Moving to Tanzania

The United Republic of Tanzania is a nation in East Africa.. Its eastern side faces the Indian Ocean. It is a unitary republic, and has 26 different regions. The official capital of the country is Dodoma; before 1996, it had been Dar es Salaam, which is the largest city. Its official language is Swahili, but English is used in the higher courts and higher education. Tanzania has a population of approximately 43 million.

Visas

All of those who wish to stay in Tanzania for work or study purposes are required to apply for such respective visas. The Director of Immigration Services decides who will be issued a visa. You must apply from outside of the country. If you are denied, you are allowed to make an appeal to the Minister for Home Affairs. There are additional requirements if you are applying to Zanzibar.

Work Permit

If you intend to work in Tanzania under an employer you should apply for a Class B Permit. These permits are reserved for those who have specialized skills that are not available locally. Your prospective employer is required to advertise the position in local newspapers and try to interview Tanzanian people before considering a foreigner.

You are required to complete the Tanzania Immigration Form I, and then submit it to the Labor Commissioner. The Labor Commissioner will issue you a recommendation, and forward these documents to the Director of Immigration Services to be analyzed.

You must also submit the following documents:

Cover letter of appointment
Five photographs
Resume
Academic records (diplomas, honors, etc)
Your prospective job description
Proof of the company’s organizational structure, indicating how many jobs are taken or are lined up for expats
Government clearance letter, if you are going to have a government job
Membership certificates/clearances from local professional bodies who test and monitor the professional integrity of expats (engineers, pilots, nurses, accountants, etc)
Employment contract
Copy of passport
Proof from your prospective company that shows they made an effort to hire local people

Student Visa

If you wish to study in Tanzania, you must apply for a Class C Permit.

You must submit the following documents:

Resume
Copy of passport
Admission letter
Six photographs
Cover letter signed by officials of your school

Moving Pets

Pets may by imported into Tanzania, so long as you have an import permit and meet all of the necessary requirements. You should start this complicated process long in advance.

For cats and dogs, you should include a description of their breed, age and gender, along with the estimated date of arrival. You must also include a certificate which shows that your pet has been vaccinated against rabies, sometime within the last year, before the past 30 days. You must submit this to a veterinarian who will send it to your embassy, who will then send it back to you. You must also obtain a health certificate from a local veterinarian, and attach both the import permit and health certificate to the pet’s crate when you are coming into the country.

Other Information

Read this for information about climbing mount Kilimanjaro.
Click here for information about real estate in Tanzania.
Click here for a map of Tanzania.
Click here for an overview of the history of Tanzania.