The insurance will cost $44 per person and will be valid for up to 92 days. The requirement applies to foreign nationals arriving in mainland Tanzania by air, land or sea and forms part of the Inbound Travel Insurance Regulations for Foreign Visitors Entering Mainland Tanzania, published under Government Notice No. 256 of 2026.
The regulations were issued under Section 134A of the Insurance Act, Cap. 394, as amended by the Finance Act 2025. The Ministry of Finance confirmed on September 27 that implementation will formally begin on October 1.
Foreign visitors entering through mainland Tanzania will obtain the required insurance from the state-owned National Insurance Corporation (NIC). Visitors entering Zanzibar are covered under a separate arrangement administered by the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC).
The mandatory policy covers medical emergencies, emergency medical evacuation, emergency repatriation and lost luggage, subject to the terms and conditions of the insurance policy. The cover can be purchased before travel or at the point of entry.
Visitors can use the policy for multiple entries into mainland Tanzania during its maximum 92-day validity period. Travellers remaining in the country beyond that period will be required to obtain a new policy.
Citizens of East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states are exempt from the mainland requirement. The regulations therefore apply primarily to eligible foreign visitors from outside those regional blocs.
The Ministry of Finance has advised international travellers to obtain the required cover before travelling to Tanzania. The NIC and ZIC are expected to provide information on purchasing procedures, available benefits, payment options and verification processes through their respective platforms.
The introduction of the mainland requirement follows the implementation of a separate mandatory travel-insurance scheme in Zanzibar in October 2024. Zanzibar’s scheme also carries a $44 charge for most international visitors, while different arrangements apply to eligible regional travellers.
Tanzania’s tourism and insurance sectors have been preparing for the mainland implementation. The Citizen reported that tourism operators have raised concerns about the short notice before the October 1 start date, particularly for travellers who booked their trips months in advance and may not yet have received information about the additional requirement.
Tanzania Association of Tour Operators chairman Wilbard Chambulo said tour operators had been communicating the new requirement to clients and called for entry points to be prepared for visitors who may arrive without prior knowledge of the policy.
The insurance sector has also identified a potential expansion of the domestic travel-insurance market. Tanzania recorded 2.29 million international tourist arrivals in 2025, according to figures cited by The Citizen. At the $44 premium, the theoretical annual value of premiums would be approximately $100 million if all eligible visitors were covered, although the actual amount would depend on visitor volumes and exemptions.
The Citizen reported that the estimated $100 million potential market would represent about 18 percent of Tanzania’s gross written insurance premiums of Sh1.52 trillion recorded in 2024, according to the Tanzania Insurance Regulatory Authority.
The mandatory insurance requirement is being introduced as Tanzania’s inbound tourism sector continues to receive international visitors across leisure, business and other travel segments. The new framework adds an insurance requirement to the entry procedures for eligible foreign nationals travelling to mainland Tanzania.
Tags: Wilbard Chambulo Tanzania Association of Tour Operators Tanzania
