Tanzania

Compliance/Financial Considerations

If you intend to do any of the following in Tanzania, please contact Risk Services at risk@berkeley.edu or 642-5141:

  • Hire a local to work for you as an employee
  • Purchase or lease office or research space
  • Purchase or lease an automobile
  • Establish a long-term (over 90 days) or ongoing project
  • Conduct a clinical trial

U.S. GOVERNMENT COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS

Foreign activities may trigger many U.S. laws, including:

  • Import Controls
  • Export Controls
  • Tax Reporting
  • Foreign Bank Account Reporting
  • Country Embargoes and Targeted Sanctions
  • Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
  • Anti-Boycott Laws

Import Controls. UC employees must adhere to U.S. import requirements, and may need to enlist the services of a customs broker, especially for shipments arriving by sea and subject to the Importer Security Filing 71730, also known as ISF 10+2.

Export Controls. Export controls may apply to advanced software and technology, research data, and other sensitive assets. UC’s Export Compliance FAQ contains useful information and can be found here.  Go here for the University of California plan for compliance with federal export controls. If you plan on taking or sending potentially export-controlled materials to Tanzania, consult the campus Research Administration Compliance Office at 642-0120.

Tax Reporting. The University and its employees may be taxed in foreign countries. The United States does not have a tax treaty with Tanzania. For more information about double taxation issues, contact the Controller’s Office at:

Foreign Bank Account Reporting. The U.S. Treasury Department requires U.S. citizens with a financial interest in or signatory authority over a financial account in a foreign country, where accounts exceed $10,000 at any point during a calendar year, to report such accounts on a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FinCen Report 114). Those needing to complete the form should contact the Controller’s Office at cashiers@berkeley.edu or 643-9803 for assistance. An IRS 1040 Schedule B form (Part III–Foreign Accounts and Trusts) must be filed by the signatory for any foreign bank account, regardless of the account balance.

Country Embargoes and Targeted Sanctions. In general, collaborations between University personnel and scholars at foreign institutions or organizations do not require export licenses unless they involve export-controlled or -restricted research or involve scholars in sanctioned countries. Before engaging in an international collaboration, the University needs to determine whether export licenses are required and to verify that the foreign collaborator is not blocked or sanctioned. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is responsible for enforcing all U.S. embargoes and sanctions. Depending on each country’s embargo or sanction program, activities may be prohibited without specific authorization or license. UC’s International Collaborations webpage contains additional information on this topic.   

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) is intended to stop bribery. It prohibits offering to pay, paying, promising to pay, or authorizing the payment of money or anything of value to a foreign official. The term “foreign official” generally includes any employee or contractor of a foreign government, and may include individuals employed by foreign universities. It is also unlawful to make a payment to a third party knowing that all or part of the payment will go to a foreign official. For more information, review the federal government’s Resource Guide to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. If you need further clarification, contact the UC Berkeley Office of Legal Affairs at 642-7122.  Transparency International’s 2018 survey of perceived public sector corruption rated Tanzania at 36 out of 100 (99th out of 180 countries reviewed, i.e. corrupt).

Anti-Boycott Laws.  The U.S. Department of Commerce is responsible for oversight of laws prohibiting individuals and entities from participating in boycotts not approved or sanctioned by the U.S. government. The Export Administration Act requires that requests to participate in such boycotts or to conduct activities in any of the boycotting countries be formally reported to the Department of Commerce and/or IRS.

For other compliance-related issues, refer to UC’s International Compliance webpage.  

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR DOING BUSINESS INTERNATIONALLY

Foreign Bank Accounts. Employees wishing to open a foreign bank account should contact the Controller’s Office at cashiers@berkeley.edu or 643-9803. Requests to open accounts must be made through the Office of the President’s Banking and Treasury Services Group by the Chancellor or the Chancellor’s designee. 

Real Estate Agreements. Only employees with delegated authority to sign contracts on behalf of The Regents may enter into agreements, leases, or other contracts.  Foreign affiliates or operations must submit to the Real Estate Services Office property management agreements, personal property leases, or contracts with a term longer than one year or in an amount greater than $25,000 per year. The campus then seeks approval from the University president or designee. For more information, consult the Guidelines for the Establishment and Operation of Foreign Affiliate Organizations and Foreign Operations.

Articles

The US State Department's page on TANZANIA may be found HERE.

