Tanzania has introduced mandatory inbound travel insurance for foreign visitors entering mainland Tanzania, with the new requirement applying to arrivals by air, land and sea. The policy costs about US$44 (roughly KSh5,700), provides cover for up to 92 days and is expected to be enforced as an entry requirement. However, citizens of East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states are exempt, meaning Kenyan citizens are not required to buy the new mainland policy.
The change is significant because it extends Tanzania’s mandatory inbound-insurance model from Zanzibar to the mainland. For travellers from outside the exempt regional blocs, the policy covers specified emergencies including medical treatment, evacuation, repatriation and lost luggage. Travellers should distinguish this compulsory entry cover from ordinary travel insurance, because buying a separate comprehensive policy does not necessarily remove the obligation to obtain Tanzania’s designated inbound cover.
What Tanzania’s new insurance requirement changes
The requirement comes under the Insurance (Inbound Travel Insurance) Regulations, 2026, issued through a Government Notice. It applies to foreigners entering mainland Tanzania regardless of whether they arrive by road, sea or air.
The policy is valid for a maximum of 92 days from the date of arrival and permits multiple entries into mainland Tanzania during that period. Visitors staying beyond 92 days must obtain another policy.
The reported premium is US$44 per traveller, approximately KSh5,700 at the exchange rate cited in current reporting. The exact amount paid in Tanzanian shillings can vary with the applicable exchange rate and payment arrangements.
| Requirement | Mainland Tanzania, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Policy | Mandatory inbound travel insurance |
| Reported cost | US$44, approximately KSh5,700 |
| Maximum validity | 92 days |
| Entry modes covered | Air, land and sea |
| Main reported benefits | Emergency medical treatment, evacuation, repatriation and lost luggage |
| EAC/SADC citizens | Exempt |
| Provider arrangement | National Insurance Corporation (NIC) and registered insurers working with NIC |
The insurance is expected to be provided through Tanzania’s National Insurance Corporation (NIC) and other registered insurers operating in partnership with NIC. Travellers can reportedly obtain the cover before travelling or at the point of entry. Failure to have the required insurance may result in refusal of entry for people who are subject to the requirement.
What this means for Kenyan travellers
For Kenyan passport holders, the most important detail is the EAC exemption.
Kenya is an EAC member, and current reporting on Tanzania’s 2026 mainland regulations specifically identifies EAC citizens among those exempt from the mandatory insurance requirement. Therefore, a Kenyan travelling to mainland Tanzania does not need to pay the reported US$44 mainland insurance charge simply because of the new rule.
This distinction matters because headlines describing the policy as applying to “foreign visitors” can otherwise give Kenyan travellers the impression that the charge applies universally. It does not, according to the reported regulations.
Tanzania’s immigration guidance also identifies EAC member states among nationalities that do not require a visa to enter Tanzania, subject to the applicable immigration requirements.
Kenyan travellers should nevertheless remember that mandatory entry insurance and ordinary travel insurance are separate questions. An EAC exemption from Tanzania’s compulsory mainland policy does not mean a traveller has comprehensive protection against medical expenses, evacuation, cancellation, baggage loss or other risks.
Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar are not the same insurance requirement
The new mainland policy should not be confused with Zanzibar’s existing inbound-insurance system.
Zanzibar introduced mandatory inbound travel insurance for foreign visitors on 1 October 2024. The Zanzibar Insurance Corporation says the cover is mandatory even where a traveller already has another travel or medical insurance policy. Its current published rates are US$44 for adults, US$22 for children, and US$22 for travellers from EAC and SADC member states.
That means a Kenyan travelling to Zanzibar should not assume that the mainland EAC exemption eliminates Zanzibar’s separate requirement. Zanzibar’s own rules continue to apply to visitors entering the islands. The current Zanzibar Insurance Corporation information lists EAC and SADC travellers as eligible for the discounted US$22 rate.
