Tanzania Investor Visa

The Tanzania Investor Visa (i.e. Class A Residence Permit) grants foreign investors the right to live in and operate businesses, with no minimum stay requirement to maintain the permit.

Mainland investments require US$500,000 minimum across sectors, including manufacturing, mining, real estate, and professional services.

Semi-autonomous Zanzibar offers lower entry points at US$100,000 for approved real estate projects, US$300,000 for general business, and US$2,500,000 for hotel development.

The program includes three subcategories: A1 for Professional Artists, A2 for Diaspora Investors, and A3 for Industry and Other Sectors.

To qualify for the Tanzania Residence Permit Class A, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Class A1: Professional Artist Investors

• Foreign artists and creative professionals must invest a minimum of US$500,000 in mainland Tanzania for art-related business ventures including visual arts, performing arts, music, film, or creative industries.

• Applicants must demonstrate professional artistic credentials and provide a business plan outlining their artistic venture’s economic contribution.

Class A2: Diaspora Investors

• Foreign nationals of Tanzanian origin or descent must invest a minimum of US$500,000 in mainland Tanzania across any qualifying commercial sector.

• Applicants must provide proof of Tanzanian heritage through birth certificates, family documentation, or previous citizenship records.

Class A3: Foreign Industrial Investors

• Mainland Tanzania Requirements

• Foreign investors must invest a minimum of US$500,000 in qualifying sectors, including manufacturing, mining, large-scale agriculture, real estate development, professional services, or trade ventures demonstrating economic impact.

• Projects creating 1,000+ senior local employment positions qualify for strategic investment permits with enhanced tax advantages at minimum US$500,000+ depending on project scale.

• Zanzibar Requirements

• Real estate development: US$100,000 minimum

• General business ventures: US$300,000 minimum

• Hotel and tourism development: US$2,500,000 minimum

General Requirements for All Categories

• Applicants across all three categories must establish a registered business entity in Tanzania, transfer investment capital into Tanzanian financial institutions, obtain necessary business licenses and tax registration, secure a work permit, and maintain valid passport documentation.

• Company registration must be completed with BRELA for mainland or ZBPRA for Zanzibar, and investors must demonstrate financial capacity through audited statements and bank documentation showing the source of funds.

• Path to citizenship
• Warm climate
• Low taxes
• Low cost of living
• English widely spoken (alongside Swahili as the national language)

Tanzania has no “permanent residence” status; long-term stay is via renewable residence permits. Naturalization in Tanzania requires lawful residence for at least 7 out of the 10 years preceding the application, with the final year continuous.

Applicants must be of good character, have adequate knowledge of Kiswahili or English, intend to reside in Tanzania, and show they can contribute to the country; approval is discretionary.

The Class A Residence Permit (for investors/self‑employed) is renewable if the conditions continue to be met, and time spent under a valid Class A permit typically counts toward the residence requirement, subject to the authorities’ assessment of ordinary residence and continuity.

Tanzania does not recognize dual citizenship for adults, so applicants must renounce other citizenships before being granted Tanzanian citizenship.

Browse 195 countries’ paths to citizenship in the hyper-detailed IMI Citizenship Catalog.

Applications for this program may be directed to: Tanzania Immigration Department, Ministry of Home Affairs

Legislation upon which this program is based: The Tanzania Immigration Act, 1995 and The Immigration Regulations, 1997 (as amended), in conjunction with the Tanzania Investment Act, 2023