Eligibility quiz
Were you adopted by someone who is a Tanzanian citizen now?
Benefits
Benefits for youBenefits for you
Live in Tanzania
You can live in Tanzania until the date your pass expires, as long as you meet its conditions.
Leave and return
You can leave and return to Tanzania while your pass and permission to return remain valid.
How to apply
Applying onlineApplying online
Start your application
Start a dependant pass application online and ask Immigration for written confirmation that your adoption can be considered under DP4. Choose the dependant pass option, enter the requested details and application centre, and get your application ID.
Start your applicationGather your documents
Prepare the documents Immigration asks for.
See required documentsDownload the application form
If Immigration asks you to submit a paper form, download the Application for First Grant or Renewal of Dependant’s Pass.
Download the formFill in the form
If Immigration asks for the paper form, complete and sign it as directed, using block capitals where requested. Attach your photograph.
Find form instructionsSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I fill in the Tanzania dependant pass application form?”
Complete your online application
Continue your application using your application ID and enter the requested information. Upload your documents as the portal directs.
Continue your applicationPay the fee
Pay the fee assessed by Immigration using the method shown in the portal or given by the office. The published DP4 fee for a near relative of a Tanzanian citizen is TSh 200,000, including re-entry.
Find payment instructionsSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I pay the Tanzania dependant pass application fee?”
Submit your application
Submit your completed application through the pass portal as directed.
Submit your applicationHand in your documents
Ask your selected application centre how to send or bring the printed, signed form and supporting documents. Hand them in as the centre instructs.
Find submission instructionsSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I hand in a Tanzania dependant pass application to my selected application centre?”
Wait for the decision
Check your application status online using your email, application ID and security answer. Respond to any questions or requests for more documents from Immigration.
Check your statusReceive your pass
Once approved, follow Immigration’s instructions to collect or receive your dependant pass and complete any arrival or registration steps it gives you. You can then use the pass as permission to stay in Tanzania under its conditions.
Find collection instructionsSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I receive my Tanzania dependant pass after approval?”
Documents needed
Family certificates and recordsFamily certificates and records
Adoption certificate
Provide certified evidence of your adoption by your Tanzanian parent. DP4 does not specifically list adoption, so ask Immigration to confirm in writing whether it applies to you. If you are under 18, DP2(a) specifically covers a child of a Tanzanian citizen and accepts an adoption certificate.
Parent's passport or ID
Provide a copy of your Tanzanian parent's passport or their national ID. Your parent is the person sponsoring your application.
Considerations
Things to think aboutThings to think about
Dependence and reporting
You must remain dependent for support on the person who applied for your pass, who must have enough assured income and suitable housing for you.
If you stop being a dependant, you must tell the nearest immigration office within 30 days; failing or refusing to do so is an offence.
Renewal limits for men
A pass for a man over 18 lasts at most two years unless renewed.
Renewal needs the Minister’s consent, unless Immigration considers that age, infirmity or sickness prevents him from supporting himself.
Work and business limits
You need written permission from the Director of Immigration Services to work, trade, run a business or practise a profession, and must stay within what is allowed.
Pass can expire
Your pass ends on its expiry date or if the person who applied for you stops living in Tanzania, or, if a citizen, loses citizenship or stops normally living there.
It also ends one month after their death, unless Immigration allows longer, or one month after a male holder turns 18.
Unauthorised work or business also ends it; when it expires, you must leave or get another valid status.
Discuss
Online communitiesOnline communities
Residents of Zanzibar
English Facebook group for people interested in Tanzanian visas and local life
Join on FacebookExpatriates in Dar es salaam
English Facebook group for people living in Tanzania interested in Tanzanian local life
Join on FacebookExpats in Arusha
English Facebook group for people living in Tanzania interested in Tanzanian local life
Join on FacebookConsultation
Talk to a professionalTalk to a professional
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