Tanzania Mandatory Travel Insurance: The $44 Rule (2026)
By Africa Unpacked Team · Updated 2026-10-10
Tanzania has required every foreign visitor entering the mainland to buy a $44 inbound travel insurance policy since 1 October 2026. It is sold by the National Insurance Corporation at inbound.nicinsurance.co.tz, lasts up to 92 days, and covers medical emergencies, evacuation, repatriation and lost luggage. Your own travel insurance does not replace it.
From 1 October 2026, foreign visitors arriving in mainland Tanzania must show a government-backed inbound travel insurance certificate at immigration. Zanzibar has had the same rule since October 2024, and the mainland has now caught up, so every safari to the Serengeti, Ngorongoro or Kilimanjaro needs it. The good news is that it is cheap, quick to buy online, and one policy now covers the whole country. This guide explains what the regulations say, what you get for $44, how to buy it, who is exempt, and how it fits with a Zanzibar beach extension or a Kenya leg. We checked every fact against the official notice and Tanzanian and trade press published up to 10 October 2026.
What Changed and When
The rule is set out in the Insurance (Inbound Travel Insurance) Regulations 2026, Government Notice No. 256 of 4 September 2026, made under the Insurance Act. It was first announced in mid-2025 for a January 2026 start, slipped, and took effect on 1 October 2026. The Tanzania Insurance Regulatory Authority oversees it, and the state-owned National Insurance Corporation (NIC) is the designated provider for the mainland. Zanzibar's own scheme, run by the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC), has operated since 1 October 2024 and continues alongside it.
What It Costs
The adult price is confirmed by Tanzania's embassies. The child and group rates below come from consistent press and trade reports rather than an official price list, so treat them as likely but check at checkout. The premium can be paid in US dollars or the shilling equivalent and is not refundable except under the policy terms.
Adults (18 and over)
One policy valid for up to 92 days from arrival, with multiple entries allowed during that period.
- Price
- $44
Children 3 to 17
Reported at half the adult rate.
- Price
- $22 (reported)
Infants 0 to 2
Reported as free, though you may still need to register them.
- Price
- Free (reported)
Groups of 10 or more adults
Reported 10% discount on the adult premium, useful for tour groups booking together.
- Price
- About $39.60 each (reported)
What It Covers
The policy covers emergency medical treatment, emergency medical evacuation, repatriation and loss of luggage, subject to the policy terms. The regulations leave benefit limits to the policy itself, and NIC had not published its limits in a form we could verify when we wrote this. Zanzibar's ZIC policy is widely reported to carry a $50,000 medical limit. It is not a substitute for full travel insurance: there is no trip cancellation cover, and limits are modest for an air evacuation from a remote park, so keep your own comprehensive policy as well.
How to Buy It
Buy online before you fly. The certificate arrives with a QR code, which immigration scans at the airport, seaport or land border; keep it on your phone and a printed copy. You can also buy at the point of entry, but that adds a queue to an already slow arrival, and the regulations say a visitor without valid cover shall be denied entry. Use only the official .co.tz and .go.tz websites, not third-party visa resellers.
Entering mainland Tanzania
Kilimanjaro (JRO), Dar es Salaam (DAR) or a land border such as Namanga from Kenya.
- Provider
- National Insurance Corporation
- Website
- inbound.nicinsurance.co.tz
Entering through Zanzibar
Flying directly into Zanzibar (ZNZ) or arriving by sea.
- Provider
- Zanzibar Insurance Corporation
- Website
- inbound.visitzanzibar.go.tz
Does Your Own Travel Insurance Count?
No. Reports from the Adventure Travel Trade Association and others agree that the policy is required whether or not you already hold private travel insurance. It is a fixed $44 entry cost, much like the visa, and it should go into your budget in the same way. Your own insurance still matters for everything the Tanzanian policy does not cover.
Zanzibar: Do You Need Two Policies?
No. According to Tanzania's embassy notice, cover extends across the whole United Republic of Tanzania based on the provider you bought from, so buy from whichever corporation covers your first point of entry. Fly into Kilimanjaro for a safari and finish in Zanzibar, and the NIC policy covers both. Fly straight into Zanzibar and add a mainland safari, and the ZIC policy covers both. One trade report in late September said the two schemes were separate, but the later official position supersedes it, and ZIC policies bought before 1 October remain valid.
Who Is Exempt
Citizens and residents of East African Community and Southern African Development Community countries are exempt. Press reports add transit passengers, diplomats, holders of Tanzanian work or residence permits, and members of the Tanzanian diaspora, but we have not seen an official list, so confirm before relying on any of those. Kenyan reporting has noted that a Kenyan travelling on a non-EAC passport may still be charged.
Combining Tanzania With Kenya
Kenya now enforces its own visitor health insurance through its ETA portal, at about $52 including fees, and the two countries do not recognise each other's policies. A Serengeti and Masai Mara combination therefore costs close to $96 per adult in mandatory insurance. If you cross by road at Namanga or Isebania, have both certificates ready on your phone. Our guide to Kenya's mandatory travel insurance covers that side.
Sources
Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania in Italy, notice on the implementation of inbound travel insurance (September 2026); Clyde and Co on Government Notice No. 256 of 2026 (16 September 2026); TanzaniaInvest (29 September 2026); Adventure Travel Trade Association (24 and 29 September 2026); VisasNews (1 October 2026); The Points Guy (1 October 2026); Business Daily Africa (16 September 2026).
Key Takeaways
- Since 1 October 2026 every foreign visitor to mainland Tanzania needs a $44 inbound travel insurance certificate.
- Buy it from the National Insurance Corporation at inbound.nicinsurance.co.tz before you fly; immigration scans the QR code.
- Your own travel insurance does not replace it, but keep it for cancellation and higher medical limits.
- One policy covers mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar; buy from the provider for your first point of entry.
- EAC and SADC citizens are exempt; child rates of $22 and free under-3s are reported but not yet on an official list.
- A Tanzania and Kenya trip needs both countries' policies, close to $96 per adult.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is travel insurance mandatory for Tanzania?
Yes. Since 1 October 2026, foreign visitors entering mainland Tanzania must hold the $44 inbound travel insurance policy from the National Insurance Corporation, and Zanzibar has required its own equivalent since October 2024.
How much is Tanzania's mandatory travel insurance?
$44 per adult for up to 92 days with multiple entries. Children aged 3 to 17 are reported at $22 and children under 3 free, though these rates are not yet on an official price list.
Do I need Tanzania's insurance if I already have travel insurance?
Yes. The policy is required regardless of any private travel insurance you hold. Keep your own policy as well, because the Tanzanian one does not cover trip cancellation and has modest limits.
Does the Tanzania insurance cover Zanzibar?
Yes. One policy covers the whole of Tanzania, including Zanzibar. Buy from NIC if you first enter the mainland, or from ZIC if you fly straight into Zanzibar.
Who is exempt from Tanzania's mandatory travel insurance?
Citizens and residents of EAC and SADC countries are exempt. Transit passengers, diplomats and permit holders are reported exempt, but we have not seen an official list.