Zanzibar visa requirements from the UK in 2026 (September 2026)
I checked this against the Tanzania High Commission's own notice for UK applicants, because Zanzibar gets treated like a separate, simpler destination from mainland Tanzania when it genuinely isn't, at least not in the way people assume. Here's how it actually works in September 2026. Zanzibar visa requirements from the UK mean a visa either way, British passports aren't exempt, but there's a real Zanzibar-only requirement layered on top that catches people who only researched the visa itself.
The quick answer
British citizens need a visa to visit Zanzibar. There's no visa-free route here, and the Tanzania High Commission in the UK says so directly, applicants from the UK and Ireland are required to obtain a visa before entry. The standard option is an ordinary single-entry visa, arranged either as an e-visa before you fly or as a visa on arrival at the airport, both costing around $50 and covering up to 90 days.
What trips people up is treating this as a simple "Tanzania visa" question and stopping there. Zanzibar is part of Tanzania and shares the same national visa system, one e-visa or visa on arrival works for both the mainland and the islands, but since 1 October 2024, every visitor arriving in Zanzibar specifically has also needed mandatory travel insurance from the government-run Zanzibar Insurance Corporation, priced around $44. It's a separate requirement from the visa itself, and it's easy to miss if you only researched the visa.
Your passport needs at least six months of validity from your entry date and at least one blank page. If your trip includes a wider East African safari circuit, Kenya and Uganda especially, a multiple-entry visa is worth arranging instead of the standard single-entry option.
The terms people mix up
Ordinary visa
The standard single-entry tourist or business visa, $50, valid 90 days. Covers both mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar under one application.
Visa on arrival
The same ordinary visa, arranged in person at the airport instead of online in advance. Available at Zanzibar's own international airport as well as Dar es Salaam and Kilimanjaro.
Zanzibar mandatory travel insurance
A separate requirement specific to Zanzibar, not the rest of Tanzania. Purchased through the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation, currently around $44, covering up to 92 days.
Multiple-entry visa
A $100 option valid for up to a year, useful if your trip crosses in and out of Tanzania, for a Kenya or Uganda safari leg, for instance.
The mix-up that trips people up: people either assume Zanzibar needs its own separate visa from mainland Tanzania, or forget it needs anything beyond the standard visa at all. Neither is quite right, the visa is shared, but the mandatory insurance genuinely is Zanzibar-specific.
What you need for each type of trip
| Purpose of visit | What's required | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Tourism or business, arranged before you fly | E-visa, $50, up to 90 days | E-visa available |
| Tourism or business, arranged at the airport | Visa on arrival, $50, up to 90 days | Visa on arrival |
| Entering Zanzibar specifically, any visa type | Mandatory travel insurance, roughly $44 | Separate requirement |
| Multiple entries, e.g. combined with a Kenya or Uganda safari | Multiple-entry visa, $100, valid up to one year | E-visa available |
| Business trips needing longer engagement | Business visa, $250 | Visa required |
| Transiting through, under 48 hours | Transit visa, $30 | Visa required |
| Volunteering or paid work | Separate work permit via the Prime Minister's Office, arranged by employer | Visa required |
There's no separate "Zanzibar visa," only a Tanzanian one
Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, but for visa purposes it shares the same national immigration system as the mainland. Whichever visa you arrange, e-visa or visa on arrival, works for both, one application covers a trip that includes Zanzibar's beaches and a Serengeti safari on the mainland without needing to apply twice. Searching "Zanzibar visa" makes sense given it's most UK travelers' actual destination, but there's no Zanzibar-specific visa process sitting apart from Tanzania's.
But Zanzibar does have its own extra requirement
Here's the flip side, and it's the detail most general Tanzania visa guides don't mention at all. Since 1 October 2024, every visitor arriving in Zanzibar specifically has been required to hold mandatory travel insurance issued by the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation, a government-run body. It costs roughly $44 and covers a stay of up to 92 days. This is entirely separate from your visa and its fee, holding a valid e-visa or visa on arrival doesn't cover this requirement, and vice versa.
Where this actually catches people: travelers researching "Tanzania visa requirements" in general often never come across the Zanzibar-specific insurance mandate, since it doesn't apply to a mainland-only trip. If Zanzibar is anywhere on your itinerary, budget for this separately and arrange it alongside your visa, not instead of it.
