ZANZIBAR: A new travel requirement has taken effect, with foreign visitors to the Mainland Tanzania now required to pay 44 US dollar for mandatory inbound travel insurance covering medical emergencies and other specified risks during their stay.
The requirement came into force yesterday, October 1, 2026, under the Insurance (Inbound Travel Insurance) Regulations, 2026, published through Government Notice No. 256 of September 4, 2026. The cover is valid for up to 92 days.
Permanent Secretary and Paymaster General in the Ministry of Finance, Dr Natu El-Maamry Mwamba, said the new arrangement requires foreign visitors entering through Mainland Tanzania to obtain the insurance from the National Insurance Corporation of Tanzania (NIC), while those entering through Zanzibar obtain the cover from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC).
She said the ministry advises international travellers to make arrangements and obtain the required insurance before travelling to Tanzania to facilitate entry procedures and avoid unnecessary inconvenience or delays upon arrival.
“International travellers are strongly advised to make the necessary arrangements and obtain the required Inbound Travel Insurance before travelling to Tanzania,” Dr Mwamba said in a public notice.
The new requirement applies to eligible foreign visitors entering Mainland Tanzania through airports, seaports and land borders, while residents of East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) Partner States are exempted, according to NIC’s official information.
The insurance provides cover for emergency medical treatment, emergency medical evacuation, emergency repatriation and loss of luggage, subject to the terms and conditions of the policy.
NIC has established a dedicated online platform for visitors entering Mainland Tanzania to obtain the insurance, with the corporation advising travellers to secure the cover before arrival and keep proof of insurance available for verification.
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The policy is valid for up to 92 days from arrival and allows multiple entries during the period covered by the policy. Visitors who intend to remain in Tanzania beyond the validity period are required to obtain a new policy.
The new arrangement also provides for visitors whose itineraries combine Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.
NIC said a visitor whose first point of entry is Mainland Tanzania and who obtains the required inbound travel insurance can subsequently travel to Zanzibar without purchasing another inbound travel insurance policy, subject to the applicable terms and conditions.
Similarly, a visitor whose first point of entry is Zanzibar and who obtains valid cover there can subsequently travel to Mainland Tanzania without purchasing the mandatory insurance again.
The arrangement is therefore expected to be particularly relevant to international travellers combining mainland tourism destinations such as Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Mount Kilimanjaro with holidays in Zanzibar.
NIC Director of Marketing and Communications Unit, Mr Karimu Meshack, said the corporation’s responsibility under the new arrangement extended beyond issuing insurance certificates to supporting visitors when they require assistance.
“For us at NIC insurance, being entrusted with this responsibility is not simply about issuing policies. It is about helping visitors understand their protection and, more importantly, being ready to support them when they need us,” Mr Meshack said.
NIC said it has also put in place customer-support arrangements to assist visitors with enquiries and insurance-related matters during their stay.
The corporation has advised travellers to understand the terms, conditions, limits and exclusions of their policies because not every illness, loss or incident is automatically covered.