Tanzania introduced a mandatory inbound travel insurance requirement for all foreign visitors from 1 October 2026. The policy is underwritten by the National Insurance Corporation (NIC), costs USD 44 per adult, and must be in place before or at the point of entry by air, land, or sea.
What the Policy Covers
The NIC inbound insurance covers four areas:
- Emergency medical expenses - treatment costs arising from illness or injury during the trip
- Emergency medical evacuation - transport to the nearest appropriate medical facility or repatriation to your home country if required
- Repatriation - return of remains in the event of death
- Lost or damaged checked luggage - compensation for bags lost or damaged in transit
The policy is valid for 92 days from the date of entry and allows multiple entries within that period.
How to Buy the Insurance
The Ministry of Finance and NIC both advise purchasing the cover before you fly. The online portal is at inbound.nicinsurance.co.tz, where you can pay by card in advance and download a policy document to present at immigration.
Cover can also be purchased at the point of entry - at Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR), Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), Zanzibar’s Abeid Amani Karume Airport, and at major land and sea crossings. The regulations set the price at USD 44 payable in the Tanzanian shilling equivalent, so confirm accepted payment methods at the desk or buy online. Buying in advance avoids queuing at the immigration hall on arrival, which can slow down processing during busy arrival banks.
Exemptions and Discounts
Certain categories of visitor are exempt from the requirement, including diplomats, transit passengers, and residents of East African Community and Southern African Development Community member states. Citizens of neighbouring countries such as Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda are not subject to the mandatory purchase when entering under EAC provisions.
For everyone else, two concessions apply: NIC’s own site lists a 50% discount for children aged 3–17 (half the adult rate, USD 22) and free cover for ages 0–2. Groups of 10 or more travelling together qualify for a 10% discount on the total cost.
How This Affects Safari and Trekking Bookings
Most comprehensive travel insurance policies sold in Europe and North America already include the coverage areas the NIC policy provides. However, Tanzania is requiring purchase of its own domestic policy regardless of what coverage travellers hold from their home-country insurer.
Operators and camps in the northern safari circuit have been updating their pre-departure information to include the requirement. If you booked a Tanzania trip before 1 October and have not yet been briefed by your operator, check your trip documentation and budget USD 44 per adult accordingly.
For Kilimanjaro trekkers, note that the park fee payment system at TANAPA gates is separate from the NIC insurance - both apply. See our Tanzania travel insurance guide for detail on what additional coverage experienced safari and trekking travellers carry beyond the NIC minimum.
Practical Checklist
Before you fly to Tanzania:
- Visit inbound.nicinsurance.co.tz and purchase the NIC policy online
- Download and save the policy document (PDF) to your phone
- Have it ready to present at immigration alongside your passport and visa confirmation
- If you are arriving overland, the same purchase applies - the online route is faster than paying at the land border
If you are visiting Zanzibar as well, NIC and ZIC have both confirmed in public notices that one policy covers the whole trip; the portal depends on your first point of entry (NIC on the mainland, ZIC at Zanzibar). The legal basis is the Insurance (Inbound Travel Insurance) Regulations, 2026 (Government Notice No. 256), and a foreigner without a valid policy can be denied entry.
The requirement is new enough that enforcement procedures at smaller entry points are still being standardised. The safest approach is to arrive with the policy already purchased and documented.