The New Rule and What It Costs
From 1 October 2026, foreign visitors entering mainland Tanzania must have the government’s inbound travel insurance, Tanzania’s Ministry of Finance said in a public notice. It costs USD 44 per visitor, covers medical emergencies and lasts up to 92 days. It applies whether you fly into Dar es Salaam or Kilimanjaro, or cross a land border or arrive by sea.
Zanzibar already had this rule. Visitors entering through Zanzibar have needed cover from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation since 1 October 2024. The mainland now follows the same model, with the National Insurance Corporation as its provider.
One policy is enough for a combined trip. If you enter through the mainland with NIC cover, you can continue to Zanzibar without buying another policy, and the same works the other way round, NIC says.
How to Buy It Before You Fly
- Buy before you travel: the Ministry of Finance advises getting the cover before you fly to avoid delays on arrival. NIC also sells it at entry points, where you can pay in cash, but says buying in advance saves time.
- What you need: your passport information, travel dates, purpose of visit and basic personal details, according to NIC.
- Paying: online by debit or credit card. The cover starts as soon as you pay, for the dates shown on your certificate.
- Your certificate: NIC issues it digitally or on paper. Keep it on your phone or printed, because you may be asked to show it on arrival.
- Staying longer than 92 days: NIC says you can extend the cover before it expires.
Who Is Exempt and Other Rules
- EAC and SADC travelers on the mainland: NIC says travelers from East African Community and Southern African Development Community countries are exempt. Its FAQ describes them as residents of those countries and its product page as citizens, so check with NIC if you are unsure whether you qualify.
- EAC and SADC travelers in Zanzibar: you are not exempt there. ZIC charges USD 22.
- Children: ZIC charges USD 22 per child. NIC lists USD 44 per person and has not published a separate child price for the mainland.
- Your own travel insurance: it does not replace the cover in Zanzibar, ZIC says. Neither the Ministry nor NIC lists your own policy as an exemption on the mainland.
What the Mainland Cover Includes
- Medical: treatment for illness or accident during your stay, emergency dental treatment, and emergency medical transport and repatriation.
- Belongings and documents: specified loss, damage or theft of checked-in luggage, and help replacing travel documents in an emergency.
- Other cover: personal liability, legal assistance, personal accident benefits and 24/7 assistance.
- Limits: NIC has not published the amounts on its product page, and all benefits are subject to the policy terms, limits and exclusions. The mandatory cover does not mention trip cancellation, so check your own policy for that.
Landing late in Dar es Salaam, or starting a safari the next morning? A first night near the airport keeps the arrival simple.
Questions
Is travel insurance mandatory for Tanzania?
Yes, from 1 October 2026 for foreign visitors entering mainland Tanzania, and since 1 October 2024 for visitors entering through Zanzibar. It is a specific government policy, from NIC on the mainland and ZIC in Zanzibar.
How much is the Tanzania inbound travel insurance?
USD 44 per visitor on the mainland, for up to 92 days. In Zanzibar it is USD 44 per adult, USD 22 per child and USD 22 for travelers from EAC and SADC countries.
Do I need two policies to visit the mainland and Zanzibar?
No. NIC says valid cover from your first point of entry is enough for both the mainland and Zanzibar.
Can I buy the insurance when I land?
NIC says you can buy it at entry points and pay in cash on arrival, but the Ministry of Finance advises buying before you travel to avoid delays.
Does my own travel insurance count?
Not in Zanzibar, where ZIC says the cover is required even if you already have travel or medical insurance. NIC and the Ministry do not list your own policy as an exemption for the mainland.
Sources
- Ministry of Finance of Tanzania, public notice on inbound travel insurance, start date, USD 44 premium, 92 days and providers, as published by the Embassy of Tanzania in Rome, 27 September 2026.
- Embassy of Tanzania in Rome, Zanzibar mandatory inbound travel insurance, Zanzibar start date of 1 October 2024, 2024.
- National Insurance Corporation, Inbound Travel Insurance, benefits, EAC and SADC exemption and the one-policy rule for mainland and Zanzibar trips, retrieved 1 October 2026.
- National Insurance Corporation, Inbound Travel Insurance FAQs, documents, payment, buying on arrival and extensions, retrieved 1 October 2026.
- Zanzibar Insurance Corporation, Inbound Insurance, Zanzibar prices and the rule on existing insurance, retrieved 1 October 2026.
- Featured image: Julius Nyerere International Airport Terminal III, Dar es Salaam by Zachariahct, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
How this page was put together
- The rules come from the Ministry of Finance notice and the two insurers’ own pages, all checked on 1 October 2026.
- NIC’s pages describe the EAC and SADC exemption in two ways, and NIC has not published a child price or benefit limits for the mainland, so this page says so rather than guessing.
- We could not find the Ministry of Finance’s own copy of the notice or the text of Government Notice No. 256 of 2026; the embassy copy is quoted instead.
Disclaimer: We’ve worked hard to make sure the information in this article is as accurate and up to date as possible at the time of publishing. Travel details such as prices, schedules, visa rules, and entry requirements can change at short notice, so it remains your responsibility to verify the current details with official sources before you book or travel. Wego accepts no liability for any loss or inconvenience arising from the use of this content.