E-visa vs visa on arrival: which to pick
Both routes get you the same 90-day ordinary visa, so the choice comes down to how much you'd rather sort out before you fly. The e-visa is applied for through the official Tanzania Immigration portal, takes roughly 5 to 10 working days to process, and arrives by email as a printable approval, worth doing well ahead of a trip during busy travel periods.
Visa on arrival is available at Zanzibar's own Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, as well as Dar es Salaam and Kilimanjaro if you're routing through the mainland first. It's straightforward if you're prepared, cash in hand, ideally USD, since card payments aren't always accepted. Without an e-visa already arranged, the airport process can involve queuing for a control number, queuing again to pay at a bank counter, queuing again for the visa itself, and a final queue for immigration to check it, which can take up to two hours in total.
My honest take: the e-visa is worth arranging in advance almost every time, given how much longer the on-arrival process can run without one. Save visa on arrival for situations where your travel plans changed too late to apply online.
Safari circuits, multiple entries, and longer stays
If your trip is genuinely just Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania, the standard single-entry ordinary visa covers it. If your itinerary crosses into Kenya or Uganda and back, common on longer East African safari circuits, the $100 multiple-entry visa, valid for up to a year, avoids needing a fresh visa each time you cross back into Tanzania.
Business visits needing more formal engagement than a standard meeting or two use the $250 business visa category instead of the ordinary visa. Anyone volunteering or taking up paid work needs a separate permit arranged through the Prime Minister's Office, which your employer or host organization should be handling well before you travel, not something a tourist visa of any length covers.
How to actually apply
- Apply for the e-visa online through visa.immigration.go.tz, ideally 3 to 4 weeks ahead. Processing typically takes 5 to 10 working days.
- Budget separately for Zanzibar's mandatory travel insurance if Zanzibar's on your route. It's roughly $44 and completely separate from the visa fee.
- Check your passport clears six months of validity with at least one blank page. Both are checked regardless of which visa route you use.
- Carry USD cash if you're getting a visa on arrival instead. Card payments aren't always accepted, and having exact change speeds things up.
- Choose the multiple-entry option upfront if your trip crosses into Kenya or Uganda. It's simpler than repeating the process each time you cross back.
- Sort a work permit through your employer or host organization if you're volunteering or working. No tourist-category visa covers this, regardless of length.
Common questions
What are the actual visa requirements for Zanzibar from the UK?
British citizens need a visa, either an e-visa arranged online before travel or a visa on arrival at the airport, both covering 90 days for around $50. Zanzibar also requires separate mandatory travel insurance on top of the visa.
Is Zanzibar's visa different from the rest of Tanzania's?
No. One e-visa or visa on arrival covers both mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. What is Zanzibar-specific is the mandatory travel insurance, which the mainland doesn't require.
Do I still need the Zanzibar travel insurance if my e-visa is already approved?
Yes. The insurance and the visa are entirely separate requirements. Having one doesn't cover the other, and both are needed if Zanzibar is part of your trip.
How much does a Zanzibar or Tanzania visa cost for British citizens?
The standard single-entry ordinary visa is $50, covering 90 days. A multiple-entry visa valid for a year costs $100, and a transit visa under 48 hours costs $30.
Is it faster to get a visa on arrival or apply for an e-visa in advance?
The e-visa is almost always faster overall. Without one, the on-arrival process at the airport can take up to two hours, involving several separate queues.
Do I need a different visa if my trip also includes Kenya or Uganda?
You'll need each country's own entry requirements met separately, but for repeated crossings back into Tanzania specifically, a multiple-entry Tanzania visa is worth arranging instead of a single-entry one.
Final verdict
Zanzibar visa requirements from the UK come down to one visa, shared with the rest of Tanzania, plus one easy-to-miss Zanzibar-only insurance requirement layered on top. The one thing actually worth doing before you book anything is arranging the e-visa in advance rather than counting on visa on arrival, and budgeting separately for the Zanzibar travel insurance so it doesn't come as a surprise once you've already landed.
Sources: Tanzania High Commission in the United Kingdom, visa notice for UK and Irish applicants · Tanzania Immigration Department, official e-visa portal guidance · VisasNews, Zanzibar mandatory travel insurance coverage · rules change, confirm current requirements at visa.immigration.go.tz before booking.