With the outbreak of COVID-19 becoming a global pandemic, Tanzania’s Immigration Department has adopted a flexible approach of granting a grace period to accommodate foreigners who are holders of residence permits, immigration passes and prospective foreign visitors.

The approach ensures that the immigration status of all foreigners remains legal, whilst the government closely monitors the entire COVID-19 outbreak situation.

The directives issued by the immigration department are as follows:

• Prospective visitors who were already granted Visa Grant Notices but were unable to travel to Tanzania have been granted an extension of three months period from their visa start date.
• Visitors whose visa or visitors passes have expired, or about to expire while they cannot leave Tanzania have been advised to report to the nearest immigration office for a one (1) month extension (free of charge) and if the situation persists after expiry of such extension, holders are advised to report to the immigration office in Kurasini Dar es Salaam.
• Holders of Residence Permits, Visitors Pass, Exemption Certificates and Dependant Pass which have expired: a one-month grace period will be given to stay in Tanzania. Upon expiry of said grace period they are advised to report to the immigration office in Kurasini Dar es Salaam for further directives.
• Holders of Residence Permits/Pass who have already surrendered their respective documents are required to report promptly to the immigration office in Kurasini Dar es Salaam for further directives.

With these directives, the immigration department states that all issued resident permits, im-migration passes and visas shall be regarded valid for the entire grace period until the immigration department issues directives otherwise.