The distinction is particularly important for travellers planning an itinerary that combines mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. Tanzania’s immigration system allows visitors to travel between mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar without obtaining a new visa when the relevant visa conditions are met, but the two insurance regimes operate separately.
Why Tanzania is expanding mandatory travel insurance
Tanzania’s mainland policy follows an approach already used in Zanzibar.
The government had announced the mainland scheme in 2025, describing it as an initiative under the Insurance Act and setting the proposed premium at US$44. Earlier plans said the policy would cover emergency medical care, lost luggage, rescue and repatriation.
The Tanzania Insurance Regulatory Authority has also identified the operationalisation of inbound mandatory travel insurance as part of developments in the country’s insurance sector.
Zanzibar provides an indication of how the model operates in practice. Its government reported collecting more than US$20 million from the scheme between October 2024 and March 2025, while funds have been used for services including medical assistance, evacuations and repatriations.
The policy has nevertheless generated debate among tourism stakeholders. Critics in Zanzibar have questioned whether compulsory local insurance duplicates cover that many international visitors already purchase privately.
That debate highlights an important distinction: mandatory insurance is primarily an entry requirement, whereas comprehensive travel insurance is designed around the particular financial risks of an individual’s trip.
What the US$44 policy does—and does not—tell travellers
The headline price should not be interpreted as equivalent to the value or scope of a comprehensive travel-insurance policy.
The reported mainland benefits include emergency medical treatment, emergency medical evacuation, emergency repatriation and luggage loss.
Travellers who want broader protection should examine the actual policy terms rather than assuming that the mandatory cover includes every common travel risk. Depending on the separate policy, conventional travel insurance can also address matters such as trip cancellation, travel interruption, baggage delays, personal liability and other expenses.
This distinction becomes especially relevant for expensive holidays, safaris or trips involving connecting flights. A compulsory entry policy can satisfy an immigration requirement without necessarily matching the limits, exclusions or benefits of insurance purchased specifically for the traveller’s circumstances.
What travellers should check before departure
For visitors who are not covered by the EAC or SADC exemptions, the practical priority is to confirm the current official procedure before travelling.
Check:
- whether your nationality is exempt;
- whether your itinerary involves mainland Tanzania, Zanzibar or both;
- whether you are within the 92-day validity period;
- where the mandatory policy must be purchased;
- what documentation or proof of insurance must be presented at immigration;
- the policy’s benefit limits and exclusions;
- whether you also need separate comprehensive travel insurance.
Tanzania’s official e-visa system remains the appropriate place to check current immigration and visa information, since visa rules and application procedures can change independently of insurance requirements.
For Zanzibar, travellers should use the official Zanzibar Insurance Corporation information rather than relying on older articles or social-media posts, because the island’s fees and eligibility rules have already changed since the scheme was introduced.
The bigger regional picture
Tanzania’s move comes shortly after Kenya introduced its own mandatory inbound health-insurance framework for non-Kenyans in 2026. Current reporting says Kenya’s implementation was subsequently suspended by the High Court after legal challenges, illustrating why travellers should distinguish between an announced policy, a published regulation and a requirement actually being enforced at the border.
The broader development is therefore less about a simple US$44 travel charge than about a changing East African approach to financing emergency services for international visitors. For regional travellers, nationality and destination now matter considerably: the same person may face different insurance requirements depending on whether they enter mainland Tanzania or Zanzibar and whether they are an EAC, SADC or other foreign national.
For Kenyan travellers, the immediate practical point is straightforward: the newly reported mainland Tanzania insurance requirement contains an EAC exemption, so Kenyan citizens are not subject to the US$44 mainland charge. Zanzibar remains a separate case, with its own mandatory inbound insurance regime and a currently published US$22 rate for EAC and SADC travellers.
Readers following the wider intersection of technology, security and public systems may also find relevant context in and , particularly as governments increasingly use digital systems to manage travel, identity and cross-border services.