Visa Requirements for Tanzanian Citizens (2026)
Tanzanian passport travel guide
Tanzanian passport holders need a visa for the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, the Schengen Area, the UAE, Japan and Thailand, with Singapore the one major destination available on a 30-day visa-free entry. All processing is in Dar es Salaam. Tanzania receives far more visitors than it sends, so most applicants apply without prior travel history — which is the single biggest factor in refusals. This guide covers where each application is submitted and what a strong first application needs to show when you have no stamps to point to.
Schengen refusal rates for applications submitted in Tanzania
Official European Commission figures, reference year 2025.
Applications submitted in Tanzania were refused more often than the worldwide average in 2025 — 19.3% against 14.6%. Of 16,227 applications, 3,117 were turned down.
Source: European Commission, Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, reference year 2025, published 2026-05-28. “Refused” is the Commission’s not-issued rate, calculated on decided applications. Figures cover every application lodged at consulates in Tanzania, whatever the applicant's nationality — the Commission does not publish a breakdown by passport. For most countries that is predominantly Tanzanian passport holders; where a country hosts a large resident foreign population, the figures reflect those residents too.
Popular Destinations for Tanzanian Travelers
Singapore
No visa needed for Singapore. Bring your valid passport, return ticket, and proof of accommodation. You can stay up to 30 days.
View Singapore visa detailsUnited Kingdom
United States
Canada
Australia
Visa-Free Destinations
Tanzanian citizens can visit these countries without a visa.
Singapore
No visa needed for Singapore. Bring your valid passport, return ticket, and proof of accommodation. You can stay up to 30 days.
View Singapore visa detailsVisa Required
Apply for a visa before traveling to these destinations.
Travel Tips for Tanzanian Citizens
- UK applications go through the VFS Global centre in Masaki, Dar es Salaam, and appointments must be booked in advance after paying on GOV.UK
- Thailand requires a visa or eVisa arranged in advance for Tanzanians — visa on arrival is not available
- Singapore is visa-free for 30 days and is the most practical way to start building documented travel history
- Confirm whether your Schengen destination uses VFS Global or TLScontact in Dar es Salaam before hunting for appointments
- Tanzania is not in Canada's eTA expansion program, so budget for the full CAD 100 visitor visa and biometrics
- Build bank statements steadily over six months or more — a large deposit shortly before applying reads as borrowed funds
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do Tanzanians apply for a UK visa?
At the VFS Global UK Visa Application Centre on the first floor, right wing, Nature Building, Toure Drive, Masaki, Dar es Salaam. The centre opened as part of the VFS Global rollout across Sub-Saharan Africa, and UK applications in Tanzania have been directed there since 19 November 2024. Complete and pay for the application on GOV.UK first, then book biometrics — appointments cannot be walked in.
Do Tanzanians need a visa for Thailand?
Yes, arranged before travel. Tanzanian passport holders are not eligible for Thailand's visa on arrival and need a tourist visa or eVisa obtained in advance, costing around ฿1,000 with processing of roughly five to ten days. Apply through the Thailand e-Visa portal rather than assuming you can sort it at the airport.
Can Tanzanians visit Singapore without a visa?
Yes, for 30 days. Singapore is the one major destination Tanzanian passport holders can enter without an advance application, subject only to submitting the SG Arrival Card online before travel. That makes it the most practical first international trip for someone building the documented travel history that UK, US and Schengen applications reward.
I have never travelled before. Will that get my visa refused?
No travel history is not itself a refusal ground, but it removes the easiest evidence that you return home after a trip, so everything else has to work harder. Strong first applications show stable employment or a registered business, income that matches the bank statements, a specific and affordable itinerary, and clear family or property ties in Tanzania. Many applicants build history with a regional trip or a visa-free visit to Singapore before applying for a first UK or Schengen visa.
Which centre handles Schengen visas in Dar es Salaam?
It depends on your destination country. Both VFS Global and TLScontact operate in Dar es Salaam — France uses TLScontact, and several member states including Sweden and Finland route through VFS Global. Each state contracts with only one provider, so confirm which handles your destination before searching for appointments.
Can Tanzanians get a Canadian eTA?
No. Canada runs a conditional eTA route for a specific list of visa-required countries and Tanzania is not on it. A full visitor visa is required, with the CAD 100 fee, biometrics at the Dar es Salaam visa application centre and processing of roughly four to eight weeks. A valid US visa does not create an eTA route.
Prepare Your Application
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