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Does Tanzania stamp your passport?

Yes, Tanzania stamps your passport and it is a standard procedure in the country’s immigration system. Whether you are entering Tanzania for tourism, business, or transit purposes, it is standard practice to receive a passport stamp at all official entry points, including international airports, land border crossings, and seaports

What the Tanzania Passport Stamp Includes

The Tanzanian entry stamp generally includes the following information:

  • Date of entry
  • Port of entry (e.g. Julius Nyerere International Airport, Namanga Border, Port of Zanzibar)
  • The type of visa issued (e.g. tourist visa, business visa, transit visa or visa on arrival)
  • Legal amount of time allowed to stay (usually 30 or 90 days to visit, on business or tourist missions)

There is also an exit stamp you get as you leave the country, your date and place of departure are also noted. This assists immigration to monitor the adherence of visitors with the stipulated time of stay given.

Who Gets Their Passport Stamped?

Any foreign nationals arriving in Tanzania will have their passports stamped at the point of entry whether you have an eVisa, a visa on arrival or a pre-approved consular visa. Even the nationals of East African Community (EAC) which can travel without a visa, shall have their travels recorded by way of entry and exit stamp so as to keep a record.

Importance of Getting Your Passport Stamped

  • Functions as the formal evidence of legal immigration into the nation.
  • Indicates how long you can stay in Tanzania legally.
  • Saves you in an event you are asked questions concerning your stay by the immigration authorities.
  • Prevents overstay fines or future difficulties with a visa.

It is important that travelers ensure that the stamp is readable and right. In case your visa is in order, biometric data may be collected at some ports of entry, particularly for long-term visa holders or when additional verification is required, your return or onward travel ticket from Tanzania, and accommodation details would be checked, once you pass the checks, immigration officers will stamp your passport. 

Tanzania eVisa and Passport Stamping

In case you submitted an application for a Tanzania eVisa, remember that you need to print the approval grant notice and bring it when arriving. Even though your passport has been approved in advance, it will still be stamped upon entering the country so as to ensure your physical presence in the country to officially begin the countdown of your approved stay duration in the country

What Happens If You Don’t Get a Stamp?

In case, due to whichever reason, your passport may not be stamped:

  • You might face the charge of illegal entrant, especially when exiting the country or during routine immigration checks
  • You might get fined, penalized, or prohibited to travel in the future.
  • After clearing immigration, always check your passport to ensure that the stamp is present and the details are correct

Conclusion

In summary, Tanzanian immigration officers stamp your passport as a normal occurrence in immigration procedures of every traveler. The stamp affirms your entry or arrival and specifies the type of visa you are having and the duration you are staying in the country as well as guaranteeing that your travels are documented. Be it by air, land or sea, ensure that you are able to receive a clear stamp on your passport that all the information is accurate so that you are able to relax throughout your stay in this East African Paradise.

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