Arrival at Zanzibar airport: insurance, visa and formalities

Many travelers wonder what the arrival at Zanzibar Airport (Abeid Amani Karume International Airport – ZNZ) is like after landing.

Here are the different steps you will generally follow once you have disembarked from the plane, to better prepare for your arrival on the island.

First step: the mandatory insurance check

Upon exiting the plane, you will arrive directly at the mandatory insurance check in Zanzibar.

There are generally two lines:

  • one for travelers who have already purchased their insurance online,
  • another for those who still need to subscribe on-site.

 

If you already have your insurance, you generally just need to present the QR code for validation.

On the other hand, if you need to do it directly at the airport, the wait may be a bit longer depending on the crowd.

Second step: the Zanzibar / Tanzania visa

After passing the insurance check, you will head down to the area dedicated to visas.

Again, there are two situations:

  • either you have already obtained your visa online before departure,
  • or you need to do it directly upon arrival.

 

Travelers without a visa will need to:

  1. complete the formalities on-site,
  2. make the payment,
  3. and then validate their file before passing through customs.

Customs clearance and baggage claim

Once the formalities are completed, you can pass through customs and then collect your luggage if it has arrived with your flight.

Before exiting the airport, bags generally go through one last security scanner.

Is a suitcase missing? It happens, check all our tips on preventing lost luggage here.

Welcome to Zanzibar

After the checks and exiting the airport, you will finally arrive outside, under the heat and sun of Zanzibar.

It is generally at this moment that:

  • drivers,
  • hotels,
  • agencies,
  • or private transfers

are waiting for travelers to take them to their accommodation.

If needed, we offer an airport-hotel transfer service, contact us!

About the author

Violette has been living in Zanzibar for several years. She knows the archipelago like the back of her hand and answers travellers’ questions on a daily basis. Through her videos, she shares practical advice based on her first-hand experience.

Plan your trip to Zanzibar with us

In addition to our travel advice, our team at One Love Tours & Safaris helps travellers plan their excursions, safaris and experiences in Zanzibar and Tanzania every year.

Our local team will help you plan a trip tailored to your preferences, offering personalised advice and on-the-ground support.

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