Tanzania travel insurance rules now set a mandatory $44 policy for many foreign visitors to mainland Tanzania, with validity of up to 92 days and possible entry denial for non-compliance.
Mainland Tanzania has published regulations for a mandatory $44 inbound travel insurance scheme for foreign visitors, but officials have not yet announced when border enforcement will begin.
Mainland Tanzania sets out insurance requirement
More than a year after Tanzania announced plans to require foreign visitors to buy travel insurance, the mainland government has now issued regulations explaining how the system is intended to operate. The new rules are contained in the Insurance (Inbound Travel Insurance) Regulations, 2026, published as Government Notice No. 256 on September 4, 2026.
The regulations were made under Section 134A of the Insurance Act, a provision added through the Finance Act 2025. For travellers who are subject to the measure, the insurance will sit alongside Tanzania’s existing visa or e-Visa requirements, depending on nationality.
The development comes as neighbouring Kenya continues to face court challenges over a similar mandatory health insurance requirement for foreign visitors. Kenya’s High Court temporarily halted implementation in August 2026, and another case dealing partly with how that scheme would be carried out is scheduled to be heard on September 29.
Policy can be bought before travel or at the border
Under the Tanzanian regulations, affected foreign visitors must hold Inbound Travel Insurance when entering mainland Tanzania by air, sea or land. The policy may be purchased ahead of the trip or directly at the point of entry. After payment, the insurer must provide the traveller with an insurance certificate and policy, either electronically or on paper.
The premium is fixed at the Tanzanian shilling equivalent of $44. Coverage will last for up to 92 days from the date of arrival on the mainland and will permit multiple entries during that period. Visitors remaining in mainland Tanzania for more than 92 days will need to buy a new policy.
The rules also state that a foreign visitor covered by the requirement who reaches the border without valid insurance may be refused entry into mainland Tanzania.
Minimum benefits and the role of NIC
The regulations identify four minimum areas that the mandatory policy must cover:
- Emergency medical treatment
- Emergency medical evacuation
- Emergency repatriation
- Loss of baggage
Specific coverage limits, benefits and exclusions must be detailed in the policy given to the traveller. Tanzania’s state-owned National Insurance Corporation will be central to the arrangement. The regulations define an inbound travel insurer as the NIC or another registered insurer working in partnership with it.
NIC will also set the conditions under which other registered insurers can take part. Participating insurers’ systems must be connected with the relevant authorities so that policy validity can be checked.
Exemptions turn on residence in EAC or SADC states
The regulations define a foreigner as anyone who is not a citizen of the United Republic of Tanzania. However, the definition excludes residents of East African Community Partner States and Southern African Development Community Member States.
That wording is significant because some reports have described the exemption as nationality-based, while the regulations refer specifically to residents of EAC or SADC states. Travellers from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and other countries outside that exemption are therefore expected to face the insurance requirement once it is implemented.
Start date still has not been announced
Publication of the regulations is a major procedural step, but it does not yet mean travellers must buy the policy before departure. The September 4 regulations do not give the date when border enforcement will begin.
Authorities still need to confirm when the insurance will become mandatory at entry points, how travellers will purchase it online before travelling, and how coverage will be verified in practice.
Zanzibar trips may raise a second-policy question
A key unresolved issue concerns travellers combining mainland Tanzania with Zanzibar, such as a safari itinerary followed by a beach stay. Since October 1, 2024, Zanzibar has required foreign visitors to buy its own mandatory travel insurance policy. That cover is issued by the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation, costs $44 per adult and is valid for up to 92 days. It remains compulsory even when travellers already have private medical or travel insurance.
ZIC documentation says its policy is valid in Tanzania during the insured period, which suggests some benefits may apply on the mainland. But the mainland regulations define the required insurance as a policy issued by NIC or by a registered insurer partnering with NIC. No official mutual recognition mechanism between NIC and ZIC policies has been announced.
As a result, two outcomes remain possible: authorities could introduce mutual recognition so one policy is enough, or the two systems could remain legally separate, requiring an adult traveller to pay $44 for mainland Tanzania and another $44 for Zanzibar. The potential $88 total is not a confirmed requirement at this stage. There is also no indication that a future mainland NIC policy would remove the need to buy the ZIC policy for onward travel to Zanzibar.
For travellers and tour operators, the immediate takeaway is to monitor official launch details before departure. Once activated, the scheme will add a fixed insurance step to many Tanzania itineraries, and combined mainland-Zanzibar trips will need particular attention until the two authorities clarify how their policies interact.
Sources
