Mandatory Inbound Travel Insurance for Zanzibar
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Mandatory Inbound Travel Insurance for Mainland Tanzania
Mandatory Inbound Travel Insurance for Zanzibar
Zanzibar has required eligible foreign visitors to hold mandatory inbound travel insurance since 1 October 2024. It is administered by the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC). Check the requirement before your journey, especially if Zanzibar is your first stop in Tanzania.
Who needs it?
The Zanzibar requirement applies to foreign visitors arriving through a Zanzibar airport or seaport. ZIC guidance lists exceptions for people with a residence or work permit, cabin crew staying under 72 hours, certain transit passengers, and passengers after an emergency landing. If you think an exception applies, confirm it with ZIC and carry evidence of your status.
Cost and cover
Published ZIC guidance gives a premium of USD 44 for adults, USD 22 for children aged 3–17, and cover for infants aged 0–2 under a parent or guardian policy. A policy covers the dates on its certificate for up to 92 days. Check the current price and policy terms when applying. Benefits include emergency medical assistance and evacuation, repatriation, and other specified travel emergencies. Limits and exclusions apply, so review your certificate and policy wording. Keep any broader travel insurance you need for your full itinerary.
Zanzibar and Mainland Tanzania are separate schemes
Zanzibar's ZIC policy and Mainland Tanzania's National Insurance Corporation (NIC) inbound policy are different products issued under separate arrangements. One certificate is not the other. Current Tanzania High Commission guidance says an eligible traveler visiting both places generally purchases only the policy for the first port of entry: ZIC when arriving in Zanzibar first, or NIC when arriving on the Mainland first. The first policy is accepted for the onward visit under that guidance. Keep the certificate available for checks during both parts of your trip. If your route, residency, or eligibility is unusual, confirm the requirement with ZIC, NIC, or the relevant Tanzanian authority before departure.
What to do before departure
Confirm your first port of entry and whether the inbound requirement applies to you.
If Zanzibar is your first port of entry, apply through ZIC's official portal at inbound.visitzanzibar.go.tz. Avoid third-party sites claiming to issue the mandatory policy.
Check the passport details and travel dates on the certificate, then save an offline copy to show when requested.
If Mainland Tanzania is your first port of entry, follow the separate Mainland insurance guideline and obtain the NIC policy if required.
Official information
Check inbound.visitzanzibar.go.tz for ZIC applications and policy details, and
tanzaniatourism.uk/mandatory-travel-insurance for the Tanzania High Commission's guidance on trips covering both Zanzibar and the Mainland.
Requirements can change; check the official advice again shortly before travel.