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Tanzania
Tanzania visit visa for Pakistan passport holders
VisitVisaInfo Editorial Team
Guides built from official government and embassy sources.
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Tanzania · Mount Kilimanjaro · Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0
Summary
- Visa type
- Ordinary visa (single entry), applied for online and approved before travel; Pakistan is in the Referral Visa category
- Stay limit
- Ordinary visa valid for up to 90 days
- Entries
- Single
Pakistani passport holders need a visa for Tanzania and must get it online before they travel. Tanzania Immigration Services places Pakistan in its Referral Visa category, so you cannot get a visa on arrival unless the Commissioner General of Immigration has given special permission. Apply on the official e-Visa portal, pay the US$50 Ordinary Visa fee by card, and wait for the Visa Grant Notice by email before you book anything. Referral applications fall outside the usual ten-day processing time, so the department advises applying at least two months before your trip.
Tanzania brings together some of East Africa’s best-known sights: the plains of the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater, the slopes of Kilimanjaro and the old lanes of Stone Town on Zanzibar. Many Commonwealth citizens enter without a visa, but Pakistan is one of the named exceptions, so Pakistani passport holders do need one. More importantly, Pakistan sits in Tanzania’s Referral Visa category, which changes how and when you should apply.
Referral status means you cannot pick up a visa at the airport or a land border unless the Commissioner General of Immigration has approved it in advance. Instead, you apply on the official Tanzania e-Visa portal run by Tanzania Immigration Services and wait for a decision before travelling. Use the government portal only. The department warns applicants not to go through other online links that look similar.
Holiday-makers, people visiting friends or relatives and those attending a meeting or workshop all apply for the Ordinary Visa. It costs US$50, is paid online by Visa card or Mastercard, and is valid for up to 90 days. You select your first destination on the form, and the same visa then covers both the mainland and Zanzibar. Business assignments need the US$250 Business Visa instead. Every traveller, including children, needs a separate application, and nothing can be changed after you submit.
Prepare a passport valid for at least six months with a blank visa page, a scan of the data page, a colour photo under 500 KB and an invitation or application letter addressed to the Commissioner General of Immigration. Add your host’s address and phone number if you have one. Because approval for referral cases can take a long time, the department suggests applying at least two months ahead and uploading an itinerary rather than a ticket. Hold off on paying for flights or hotels until approval comes through.
Tanzania does not publish an official approval or refusal rate for Pakistani applicants, and the guidelines are clear that incomplete applications are rejected. You might also be asked to attend an interview at the nearest Tanzanian embassy. Once approved, you receive a Visa Grant Notice by email, which you can also download from the portal’s status page. On arrival you must show a return ticket, and the immigration officer makes the final decision on entry.
Checklist
Document requirements
- Pakistani passport valid for at least six months, with at least one unused visa page
- Scanned copy of the passport biographic data page
- Recent colour photo with a plain background, no larger than 45 mm x 35 mm, as a JPG or JPEG file under 500 KB
- Trip itinerary (referral-category applicants may upload this instead of a flight ticket)
- Invitation or visa application letter addressed to the Commissioner General of Immigration, uploaded with the form
- Your local host’s physical address and contact details, if you have a host
- Online application and declaration form, completed in full
- Visa or Mastercard card for the online fee payment
- Return ticket to show at the point of entry once your visa is approved
Checklist from the Tanzania Immigration Services visa guidelines. Referral-category applicants, including Pakistanis, are advised not to pay for flight tickets, accommodation or other reservations until the visa is approved. Every traveller, including a child listed on a parent’s form, needs a separate application. Applications cannot be changed once submitted.
Checklist source: visa.immigration.go.tz
Money and time
Fees and timeline
Fees
Official fee
US$50
US$50 for the Ordinary Visa in the Tanzania Immigration Services fee table, paid online by Visa card or Mastercard. The same table lists US$250 for a Business Visa, US$30 for a Transit Visa and US$100 for a Multiple Entry Visa, which is reserved for specific groups such as US nationals and non-resident company directors.
Fee source
Timeline
Processing and appointments
Tanzania Immigration Services processes online applications within ten days, but referral-category applications, which include Pakistan, are excluded from that standard. The department advises referral applicants to apply at least two months before travel and to wait for approval before starting their journey.
When to apply
At least two months before travel
Official links
How to apply
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Official statistics
Visa ratio
Not officially published
Tanzania does not publish an official approval or refusal rate for Pakistani applicants. The guidelines say incomplete or wrongly filed applications are rejected.
A percentage is shown only when an official source published one for this route. Blog tables and estimates are left out.
Quick answers
FAQ
Do Pakistanis need a visa for Tanzania?
Yes. Pakistan is one of the Commonwealth countries that Tanzania specifically excludes from visa-free entry, and it is in the Referral Visa category, the group Tanzania Immigration Services lists as unable to get a visa on arrival without the Commissioner General's approval. You must apply online on the official e-Visa portal and receive approval before you travel.
Can Pakistanis get a visa on arrival in Tanzania?
No, not without special permission. Tanzania Immigration Services lists Pakistan among the nationalities that cannot get a visa on arrival unless they have obtained approval from the Commissioner General of Immigration. For most travellers, the online application is the only practical route.
How much does a Tanzania tourist visa cost for Pakistanis?
Tourists apply for the Ordinary Visa, which costs US$50 in the official fee table and is valid for up to 90 days. You pay online with a Visa card or Mastercard after uploading your documents. A Business Visa costs US$250 and a Transit Visa costs US$30.
How long does processing take for Pakistani applicants?
The usual ten-day processing time does not apply to the referral category. The guidelines advise referral applicants to submit their applications at least two months before the travel date, so plan well ahead, especially around holidays.
Should I buy my flight ticket before applying?
No. Referral-category applicants are advised not to pay for flights, accommodation or other reservations until the visa is approved, and they may upload a trip itinerary instead of a ticket. You will still need to show a return ticket when you arrive.
Who should my invitation letter be addressed to?
Invitation or visa application letters should be addressed to the Commissioner General of Immigration and uploaded with your online form. Include your local host’s physical address and contacts if you have a host in Tanzania.
Does one visa cover both mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar?
Yes. Select your first destination when you fill in the form. The guidelines say you can then visit both the mainland and Zanzibar without a new visa.
How will I receive my visa?
Tanzania sends a Visa Grant Notice to the email address on your application. If it does not arrive, you can download it from the status page on the e-Visa portal using your application ID. Carry it with you, because the officer at the entry point may still refuse entry if you do not meet the requirements.
Can I be called for an interview?
Possibly. The portal says applicants may be asked to appear at the nearest Tanzanian embassy or consular office for an interview, so make sure the contact details on your form are correct and check your email regularly.
What photo does the Tanzania e-Visa need?
A recent colour photo on a plain background showing your full face from the top of your hair to your chin, with eyes open and a natural expression. It must be a JPG or JPEG file no bigger than 500 KB and no larger than 45 mm by 35 mm. Head coverings are allowed for religious reasons if your whole face is visible.
Checked against
Official sources
- Tanzania Immigration Services: official e-Visa application portalvisa.immigration.go.tz/
- Tanzania e-Visa: visa guidelines, referral category and feesvisa.immigration.go.tz/guidelines
- Tanzania e-Visa: application status and Visa Grant Noticevisa.immigration.go.tz/checkapplicationstatus
Last checked 6 October 2026. Rules change without notice, so confirm on the official pages before you apply or travel.
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