The restrictions affect selected categories of travel, with the US administration citing concerns over visa overstays among Tanzanian nationals.
Dodoma. The Tanzanian government has formally responded to the United States’ decision to impose partial travel restrictions on Tanzanian nationals, saying it will pursue diplomatic engagement while urging citizens to comply fully with visa regulations.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, the government confirmed that the US had placed Tanzania under a new category of partial entry restrictions, following a proclamation by President Donald Trump on December 16, 2025.
The restrictions affect selected categories of travel, with the US administration citing concerns over visa overstays among Tanzanian nationals.
The Tanzanian government acknowledged the basis of the decision but said it would continue engaging US authorities through diplomatic channels to resolve the issue. Talks will be conducted between Tanzania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the US Department of State.
“The Government will continue discussions with the United States through diplomatic means to find a lasting solution,” the ministry said.
The latest travel restrictions affect students, businesspeople, tourists, exchange programs, vocational programs, and immigrant visas. The new rules will take effect on January 1, 2026.
Tanzania is among 11 African countries affected by the measures, alongside Angola, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The US decision, the statement said, was based on findings that some Tanzanian nationals failed to comply with US visa conditions, particularly by overstaying beyond the permitted duration. This was reflected in the US Overstay Report, which indicated relatively high rates of visa overstays among Tanzanian citizens.
The report showed that Tanzania recorded an 8.3 percent overstay rate for B1/B2 visas, which are issued for business and tourism, while overstays for F, M and J visas, covering students, vocational trainees and exchange programme participants, stood at 13.97 percent.
According to the US authorities, these figures exceeded acceptable thresholds under US immigration policy, prompting Tanzania’s inclusion on the list of countries subject to visa restrictions.
The government has urged Tanzanians travelling to the United States to strictly comply with visa conditions and avoid overstaying, noting that adherence to the rules would support ongoing efforts to have the restrictions lifted.
