Validity Rules, Scan Specs & Special Rules 2026
Enter your passport expiry date and planned entry date to verify 6-month validity compliance:
Your passport is the foundation of your entire Tanzania eVisa application if it doesn't meet the basic requirements, nothing else on your application matters. Here's exactly what the Tanzania Immigration Services Department expects from your passport, and how to handle less common situations like recent name changes, dual nationality, or a passport nearing expiry.
Before you start your eVisa application, confirm that your passport:
If any of these points is in doubt, it's worth resolving before you begin the application rather than after, since the eVisa system does not allow you to edit submitted details.
Passport biographic page for Tanzania eVisa application
Checking passport validity before applying for Tanzania eVisa
Tanzania requires your passport to remain valid for at least six months from the date you enter the country, not from your visa application date or your return date. This is a common point of confusion a passport that's fine for the outbound flight but expires four months after arrival does not meet the requirement. If your passport is close to this threshold, renewing it before applying is the safer option, since a visa cannot be extended onto an expired or soon-to-expire document.
You need at least one entirely blank page in your passport for the Tanzania visa to be affixed or recorded against, separate from pages reserved for amendments or observations. If your passport is heavily stamped from previous travel and you're not sure whether you have a genuinely blank page left, check before applying running out of space is one of the more frustrating and entirely avoidable reasons for a delay at the point of entry, even after an eVisa has been approved.
When uploading your passport's biographic page during the eVisa application:
Every detail you enter on the eVisa form full name, passport number, date of birth, nationality, and passport expiry date must match your passport exactly. This includes spelling, spacing, and the order of names as printed. Since the system does not permit edits after submission, a simple typo or transposed digit can mean your Visa Grant Notice doesn't match your travel document, creating problems at check-in or on arrival that are far harder to resolve after the fact than before you click submit.
Recently renewed or changed passport (e.g., after marriage or legal name change): Apply using the details on your current, valid passport not an old one even if your name has recently changed. If your name differs from documents like flight bookings or hotel reservations made under a previous name, it's worth carrying supporting proof (such as a marriage certificate) in case it's requested.
Dual nationality: Apply and travel using the same passport throughout the process. Mixing passports for example, applying with one nationality's passport but travelling on another can create discrepancies that are difficult to resolve at the port of entry.
Damaged or heavily worn passports: A passport with a torn, faded, or otherwise compromised biographic page may not be accepted for a scan upload, and immigration officers can also refuse entry on the basis of passport condition, independent of your visa status. If your passport shows visible damage, replacing it before applying is the more reliable route.
Minors' passports: Children need their own individual passport and their own individual eVisa application being listed on a parent's passport does not meet the requirement, and a joint application covering multiple family members is not accepted.
E-passports and biometric passports: Standard e-passports are accepted without any additional steps; there is no separate category or extra fee for biometric passports in the eVisa system.
If your passport doesn't meet the validity or blank page requirements, the safest step is to renew it before applying, since neither issue can be resolved after your Visa Grant Notice has been issued. An approved eVisa tied to a passport that later fails inspection at the airport due to insufficient validity or no blank page does not guarantee entry, since the final decision always rests with the immigration officer on duty.
Avoid passport upload mismatches. Our team verifies your passport scan before official submission.
Start Application Online →Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your intended date of entry into Tanzania, not from your application date or planned departure date.
Yes, at least one completely blank visa page is required. If your passport is full or nearly full, check carefully before applying, since this can cause problems even after your eVisa is approved.
Apply using the details exactly as they appear on your current, valid passport. If your name differs from other travel documents due to a recent change, carry supporting proof such as a marriage certificate in case it's requested.
Yes, but you should apply and travel using the same passport consistently throughout the process to avoid discrepancies between your visa record and the travel document you present on arrival.
It can. A passport with a damaged or illegible biographic page may not be accepted for the required scan upload, and immigration officers can also deny entry based on passport condition regardless of visa approval. Renewing a damaged passport before applying is the safer option.
Yes. Every child needs their own individual passport and their own individual eVisa application; they cannot be included under a parent's passport or a single family application.
Our immigration support specialists review your passport image quality to prevent application rejections.
