THE LATEST OFFICIAL TRAVEL ADVISORY FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF TANZANIA

TRAVEL ADVISORY NO. 9 OF 24th DECEMBER, 2021

The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania (URT) through Ministries responsible for Health Mainland and Zanzibar has decided to elevate and enhance prevailing preventive measures against COVID 19 especially those with regard to international travel. In view of this, the Government is updating the Travel Advisory No. 8 of 13TH September, 2021 to version No. 9, effective from 25th December, 2021 to accommodate measures as follows:

  1. All Authorities at Points of Entry should ensure adherence to infection prevention and control measures by travelers and staff including hand hygiene, physical distancing and wearing of face masks.
  2. All travelers including Tanzanians, returning residents and members of the crew /layovers are required to truthfully fill in an online Traveler’s Health Surveillance Form available at https://afyamsafiri.moh.go.tz/ for Tanzania mainland and https://healthtravelznz.mohz.go.tz for Zanzibar within 24 hours before arrival to URT`. Filling of Traveler’s Health Surveillance Form is a mandatory requirement before boarding to URT and there shall be a penalty to conveyances for noncompliance.
  3. All travelers including Tanzanians and returning residents will be required to present a negative COVID 19 test certificate with QR code for verification upon arrival. The only accepted test is Real Time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing or Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAATs) done at a nationally accredited/approved laboratory using sample tested within 96 hours before arrival to URT. Please note, negative COVID 19 test certificate upon arrival is mandatory, penalty shall be imposed to non-compliant conveyances while travelers without a negative COVID 19 test certificate upon arrival shall be denied entry and repatriated at conveyance cost.
  4. All travelers, whether foreigners, Tanzanians or returning residents arriving from countries experiencing variants of concern/variants of interest, highest number of COVID 19 cases based on WHO epidemiological updates or those who have travelled through those countries in the last 14 days regardless of the routes taken shall be subjected to Rapid Antigen Tests at Points of Entry at their own cost. Cost for COVID 19 Rapid Antigen Test shall be 10 USD or TZS 23,000 of which is non-refundable and testing fees applies to travelers arriving in Tanzania Mainland by Air or Marine Vessels. For Zanzibar the cost for Rapid Antigen Test shall be 25 USD or equivalent to TZS. 58,000. Also, Travelers entering URT through Zanzibar having proof of fully vaccinated for COVID 19 using vaccine accepted by Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar will be exempted from Rapid Antigen Test. The updated list of countries for Rapid Antigen Test and accepted COVID 19 vaccines (Zanzibar) are available at https://www.moh.go.tz and https://healthtravelznz.mohz.go.tz/ website or at Points of Entry
    Foreign travelers and residents arrived through Zanzibar from COVID 19 high risk countries who wish to visit Tanzania mainland within 14 days from the date of arrival will be required to present a negative Rapid Antigen Test certificate obtained during entry, otherwise they will be subjected to Rapid Antigen Test at Points of Entry.
  5. All asymptomatic travelers with positive Rapid Antigen Test at the Points of Entry shall be subjected to mandatory quarantine at their own cost at designated places under strict surveillance procedures until they test negative using RT PCR or otherwise evaluated by public health experts as non-infectious. The symptomatic positive Rapid Antigen travelers will be isolated for treatment at designated health facilities until they become asymptomatic and will be transferred to designated places for quarantine until tested negative using RT PCR. The list of quarantine places can be found at www.moh.go.tz
  6. Travelers who were infected and recovered from COVID 19 shall be required to submit a proof of recovering from the disease obtained from Authorized Medical personnel upon arrival to Tanzania.
  7. Travelers to Tanzania Mainland are advised to pay for COVID 19 Rapid Antigen Test online to avoid unnecessary queue upon arrival through an automatically generated control number obtained after filling the online Traveler’s Health Surveillance Form (afyamsafiri.moh.go.tz) and for Zanzibar through https://zanzibarcovidtesting.co.tz
  8. Children aged 5 years and below, Travelers in transit, Aircraft crew are exempted from both RT PCR certificate and COVID 19 Rapid Antigen Test
  9. All arriving conveyances must provide in advance passenger information so as to allow the Authorities at the Points of Entry to scrutinize the manifest for identification of possible high risk passengers and submit duly filled conveyance health declaration forms (Health Part of Aircraft General Declaration, Maritime Health Declaration and Ground Transport/Vehicles Health Declaration Form).
  10. Arriving conveyances will be subjected to decontamination at Points of Entry where necessary.
  11. All departing travelers are advised to seek information prior to departure from travel agent regarding COVID 19 requirements of their country of destination or conveyance to be used. However, the following requirement applies to specific destinations as follows;a) Travelers to Dubai Airport or transit through Dubai Airport are required to possess a valid RT – PCR obtained within 48 hours from the time of collecting the sample and Rapid PCR (NAAT) performed with six (6) hours of departure.b) Travelers to Republic of India, Republic of Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo and part of Europe are required in addition to a valid RT – PCR certificates specified by country of their destination to perform a COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test prior to departure.

Measures relating to trucks/vehicles carrying goods and services:

  1. All truck drivers including crew should hold a valid COVID 19 negative RT PCR or NAATs certificate obtained from an accredited/approved national laboratory. The validity of the certificate shall be 14 days only. The truck drivers will be tested free for RT PCR.
  2. All truck drivers including crew will be subjected to enhanced screening at Points of Entry and will be quarantined or isolated at designated facilities at their own cost if they are suspected of COVID 19 infection
  3. All trucks/vehicles carrying goods and services should have only 2 – 3 crew per truck/vehicle to facilitate smooth border crossing to Tanzania
  4. In case driver or crew are quarantined/isolated while on transit, truck owners/operators must make necessary arrangements to back up their crew to ensure that goods are delivered to the intended destination
  5. Truck drivers have to declare their final destinations at the Points of Entry.

In case of any medical emergency while in the United Republic of Tanzania, please call Toll Free Health Emergency Number: 199 for Mainland and 190 for Tanzania.

NB: The Travel Advisory will be reviewed from time to time as need arises.

SOURCE: https://afyamsafiri.moh.go.tz/