Every traveller entering mainland Tanzania must submit health form before arrival

Every traveller entering mainland Tanzania must now complete an online health declaration, under a travel advisory issued by the country's Ministry of Health on 17 October 2026. The requirement took effect immediately and covers all arrivals, whatever their nationality or where they are travelling from.

The measure widens a rule that previously applied only to people arriving from or transiting through the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) or Uganda. It comes as Tanzania tightens health screening at its borders in response to the Ebola outbreak in East Africa.

Key facts

• In force since: 17 October 2026, immediately after the advisory was issued
• Who must comply: all travellers entering mainland Tanzania, regardless of nationality or country of departure
• Where to submit: the Ministry of Health's AfyaMsafiri portal (afyamsafiri.moh.go.tz)
• What you get: a confirmation document with a QR code and a Unique Health Code (UHC)
• Separate rules: Zanzibar runs its own health entry requirements through its own portal
• Not covered by this form: Tanzania's mandatory travel insurance and any visa or e-Visa procedures

What is changing?

Under earlier health guidelines dated 18 May 2026, the declaration was required only for travellers arriving from or transiting through the DRC or Uganda. The form itself is unchanged, but the obligation now extends to everyone, including tourists flying directly from the United States, Europe or other regions.

Travellers are also subject to health screening at airports, seaports and land border crossings. Checks include temperature screening and assessments for possible symptoms of infectious diseases. Anyone showing suspected symptoms may face additional medical examinations under national health protocols.

Why is this happening?

The Ministry of Health links the expanded screening to the evolving Ebola outbreak in East Africa, citing the ongoing outbreak in the DRC and the emergence of cases in neighbouring Kenya, initially involving a traveller who had arrived from the DRC.

Three cases had been confirmed in Kenya as of 16 October, before Kenyan health authorities reported four more infections the following day, including several healthcare workers who had treated the initial patient. On 18 October, Kenya had recorded eight confirmed Ebola cases, including one death. All confirmed infections were linked to the same chain of transmission, with no evidence at that point of widespread community transmission.

What about the 21-day health monitoring?

The Ministry of Health has introduced mandatory 21-day health monitoring for travellers classified as being at high risk of infection. Those individuals may receive daily automated messages or other communications and must respond throughout the monitoring period, even if they have already left Tanzania.

This does not automatically apply to every visitor and should not be confused with a blanket 21-day quarantine requirement.

How do I complete the declaration?

On the AfyaMsafiri portal, travellers first enter their passport or identity document number, then select their point of entry and expected arrival date. Entry points are grouped into airports, land borders, seaports and lake ports, with options including Dar es Salaam's Julius Nyerere International Airport and Kilimanjaro International Airport.

The form then collects name, sex, age or date of birth and nationality, plus flight, vessel or vehicle number and seat number, purpose and duration of stay, accommodation details and local address, phone number, email address and country of departure. Each traveller must file a separate declaration, including children travelling with a parent or guardian.

The health questionnaire asks how many countries the traveller has visited in the previous 21 days and about symptoms such as fever, headaches, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and unusual fatigue. It also asks whether the traveller has recently visited an outbreak-affected area, cared for someone who was ill or attended a funeral. Applicants must confirm the information is accurate before submitting.

Once submitted, the platform generates a confirmation document with a QR code and a Unique Health Code (UHC), showing identity details, nationality, passport number, arrival date and point of entry. Travellers are instructed to save the QR code or take a screenshot and present it on arrival; health authorities may check it during entry screening.

When should the form be completed?

The 17 October directive allows travellers to submit the declaration before departure or upon arrival. The AfyaMsafiri homepage, however, advises completing it within 24 hours before arrival or on entering the country. The official advisory does not specify a mandatory pre-travel submission window.

The homepage still displays introductory guidance referring only to travellers arriving from or transiting through Ebola-affected countries, which does not reflect the wider rule now in force. To avoid extra paperwork at arrival screening, travellers are advised to complete the declaration online before departure and keep an accessible copy of the QR code.

Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar have different rules

Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar have separate health authorities, which may issue different requirements. Zanzibar's Ministry of Health published its own Ebola-related travel advisory on 9 October 2026, specifically targeting travellers arriving from or transiting through the DRC, Uganda or Kenya. Those covered must file a health declaration through Zanzibar's portal at healthtravelznz.mohz.go.tz.

There is a discrepancy: Zanzibar's online portal states more broadly that electronic health declarations are mandatory for arriving travellers, without limiting the requirement to the three countries named in the advisory. Travellers flying directly to Zanzibar are therefore advised to complete the declaration on the island's dedicated platform before departure and check the latest instructions from local authorities.

Those entering through the mainland first, such as via Dar es Salaam or Kilimanjaro International Airport, must follow the AfyaMsafiri process. Visitors combining a mainland safari with a stay in Zanzibar should pay attention to the requirements applying at each point of entry.

What this means for travellers

All arrivals into mainland Tanzania should plan to file the AfyaMsafiri health declaration and carry the QR code, in addition to any visa or e-Visa requirements and the mandatory travel insurance introduced on 1 October 2026, which carries a standard fee of $44 for adults. Travellers heading straight to Zanzibar should instead follow the island's separate procedures. Because instructions on the portals may lag behind the latest directives, checking the current guidance before departure is the safest step.

The Ministry of Health says the new guidelines may be reviewed and updated as the epidemiological situation evolves.