Tanzania Introduces Mandatory Travel Insurance for Foreign Visitors at KSh5,700

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania — Tanzania has introduced mandatory inbound travel insurance for foreign visitors entering mainland Tanzania, with the policy costing KSh5,700 ($44) and providing coverage for up to 92 days.

The requirement is contained in the Insurance (Inbound Travel Insurance) Regulations, 2026, issued through a Government Notice. The regulations apply to foreign visitors entering mainland Tanzania by air, land or sea.

However, citizens of East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states are exempt from the requirement. This means Kenyan travellers entering mainland Tanzania will not be required to purchase the mandatory inbound travel insurance.

Visitors can buy insurance before travel or on arrival

Foreign visitors covered by the new regulations must have a valid inbound travel insurance policy. The policy can be purchased before travelling to Tanzania or at a designated point of entry.

Travellers who arrive without the required insurance cover may be denied entry into the country.

The policy is valid for a maximum of 92 days from the visitor's date of arrival and permits multiple entries into mainland Tanzania during the validity period.

Visitors intending to stay in Tanzania beyond 92 days will be required to obtain a new policy.

The insurance will be provided by the National Insurance Corporation (NIC) or other registered insurers operating in partnership with NIC.

What the mandatory insurance covers

The inbound travel insurance package is designed to provide financial protection for visitors in case of emergencies during their stay.

The mandatory cover includes:

1. Emergency medical treatment
2. Emergency medical evacuation
3. Emergency repatriation
4. Loss of luggage

The government says the nationwide scheme is intended to ensure foreign visitors have access to essential assistance and medical support while in Tanzania.

Tanzania follows Zanzibar's insurance requirement

The new mainland requirement follows a separate mandatory travel insurance scheme introduced for foreign visitors to Zanzibar in October 2024.

The latest regulations effectively extend mandatory inbound travel insurance to mainland Tanzania, creating a nationwide framework for covered foreign visitors.

The policy also comes amid growing efforts by East African countries to introduce compulsory travel or health insurance requirements for international visitors.

Kenya introduced a similar framework

Tanzania's move comes weeks after Kenya introduced its own mandatory inbound travel health insurance framework in July 2026.

Kenya's framework required non-Kenyans staying in the country for less than 12 months to have travel health insurance with a minimum cumulative benefit limit of KSh6.48 million ($50,000).

The Kenyan framework specified minimum benefits that included KSh2.59 million ($20,000) for medical expenses, KSh3.24 million ($25,000) for emergency medical transportation, KSh38,886 ($300) for prescribed medicines and KSh129,620 ($1,000) for mental illness treatment.

However, implementation of Kenya's requirement was suspended by the High Court in August after two petitioners challenged the policy.

Justice Francis Rayola Olel issued interim orders stopping implementation pending the hearing and determination of the case.

Different approaches across the region

Although both Tanzania and Kenya have introduced mandatory insurance frameworks for foreign visitors, the policies differ in scope and implementation.

Tanzania's new requirement sets a KSh5,700 ($44) premium for eligible visitors and provides coverage for up to 92 days, while exempting nationals of EAC and SADC member states.

Kenya's framework, meanwhile, established specified minimum benefit levels for non-Kenyan visitors but has faced a legal challenge that halted its implementation.

For travellers planning visits across East Africa, the differing requirements mean that nationality, destination and the status of each country's regulations will determine whether travel insurance is compulsory.

Tanzania's new mainland scheme therefore marks a significant expansion of the country's visitor insurance requirements, while placing the country alongside Kenya and Zanzibar in the region's evolving approach to mandatory travel cover.