fees
Published government fees on this website:
| Visa type | Government fee | Service fee per passenger |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist single entry, up to 90 days | US$95 | US$59.99 |
| Business single entry, up to 90 days | US$295 | US$59.99 |
| Transit, up to 7 days | US$75 | US$59.99 |
A couple on a tourist eVisa is two passengers, not one shared fee. Check the fees page at payment time. More detail: Tanzania eVisa fees.
Park fees, flying-doctor cover, Kilimanjaro park/rescue packages and lodge payments are separate and usually larger than the visa line.
Documents and name changes
Prepare:
- Valid British passport (plan for at least six months from arrival and a blank page)
- Bio-page scan, all corners visible, no flash glare on the laminate
- Recent photograph without filters
- Return or onward ticket in the passport name
- Accommodation or tour confirmation matching the dates
- Business evidence when relevant
- Children's British passports and consent papers when traveling with minors; see the children's guide
UK passports issued after marriage, deed poll or gender-marker updates must match the airline ticket. A booked “Mrs Smith” ticket against a passport still in a previous surname is a mismatch, not a minor spelling issue.
Photograph the bio page on a plain surface. A kitchen-table photo with a thumb over the expiry date will be sent back.
JRO, DAR, Zanzibar and overland from Kenya
UK–Tanzania flights often use Kilimanjaro (JRO), Dar es Salaam (DAR) or Zanzibar (ZNZ), sometimes via the Middle East, Kenya, Ethiopia or the Netherlands.
| First Tanzania immigration | Typical UK holiday |
|---|---|
| JRO | Arusha, Moshi, northern safari, Kilimanjaro |
| DAR | City, southern circuit, ferry toward Zanzibar |
| ZNZ | Island-first week |
| Namanga or another listed Kenya land border | Overland after a Kenya trip |
Put the first immigration arrival on the form. Zanzibar is Tanzania; you do not buy a second island visa. Local insurance or health rules can still apply. See Zanzibar entry rules and entry points.
Overland from Kenya is not an informal farm gate. This service lists designated posts including Namanga, Sirari, Holili and Horohoro. Name the post your operator will actually use. You still need a valid Tanzania authorization before that desk; a Kenya eVisa does not carry you across.
Timing around UK school holidays and Kilimanjaro
July–August and Christmas–New Year are busy for both visas and lodges. Half-term safari trips fail when the visa is left until the week before term ends.
Apply when dates are firm enough to list, without waiting until the 12-day arrival lockout. This service's processing window is up to 15 business days. It is not a guaranteed 24-hour visa. Read processing time before you buy a non-changeable long-haul ticket.
Kilimanjaro climbs need extra buffer after the trek for delayed descents, tired groups and JRO check-in. Do not set the international departure for the morning after summit night, and do not put that same morning on the visa as if it were realistic.
If the form rejects your arrival date, the date is inside 12 days. Changing the typed date to a fiction does not change the flight.
What UK applicants usually get wrong
- Treating “visa on arrival used to work” as a boarding plan for a Saturday Heathrow departure
- Listing Nairobi as if it were a Tanzania port
- Applying in a maiden-name passport against a married-name ticket
- One application for two adults “because we share a booking reference”
- Selecting transit for a two-week northern circuit
- Buying Zanzibar insurance and thinking that was the visa
Walk through the screens in how to apply. Families should also read the family/group checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a visa on arrival with a British passport?
Eligibility and airline practice change. If you need certainty before check-in at Heathrow, Manchester or a Gulf hub, apply for the eVisa. See eVisa vs visa on arrival.
Does a UK visa or ETA help?
No. Only the Tanzania authorization and the passport used to obtain it matter.
We are driving in from Kenya.
Land borders are designated entry points. Name the actual post on the form and carry the same approval.
Can I work on a tourist eVisa?
No. Use the category that matches the activity. Remote work for a UK employer from a Zanzibar café is still a purpose question for immigration, not something this article authorizes.
Can I extend in Zanzibar if I overstay a 90-day tourist visa?
Do not plan an overstay. Extension, when available, is a separate immigration process after arrival, not an automatic extra month.
Apply
Use how to apply and Apply after the UK page confirms this service is available.
Content reviewed: 13 August 2026. Confirm the live United Kingdom page, fees and form fields before you submit.
