Passports, Visas, and Shots

Passports:

You will need a valid passport for your trip. It must remain valid for the entire stay and it is recommended that it be valid for 3 months from beyond the end of your trip.

If you already have a passport check its validity date and make sure that it will remain valid for three months past your trip end date.

The rule to remember is to apply early! It can take up to 6 weeks to get a routine passport. Expedited service is available but costs US$60.00 plus the cost of overnight delivery service. So the best plan is to apply early.

The best source of information and application forms is the U.S. State Department. This link will take you to their passport information.

Use this link to go to the U.S. State Department Website for Passport Information http://travel.state.gov/passport_services.html

Visas: Tanzania Government

You will need a valid Tanzania Visa. A tourist visa is normally good for one entry into Tanzania and for a period not to exceed 3 months. It cost Your best source of information about Tanzania Visas and to obtain a visa application is the official Tanzania Government website.

Use this to go to the official Tanzania Government Website Immigration Information (visa information). http://www.tanzania.go.tz/immigrationf.html

Some people prefer to use a visa service. There are a great many of them. They will take care of some of the details but at a charge. A visa service we have used in the past with good results is Perry International of Chicago IL They charge about US$93.00 plus shipping to process a Tanzania visa. Use this link to their website: http://www.perryvisa.com/visas/tanzania-tourist-US.pdf

Shots

The number of vaccinations that are required has dropped dramatically in recent years. In fact, coming from the USA there are no vaccinations required by the Tanzania government. But what is required and what is wise are completely different matters.  There is no one list of recommended vaccinations.  Each person must be evaluated by their doctor.

Also remember that in case of a medical emergency you may need to gain entry to another country (like South Africa). Consult your doctor and do it early as some shots require time between them and others cannot be taken together.

Here is the World Health Organization information for Tanzania taken from their website. You will notice that nothing is required coming from the USA. Take special notice of the advice on Malaria. You MUST be on a malaria prophylactic before you arrive and stay on one after you return.

TANZANIA, UNITED REPUBLIC OF
Capital: Dodoma
Altitude: 1150 m
Yellow fever: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age coming from infected areas. The countries and areas included in the endemic zones are considered as infected areas.
Malaria: Malaria ris k- predominantly due to P. falciparum - exists throughout the year in the whole country below 1800 m. P. falciparum resistant to chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine reported. Recommended prophylaxis: mefloquine.

Use this link to see more information on the issue of vaccinations on the World Health Organization website, cut and paste this link into your browser to access this pdf document:  http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2007/9789241580397_6_eng.pdf 

The Yellow Booklet: PHS-731

Vaccination and other health information is recorded in a little yellow booklet that is the approximate size of your passport. The name of the booklet is "International Certificates of Vaccination as approved by the The World Health Organization" and it is issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (document PHS-731) This booklet is an official record of your vaccinations and is accepted around the world by governments. It requires a signature of a doctor and other information to be recorded into it. It also has a place for recording your eye glass prescription, blood type, etc. Make sure your doctor has a PHS-731 booklet and he fills it out for you. You can see what one looks like and get ordering information (cost US$1.00) by using this link to the Centers for Disease Control Website. Use this link for yellow booklet information: http://www.cdc.gov/travel/icv.htm

We recommend from experience STAPLING your yellow booklet into the back of your passport. It will not get misplaced as easily.