Tanzania Slaps Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola With New Travel Restrictions

Southern Times
Dec 17, 2018
George Tubei

Tanzania has announced that citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola, who are members of the Southern Africa Development Community, will now no longer be issued with visa-on-arrival.

Only those who hold diplomatic passports from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola are allowed visa-free entry.

Magufuli’s administration has slapped Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola with new travel restrictions barely months after Africa vowed to open up its borders.

Tanzania has announced that citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola, who are members of the Southern Africa Development Community, will now no longer be issued with visa-on-arrival but rather ‘queue’ like the rest.

Immigration Department spokesman Ally Mtanda said the change was made “in the best interest of the nation and for security.”

Mtanda told The EastAfrican that the restriction applies to holidaymakers, businesspersons and investors from those listed countries, and that the decision had been communicated to them.

Only those who hold diplomatic passports from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola are allowed visa-free entry.

Until the revocation, the two African nations citizens had been entering Tanzania visa-free.

The two join citizens from Nigeria, Djibouti and Ethiopia who also once enjoyed the visa-on-arrival privilege but are now required to apply for the entry permit three months ahead of their travel, following the policy change by Tanzania.

Asian states Pakistan, Palestine and Yemen are also on the list of countries affected by the policy change.

Tanzania has, in the recent past, cracked down on illegal immigrants, arresting mostly Ethiopians en route to South Africa.

Some of them are currently serving jail terms in Tanzanian prisons while others were deported. –

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