Tanzania Travel Insurance for Visitors: How to Pay on the Official Website and Avoid Scams

Since 1 October 2026, foreign visitors entering Tanzania must buy inbound travel insurance as an entry requirement. It is set out in Government Notice No. 256 of 2026 from the Ministry of Finance, made under the Insurance Act. This guide explains the basics and, most importantly, how to pay on the real government systems and not on a copycat site.

This is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Rules can change, so always confirm the details on the official sites below before you travel.

What the notice says

• Who: foreign nationals entering Tanzania. The notice does not list any exemptions, so check the official portal for your situation before assuming you are exempt.
• What it costs: USD 44 per visitor, as stated in the notice. Check the portal for how children are priced.
• How long it lasts: up to 92 days.
• Which insurer: it depends on where you first enter. If you arrive on the mainland, you buy from the National Insurance Corporation (NIC). If you first enter through Zanzibar, you buy from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC).
• It is separate from your own insurance. Your private travel or medical policy does not replace this requirement.
• Buy before you fly. The government advises getting it before you travel so entry goes smoothly.

The official websites

• Mainland Tanzania (NIC): inbound.nicinsurance.co.tz
• Zanzibar (ZIC): inbound.visitzanzibar.go.tz

The links above go straight to these two addresses and open in a new tab. If you find the site any other way, for example through a search, a message or an ad, type the address yourself instead. Some documents online show these addresses with typing errors, so do not copy an address from a screenshot or a chat message.

How to avoid scammers

1. Do not click links in emails, WhatsApp messages, social media posts or ads. Always use the official address above or type it yourself.
2. Check the address bar before you pay. The mainland site belongs to NIC and the Zanzibar site ends in .go.tz. A slightly different spelling, extra words or another ending means it is not the official site.
3. Search results can include paid ads from copycats. Skip the ads and go straight to the address above.
4. Never pay a person. Do not send money by mobile money, bank transfer, gift cards or crypto to someone who offers to “process” your insurance, including people claiming to be agents, tour operators’ staff or officials messaging you.
5. Be suspicious of extra fees. The price in the notice is USD 44 per visitor. A site charging much more is probably a middleman or a fake.
6. Only enter your card details on the official payment page. Look for the padlock and the correct address before you type anything.
7. Keep your certificate. After paying you should receive your policy document. Keep a digital copy on your phone and a printed copy, in case you are asked for it.
8. Check your tour operator or host. Your host or tour operator can tell you the rule, but they should send you to the official site, not take your payment themselves.

If something goes wrong

If you suspect you paid a fake site, contact your bank or card issuer immediately and report it to the police. For questions about a real policy, use the contact details published on the official portal.

Plan your stay

Once your insurance is sorted, you can book a verified home in Zanzibar or Dar es Salaam on Boma. Boma does not sell this insurance and is not connected to NIC or ZIC.

Sources: Ministry of Finance public notice on GN No. 256 of 2026, as published by the Tanzania Embassy in Rome on 27 September 2026, and the Association of Tanzania Travel Agents (ATTA) implementation update.