Tanzania visas
We have applied for all nine visas for our family in the last few days. We have been to Tanzania three times in the past, but back then there was no Evisa option.
Tauck recommends you do not apply for the visas until 90 days before. But it is allowed. When you apply, the visa is good for one full year from the date you enter Tanzania, not the date you apply. Tauck’s reasoning is that most people don’t apply until they have paid the full amount of the tour, which these days is 60 days. They say rules may change. And of course you or they could cancel and you will have lost your visa applications money. This is not covered by insurance.
When we called Tauck initially a few weeks ago, we pointed out that the hotel on the information for visas on their page was incorrect, it was a hotel they haven’t used for a few years. They also mention two countries, it was referring to the K and T tour, both very out of date. We told them, and they changed the page after a few days.
After much thought, we decided to apply early since we will be away a couple of times during the ninety day timeline and very busy in between. Although it will cost us $850 for all the visas, we decided to risk it. This would cause less anxiety than not having visas.
When we started the first visa, there were a couple of questions. The first was that the Tanzanian government has different initials for JRO airport, it is KIA
My hiusband called the Tauck special number for Journey preparation, tow people gave two different answers to his question, I can’t recall what it was now, maybe it was the ‘host’….we put Kearsley, one of them wanted us to put the first hotel.
Anyway, so far, two of the first four visas came back in less than 24 hours, three more today, we applied for another yesterday and just completed the final three applications.
Our daughter has a British passport, so we had to apply for Single Entry, and it was $50 as opposed to the multi entry $100 cost for Americans.
Hoping all arrive with correct dates etc.
Comments
There is not necessarily one correct answer about how to fill out these evisa forms. I noticed that under the ‘host’ question, “self’ was an option. So I chose “self”, and that simplified the process. I got the evisas very quickly.
British on airport codes: Most airports have at least three ‘codes’ … IATA, ICAO, and airline. Many people wonder why for example that Chicago, O’Hare is “ORD”. It stands for “Orchard”, the origianal little airfield that became O’Hare. Why is Orlando “MCO” … it was orignally McCoy Air Force Base. Why is Bermuda “XKF” … I have no idea. They ran out of BDA options. Many big airports were once military airfields, and that is where the ‘identifier’ came from. Most people flying to Iceland think they are flying to Reykjavik. They have a runway there but much too small for big jets. You will fly to Keflavik, which was once a U.S. Navy base, and it is about thirty miles from Reykjavik.
Same as SFO. Sam Francisco Airport is not technically in San Francisco. It’s in San Bruno.
Anyone have issues getting payment accepted for a Tanzania visa application? I did mine on Monday 3/25 and got the visa two days later. Tried to do my wife's yesterday using the card accepted for mine. Hers was rejected by the Tanzania Government pay portal not our American bank. Tried a different card, same issue. Anyone have similar issues?
No issues on our nine, used the same card for all nine.
I had one payment rejected, but it was the credit card company. I confirmed the payment was valid and it went through. I think you should just use a different credit card.
@British : just did out 4 visas. I think I screwed up mine as I didn't catch the City (as place of birth) on the opening page needing to match your passport - which doesn't have a city listed. It was only on the second one that I caught that so I think mine may be rejected.
@rwilso15 : after my second visa - I got a text from by CC for fraud check. I confirmed the charge and all seemed fine. I checked and the application was processed. But then I got to the 3rd app and I could get the card to go through. Mastercard would even pull up a site and say that need to confirm my identity via text or email. I would get the text code and enter it and I'd be verified and yet it still would be declined. So... I had my wife log into the visa site on her computer and she used her card and no issues! Did the 4th and didn't even bother with my computer/card and it cleared on hers again no issue.
Well here's to waiting for the Visas and seeing if mine gets kicked back. I'm 99% sure it will. Hope I'm wrong though.
I hope you don’t get rejected because you will have lost your money as I understood it.
Oh, I know. It's a blow of $100 but if it was my mistake it was my mistake and I'll own it. I double and triple checked everything...but I didn't catch that until I was on the next application. I felt like it was deliberately confusing at times. I'll keep you posted.
