Information for Travelers
The links below provide updated information on current Tanzanian and worldwide travel conditions
Tanzania, Country Specific Information
As needed the Consular Section sends out Warden Messages to the registered American community in Tazania. The most recent are below:
February 2009 Update from American Embassy, Dar es Salaam
(Sent via email to all registered Americans on February 3, 2009)
Hello. Below is a collection in no particular order of information we think is important for American citizens in Tanzania.
PASSPORTS:
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Without peeking, can you say when your passport expires? If you can’t, you need to check it today. You do not want any surprises the next time you travel especially if it is an unexpected trip. And remember the kids. Their passports expire more often than those for adults.
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If your passport is expiring in the next several months, start acting now to get it renewed and avoid last minute hassles. We understand that the renewal of the Tanzanian residence permits requires a passport valid for least six more months.
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We renew passports at the Embassy. Our office hours are Mon-Thur 8 – 4 and Fri 8 – 10. No appointment necessary. At the Consular Entrance guardhouse, ask for American Citizen Services.
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Passports are printed in the U.S. and sent to us in Dar es Salaam. Once you submit your application, we get the new passport in about seven working days. You will keep your old passport until we actually hand over your new one.
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For children (under 16), we need to see the child as well as both parents.
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For more information, please check our website at http://tanzania.usembassy.gov/ for more information on renewing passports.
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Also, please check your passport pages. If your passport is getting full with visa stamps, you can get additional pages added. This takes about 30 minutes and again no appointment is necessary. Remember that South Africa requires two adjoining completely blank pages for their visa.
CITIZENSHIP
Under American law, in almost every case, an American parent “transmits” citizenship to a child born overseas. This is true regardless of whether the child’s parents are married or the American parent is a citizen by birth or naturalization. If you are expecting a child to be born or have had a child here (or in Europe, Kenya, South Africa, or somewhere else outside the United States) please contact us now to arrange for the documentation of your child’s citizenship. If you know an American citizen in this situation, please advise them to contact us. In some cases, a child loses rights to citizenship if his or her parents do not act before he or she turns eighteen.
TRAVEL:
Before you travel to another country, a great resource to check is the guidance the Department of State is giving to Americans about the situation there. For every country in the world, the Department maintains Country Specific Information pages. This information covers entry requirements, crime, security, health, and many other topics. The Department website is http://travel.state.gov
The Department also maintains a system of travel alerts and warnings to notify Americans about possible risks and security threats in a country. In our region, there are current Travel Warnings for the following countries:
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• Burundi
• Chad
• Congo, Dem. Rep. of the
• Eritrea
• Kenya
• Somalia
• Sudan
• Zimbabwe
ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization)
You may have heard about the new ESTA requirement for travel to the United States.
The first and most important thing to know about ESTA is that it DOES NOT APPLY TO AMERICAN CITIZENS. American passport holders do not need any advance authorization ever to go to the United States.
ESTA is mandatory for persons seeking to enter the United States on the Visa Waiver Program. The Visa Waiver Program allows citizens of certain countries (mostly those in Western Europe as well as Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Japan) to enter the United States for tourism and stay less than 90 days. Travelers must seek this authorization at least 72 hours before travel to the United States. Once obtained, the authorization is valid for two years. Therefore, travelers can and should apply online well as soon as they think they may be traveling. If you know someone who may fit this criteria, you could help them by advising them to log-on to https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/esta.html?_flowExecutionKey=_cA59F9235-EC52-85E1-A0F5-CCB72CB6D90B_k5278F692-57AC-FB8C-4711-B2955420DD69
Some other point to know:
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ESTA does not apply to Green Card holders or Canadian citizens. No prior authorization is necessary for either group to travel to the United States.
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ESTA does not apply to anyone who has a valid visa or is required to have a visa to enter the United States. This covers citizens of many countries including Tanzania, South Africa, and Kenya. It also covers any person of any citizenship going to the United States for study, diplomatic assignment, exchange programs, or employment.
CONTACTING THE EMBASSY:
At the Embassy, the Consular Section provides services for American Citizens. Our contact information is:
Telephone: (22) 266-8001 x 4122 (for after hours emergencies, wait for the US Marine who will put you through to the Duty Officer)
Email: DRSACS@state.gov
Mail: PO Box 9123, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
In-person: 686 Old Bagamoyo Road, Kinondoni, Dar es Salaam;
Our public hours are Mon – Thurs 8 – 4; and Fri 8 - 10.
More information about our services and the Embassy in general is on our website: http://tanzania.usembassy.gov
REGISTRATION:
You are receiving this Email because you registered with the Department of State as an American citizen residing in or visiting Tanzania. This is a good thing. If you know of American citizens here who are not getting this email, please pass this along and let them know that we strongly urge them to register with the Department of State. Registration not only gets you our email messages. It helps us help you in an emergency. Americans register on-line at http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/tips/registration/registration_1186.html