Tanzania’s New Entry Premium
Since 1 October every visitor to mainland Tanzania needs a US$44 state insurance policy as well as their own cover. Build it into every safari confirmation now.
Every client heading to the Serengeti, Ngorongoro or Kilimanjaro now needs one more document before they land. Since 1 October 2026, mainland Tanzania has required all visitors to hold a state-issued inbound travel insurance policy, and the Foreign Office warns that travellers “may be refused entry” without it. Clients’ existing travel insurance does not count. For UK advisors selling East Africa this season, it is a small cost and a large compliance risk: build it into every confirmation and pre-departure pack now.
What the rule says
The FCDO’s Tanzania entry requirements, updated on 1 October, say visitors arriving on the mainland must buy insurance from the National Insurance Corporation (NIC) “as other travel insurance policies are not accepted”, for the length of their stay up to 92 days. Zanzibar already ran its own mandatory scheme through the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC), and that continues for arrivals there.
According to the African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA), the prices are:
- Adults (18+): US$44
- Children (3–17): US$22
- Infants (0–2): free
- Groups of 10 or more adults: 10% discount
ATTA says the policy covers emergency medical treatment, medical evacuation, repatriation and loss of luggage, allows multiple entries, and should be bought online before departure: through the NIC portal (inbound.nicinsurance.co.tz) for the mainland or the ZIC portal (inbound.visitzanzibar.go.tz) for Zanzibar. Travel Gossip reports that policies can also be bought at ports of entry.
One policy, first port of entry
Combined safari-and-beach itineraries need only one policy. “You only need to buy insurance for your first port of entry, either mainland Tanzania or Zanzibar,” the FCDO says, as reported by Travel Gossip. A client flying into Kilimanjaro and finishing on Zanzibar buys from NIC; one arriving in Zanzibar first buys from ZIC.
What it does not replace
The state policy is in addition to private cover, ATTA stresses. It is not a substitute for a comprehensive policy with high medical limits, safari-specific activity cover and cancellation protection. Savannah Explorers, a safari operator, noted on 30 September that NIC had not publicly disclosed payout limits.
For advisors
- Add it to every Tanzania file now: confirmations, invoices and pre-departure notes for any client travelling from 1 October, including those booked months ago.
- Decide who buys: either purchase on the client’s behalf or send the correct portal link based on their first point of entry. Keep a copy of each certificate with the travel documents.
- Price families correctly: a family of four with two children aged 3–17 pays US$132 in total.
- Keep selling full cover: clients still need their own comprehensive policy, including evacuation cover suited to remote camps and Kilimanjaro climbs.
Sources
Covers markets across the Middle East, Africa and Asia: demand, access and the policy shifts that move them.