You can get a Visa once you land in Tanzania for $50.00. No need to go through the Company Tauck recommends for$330.00. The line was short and like I said only $50.00. Not happy with Tauck for not telling us.
You are wrong. Visas for Americans are $100
This is an extract from the government website. You could have used this, it is In Tauck’s information, you obviously did not read everything provided by Tauck.
Visa Fees
Visa fee to all visitors coming for tourism purpose (Ordinary Visa) is 50 USD. However, American citizens are required to apply for a Multiple entry Visa in which they are charged a fee of 100 USD for twelve months for holiday/tourism purpose. If any applicant is given an invoice of Visa fee higher than 50 USD for Ordinary Visa, it directly means that, the applicant has applied through Visa agent or un-authorised Visa link.
Unfortunately it used to be easy to apply to an unofficial Visa agency for a number of African countries, instead of the government site. Many of the unofficial sites that pop-up when you search have URL addresses that closely mimic the official government site and they charge an extra fee of course, often exceeding the cost of the visa. I don't know how many are SCAMs, probably a few.
I just Googled Tanzania visa. The first 5 responses were not the official TZ government site. ( Official site: https://visa.immigration.go.tz/ ) Yes, as British said, Americans must get a multi-entry visa ($100) which you can't get "upon arrival."
Thanks Alan, I knew I was correct about not being able to do that on arrival now. You still have to show them all the pages of the Visa when you get there! That you had to print, not just the first page. And you have to sign it.
Well now I am in a panic! I applied for 3 visa's thru the Tanzania government website in August. Two arrived within a couple of days, my husbands did not. I have been in contact with the D.C. and NY Tanzanian Embassy for 3 weeks and was told not to worry, if we bring documentation of application and payment, my husband can just show that at the airport, and he will be admitted. I was further told that we could have just applied once we arrived, as long as we are US Citizens. If I have received wrong information from the Embassy what will happen?
Do you have a referral number from the website for his visa? Are you sure the payment went through fro bis visa? The website often goes down in the middle of applying……we know this because we applied for nine visas one after the other but we took a break and did it over a couple of days because the website was so frustrating
One of the visas was for a British passport and we still got them within a couple of days
I am assuming he has an American passport.
Ah. they are saying you have to pay anyway at the airport. I think I would just try to pay again online if the website will let you. How long do you have to sort this out?
I don’t really know what to think, I swear I read that certain nationalities mist do this online, A,Erica s being one of them, and not when you get there. I’ll try to find it, but please also try. Good luck.
I’ve looked at the correct website and can’t find that you can’t get your visa on arrival. However, you mention DC, why did you speak to DC? Did you use the link for the TANZANIA website on the tour page? Another thought, did you miss seeing the email to confirm his visa, did it go in spam?
Lisa - you may want to take a look at the TripAdvisor Tanzania travel forum. There is a thread on Tanzania visas. One woman posted that fairly recently she was able to get a US visa on arrival (although the Tanzania government encourages the evisa).
Thanks for the information. We contacted the NY and DC embassy's after we spoke to Tauck for guidance. The embassy suggested we take proof of payment, and application ID. I have screen shots of "application accepted" & "application approved". I flat out asked the embassy if there would be any possibility of my husband would not be able to enter the country, and she assured me that once we show the documents at the airport, they would allow him to enter. Not something we look forward to after such a long flight, but we will take it in stride and smile.
Routing for you. Do you the number they gave you for him when you applied. I’m assuming he doesn’t have a record?
Lisa: Just make sure you have all of your documents on ‘paper’. You may not be able to retrieve things that are stored in your laptop or iPad that may actually be in the ‘cloud’. I had a visa problem in Kenya one time and all the info I needed to show them was in the cloud, and I had no wifi connection. They were very nice, but I had to buy another visa.
Well we took all of the printed documentation showing payment etc. Of course they didn't show record of payment, although we showed them the credit card charges. Long story short, they would give him entry if we paid again. They said if we paid by credit card, we would have to stand in a long line, or if we paid cash they would just approve. Guess what? $100 cash changed hands, and they stamped his visa... lol. On the bright side he was given a multi trip visa good for a year.