Kenyans are facing growing barriers to trade and employment in Tanzania due to hefty entry charges and restrictive work permit policies, despite both countries being members of the East African Community (EAC).
Tanzania currently imposes a $100 (Ksh12,924) Business Pass fee for every entry by Kenyan businesspersons, truck drivers, and temporary workers.
This practice contrasts sharply with Kenya’s zero-fee policy for EAC nationals under the EAC Common Market Protocol.
The Business Pass, introduced under Tanzania’s Non-Citizen (Employment Regulation) Act of 2015, was originally priced between $250 (Ksh 32,310) and $500(Ksh 64,620) per entry but was later revised to a flat fee of $100 for EAC nationals.
The fee applies to business-related visits, temporary assignments, and short-term employment, including transport and logistics operations.
Truck drivers and businesspeople crossing the border multiple times face repeated charges, which in turn inflate transport costs and discourage the use of Kenyan trucks for cross-border trade.
Truck Drivers, Businesspeople Pay Ksh 12,924 for Single Entry
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said these extra expenses are making Kenyan goods less competitive in Tanzania’s market and forcing traders to rely on Tanzanian alternatives.
Business leaders say delays and uncertainties in the processing of permits and passes in Tanzania — which can take up to a year — are hurting commerce and mobility. Renewals are limited, and after five years, Kenyans are no longer eligible for extension.
Also Read: Warning Issued After Ruto’s Letter on Tanzania Trade Ban
Kenya raised concerns during a bilateral technical meeting with Tanzania in Nairobi on 13–14 January 2025, arguing that the charges create unfair economic disadvantages for Kenyan businesses and workers in Tanzania.
It requested reciprocal treatment and a waiver of the business pass fee; a matter now set for further discussion at the 9th Joint Technical Committee meeting in September 2025.
Furthermore, businesspeople travelling to meet their clients and customers in Tanzania are also subjected to the charge of KSh 12,924 per entry.
The situation is exacerbated by the uncertainty on the duration of stay in Tanzania, as this is usually based on the discretion of the immigration officer at the points of entry into Tanzania.
Truck drivers transiting through Tanzania are forced to make fresh payments on return, as the charges are imposed per entry.
Mudavadi said this subjects the Kenyan businesspeople and drivers to inadvertent offenses and penalties provided in the Tanzanian laws.
Also Read: Kenya Takes Action After Tanzania Bans Foreigners from Select Businesses
What Kenyans Pay for a Work Permit in Tanzania
Besides the Business Pass for temporary assignments, Kenyans working in Tanzania pay high charges for work permits ranging from USD 550-1500 (Ksh 71,082-Ksh193,860), depending on the type of residence permit, with dependents paying an extra USD 500 per person.
The issuance and renewal of work permits to Kenyan businesspeople in Tanzania takes up to one year.
Further, Kenyans cannot get a work permit extended after working in Tanzania for five years. The Work Permit is for a period of two years, and Kenyans can only renew once.
A student pass is tied to the work permit, which affects the children of Kenyan workers enrolled in the country’s learning institutions.
When Kenyans are re-entering Tanzania to continue with their employment, especially after visiting Kenya, they are issued a temporary work permit.
Currently, it takes more than three weeks to get approval, forcing Kenyans to stay without their passport before the immigration releases the passports.
A spouse of a Kenyan cannot engage in any economic activity as long as their name appears in the Principal’s Resident Permit, including opening a bank account. This also applies to their children.
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