sweetsleep

I am a US citizen and will depart from ZNZ in October. Our TA has already made an appointment for me and for my friends at a testing site closest to our hotel. As we get closer to departure from the US she will send final instructions on cost for this and if we must pay in USD or can use a Visa card. I will try to update once I know.
I was given both a reference number and a control number which is to be used for payment.
So my evisa is in process, all that is next is to get my same day RT PCR test outbound, get packed and fly! I cannot wait.

roadwarrier

No, could not find anything either. We got advice from the hotel Manager.

beastieb

I still have not received any information back from the Embassy, but we will have 2 nights at the Park Hyatt Zanzibar and I asked them if they had any further information.

They advised

"I have just contacted Covid center here in Zanzibar regarding your query, they have updated me that either PCR test or Rapid one requirements upon departure will depend with your flight carrier you are taking and also the country you are travelling. If none of them will require one then that’s okay at the airport upon departure"

That being said if anyone has been departing out of any of the Tanzania airports, if they can update what they are seeing at the airport it would be appreciated.

Thank you

lmk

IATA says that only passengers arriving from Brazil, Congo, USA, UK, South Africa, Uganda, Indonesia, Peru, India, & Philippines are subject to mandatory antigen testing on arrival.

We are South African residents and US citizens traveling on US passports, but will be arriving in Zanzibar after having spent 8 nights in Kenya -- so not "arriving from" any of the listed countries. Will we be subject to antigen testing on arrival in Zanzibar? And does anyone know what the cost is?

HHG

My understanding is that everyone is subject to antigen test on arrival. Passengers pay USD 25, and learn the result in 5 minutes then proceed to the immigration. As I did this on May 6th (just two days after they started the requirement), it was a bit chaotic and I had to wait for more than an hour for the test. You should read the posts of people who entered later than May. It seems they started an online form to be filled now (within 24 hours of arrival), which makes things easier.

I have entered Dar es Salaam twice in 2021 and never had a "bribing" request/problem in the immigration. I would say the immigration process went smooth. I went to Zanzibar from Dar es Salaam with ferry and did not witness a corruption problem in the Zanzibar immigration neither. But as I was arriving from Dar, I did not have to get a visa but just a quick passport check and stamping. I rented a car with a driver from Zanzibar ferry to Nungwi beach (for $28 roundtrip after negotiations) and was not stopped by police during the one-hour trip. Even if we were stopped, the local driver would have dealt with it

I left Dar es Salaam twice since May 1, 2021 so I took two PCR test in Dar es Salam. In both cases, I received the result within 36 hours or less (more like 24-30 hours). I used IST a private clinic in Masaki-Dar es Salaam (And I paid a total of $170). If I have it done in government hospitals, I would have paid only $100 and I heard things work smoothly in the government hospitals for the PCR test. The samples are sent to National Lab regardless of where the sample is taken. The results are obtained online so you do not have to go back to the hospitals but need a local phone number to my best knowledge. Make sure to learn the procedure to have PCR tests as you have to register to a government website, pay the fee, provide a local phone number, get an appointment for the PCR test. These things are not difficult though. I have also heard that a rapid test (not PCR test) is done in the airport (for departing KLM passengers especially but seems open to everyone) but not 100 percent sure. I hope this helps to some.

sweetsleep

I just went on the QR website to look at my booking and clicked on the "what you need to know" section. QR is stating that citizens arriving from the USA, South Africa, Great Britain, Brazil and India are now subject to a 14 day mandatory quarantine. My last check on their site only mentioned Brazil, India, SA had to quarantine but NOT the USA or Great Britain.
I visited the IATA site and there is no mention of quarantine for US citizens, just the PCR test before arrival and and the arrival antigen test.
Can any knowledgeable recent travelers confirm or refute the veracity of the QR site, or any other travel/government site?
Thanks in advance.

beastieb

We are heading to Tanzania in a few weeks. I can't find any other site other than QR saying USA and Britain. Hopefully it's a mistake. I will report back if I find anything else.

SanDiego1K

Here's what the US Embassy in Tanzania says.

https://tz.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/

Are U.S. citizens required to quarantine? No, except for certain circumstances.

• Travelers who test positive upon arrival are required to quarantine.
• All travelers arriving from India or having traveled through India in the last 14 days are required to quarantine for 14 days.

sweetsleep

I hope you are correct, SanDiego 1K!
I did email the US Embassy in Dar es Salaam and our Cape Town TA so hopefully they will provide correct information.
QR needs to take that mandatory quarantine down off their website if it is incorrect.
But the way things are now, everything could change by the time I depart on 9/29 from the US.

sweetsleep

Our TA in Cape Town unfortunately confirmed the latest news as of 8/31 that yes indeed, US, UK, SA, Brazil and Indian citizens have a mandatory 14 day quarantine on arrival at a "government designated facility"-horrors! She said that the news is just now being circulated so be on the lookout for any updates, ie, perhaps they will rescind this or at least permit vaccinated tourists in without quarantine and a neg PCR test. Quite odd this is happening when QR just increased their flights from DOH to JRO from 3x/week to 5x/week!
Stay tuned for more madness!

beastieb

How is there still nothing on official channels yet? What is happening to people arriving right now that weren't notified if this is the case?

beastieb

I just checked the QR website and they have removed the other countries on the list and its back to only India again. So it may be a mistake. I did see on the day you posted that it was there but looks like its changed back.

cheltzel

I checked a couple of other airline sites (LH, ET, and TK) on this and all three mention only requiring quarantine if you're Indian and coming from India or have travelled through india on your way to Tanzania (regardless of your nationality). Actually TK doesn't mention it, they just redirect you to the IATA Travel Centre.

sweetsleep

Oh happy day for all of our group if this is indeed a mistake. Phew!
Thank you to all of you fellow FTers!

roadwarrier

Oh yes, I am due back in 2 weeks time, so I really hope that there is no 14 day quarantine period.
The only airline that flies direct from JNB to DAR is Airlink, and the only information that they have is a statement from the Tanzanian Health Authority that is dated 3 May 2021, and considering that I have travelled to the Country twice after that date and never had to quarantine means there must be hope.