A new USD 45 tax for international flights’ passengers to be charged in Tanzania from November 2025
It will become even more expensive using international flights from Tanzania and vice versa, as the country slams airlines with new fees effective from November 2025.
Airline operators and ticket agencies reveal they have been served with notice announcing a new tax, coming shrouded in what is being described as ‘Passenger Facilitation Fee,’ or the ‘VI Tax,’ which became effective from the 15th of August 2025.
However, the government introduced fees will officially be executed from the first day of November 2025 onwards.
“Dear clients, we wish to inform you that the Government of Tanzania has introduced a new passenger facilitation fee; this will apply to all international fares travelling from the 1st November 2025 onwards,” reads a memo circulating around airlines and travel agency offices.
The new fees are charged at USD 45 per person on the ‘One Way,’ international journey, or USD 90 for two-way (Return) trip overseas.
The purpose for the said passenger facilitation fee, is reportedly for the installation of the alleged ‘Advanced Passenger Information,’ or API and the ‘Passenger Name Record (PNR) systems.
It has however not been explained if after the installation of such systems, Tanzania will stop demanding the USD 45 fee, or the new taxation will continue forever.
The new Passenger Facilitation Fee,’ or the ‘VI Tax,’ will be collected at the points of sale (POS) and displayed separately on the respective tickets.
All travelers, including children, are subjected to pay the Passenger Facilitation Fee, with the exception of infants under 2 years old and members of the airlines crew.
The new passenger facilitation charges comes just two months after another mandatory fee targeting air passengers was imposed.
This was the travel insurance charge of USD 44 per person for all foreign, non-residents visiting the country under any reason, including tourism.
It was among the new developments coming up from the country’s fiscal year budget for 2025/2026 as tabled at the National Assembly in Dodoma by the Minister of Finance.
The USD 44 mandatory travel insurance fee for foreign visitors will remain valid for 62 days, or two months’ policy, upon being purchased.
But the non-refundable, new travel insurance fee will not apply to people from the eight East African Community (EAC) member states, and it is possible that even indigenous nationals from the South African Development Community (SADC), may be exempted.
This new insurance for foreigners, possibly to be issued through the National Insurance Company (NIC) and its agents, may tip the scale on the expenses that tourists will be subjected to incur during their visits to Tanzania.
The explanation given is that the money will serve as a caution fee in case of emergency, that is to undertake medical covers, cushion accidents, baggage loss or damage and other incidents that will call for compensations to the affected visitors.