Foreign visitors to mainland Tanzania will need compulsory travel insurance from October 1, 2026 under new regulations issued by the Ministry of Finance.

The move follows a similar scheme in the semi-autonomous Islands of Zanzibar and comes weeks after Kenya adopted its own insurance requirement for foreign visitors.

The new rule applies to foreign nationals arriving on the mainland by air, land or sea.
Their travel cover must be issued by Tanzania’s state-owned insurer, the National Insurance Corporation (NIC).

When the plan was unveiled in last year’s budget, the government said it was modelled on Zanzibar’s scheme and aimed to protect foreign travellers while strengthening the country’s health and tourism infrastructure.

The policy costs $44, payable in Tanzanian Shillings, and is valid for up to 92 days, including multiple entries within that period.

It covers medical emergencies, emergency evacuation, repatriation and lost luggage, subject to the policy’s terms and conditions.

According to NIC, residents of East African Community and Southern African Development Community member states are exempt.

Visitors arriving through the islands of Zanzibar fall under a separate scheme, run by the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation.

The Ministry of Finance is urging travellers to buy the cover before they arrive, saying it will make entry procedures smoother and help avoid delays.

The requirement comes as inbound tourism continues to grow.

Government figures show more than 2.2 million international tourists arrived last year, up from just over 2.1 million in 2024.

Insurers see a sizeable new market, worth up to $100 million a year.

That’s about 17% of the industry’s 2024 premiums, according to the Tanzania Insurance Regulatory Authority.