Personal Safety

AS OF NOVEMBER 5, AUTHORITIES ARE MAINTAINING MINIMAL MEASURES AS PART OF ITS RESPONSE TO THE SPREAD OF THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19). ALL INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS AND CROSS BORDER TRAFFIC ARE OPERATIONAL. ARRIVING INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED TO UNDERGO A 14 DAY QUARANTINE PERIOD. TRAVELERS ARE ALSO NO LONGER REQUIRED TO PRODUCE PROOF OF HAVING TESTED NEGATIVE FOR COVID-19 UPON ENTRY INTO TANZANIA UNLESS THEIR AIRLINE OR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN REQUIRE IT AS A CONDITION OF TRAVEL. TRAVLERS ARRIVING AT AIRPORTS, INCLUDING JULIUS NYERERE INTERNATONAL AIRPORT (DAR), MWANZA INTERNATONAL AIRPORT (MWZ), KILIMAJARO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (JRO) AND ABEID AMANI KARUME INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (ZNZ) ARE REQUIRED TO UNDERGO ENHANCED SCREENING FOR COVID-19 UPON ARRIVAL. PERSONS TESTING POSITIVE FOR THE DISEASE MAY BE REQUIRED TO SELF ISOLATE FOR UP TO 14 DAYS. ALL INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS ARE URGED TO ADHERE TO HYGIENE MEASURES, SUCH AS HAND WASHING, WEARING FACEMASKS, AND COMPLYING WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES. COVID-19 RELATED MEASURES MAY BE TIGHTENED OR EASED ON SHORT NOTICE. DISRUPTIONS TO SUPPLY CHAIN AND SHORTAGES OF ESSENTIAL GOODS ARE POSSIBLE.

Note: this page contains basic risk information. For more details, please contact the Risk Services Office at risk@berkeley.edu.

If you are traveling to Tanzania on University-related business, please sign up for the University’s travel insurance program by going here. For more information on the travel insurance program, please go here

Because everyone’s health is unique, we suggest seeking the advice of a medical professional before traveling internationally. Members of the campus community interested in protecting their health while abroad may schedule an appointment with the University Health Services International Travel Clinic

The quality of health care in Tanzania is poor. Evacuation to Kenya or South Africa is recommended in the event of a serious illness or injury. If the patient cannot be moved, contact Risk Services for assistance in identifying a recommended medical facility. If you need medication, bring enough for the duration of your stay, as not all medicines are available in Tanzania, and quality control remains a challenge despite the government’s good-faith efforts to improve it.

Air pollution can be a problem in urban areas. If you have a chronic respiratory condition such as asthma, please consult a medical professional prior to your trip and carry appropriate medications.

Travelers should assume the drinking water in Tanzania is contaminated. To reduce the risk of gastrointestinal discomfort or illness, drink only bottled, boiled, or purified water. Travelers should use sealed, well-recognized brands of bottled water whenever possible.

All food should be eaten well-cooked and hot. Fruits and vegetables should be peeled or soaked in disinfectant solution for at least 15 minutes prior to eating. Do not eat seafood from urban coastal areas, as it has likely been contaminated by raw sewage. Avoid seafood from the Nungwe Bay area of Lake Victoria, as gold mining has created elevated mercury levels in the sediment. Street vendors and other unregulated food distributors often maintain substandard hygiene regimens and should be avoided. Travelers should also avoid raw or undercooked meat dishes and unpasteurized dairy products, which frequently harbor bacterial and parasitic pathogens.

Travelers risk contracting a number of serious illnesses in Tanzania, including:

  • Malaria, transmitted via mosquito bites, year-round throughout the country. Risk is highest during the two rainy seasons (March through May and late-September through November) at altitudes below 6,000 feet.
  • Tuberculosis. The World Health Organization considers Tanzania a high-risk country. Travelers staying for an extended period should get a pre-departure PPD skin test. Avoid crowded public spaces and mass transportation whenever possible.
  • Dengue fever, transmitted by mosquitoes active during daylight.
  • Filariasis, a lymphatic condition caused by multiple mosquito bites, particularly in Arusha, Kigoma, and Rukwa.
  • Rift Valley Fever, spread by mosquitoes, usually during rainfall years, predominantly in Arusha, Kigoma, and Rukwa.
  • Typhoid, transmitted via contaminated water, milk, shellfish, and other foods.
  • Hepatitis A, transmitted via fecally-contaminated food and drink.
  • Leishmaniasis, transmitted by sand flies, in rural areas.
  • African sleeping sickness (trypanosomiasis), transmitted by tsetse flies, in rural areas.
  • Schistosomiasis, spread by parasites in fresh-water bodies, especially along the eastern coastal plain and in Rukwa and Kigoma.
  • Zika virus, transmitted primarily through mosquito bites.

Generally, the crime rate in Tanzania is moderate. Petty theft is common throughout the country. Violent crime is relatively common in major cities. Public transportation is widely used but unsafe for business travelers and should be avoided, as should automobile travel after dark.

Political demonstrations are rare, and if not approved by the government may lead to violence between police and protestors. Demonstrations occasionally occur in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar’s Pemba Island. If near a demonstration, seek shelter in a large hotel, restaurant, public building, hospital, or clinic. Terrorist acts are also unusual, but may increase due to growing sympathy in some sectors of the public for Al-Qaeda and the Somalia-based militant group Al-Shabaab.

Legal/Political

Criminal Penalties: You are subject to local laws. If you violate local laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Penalties for possession or sale of illegal drugs of any kind are severe in Tanzania, with a minimum sentence of seven years imprisonment for simple possession and 30 years to life for more serious charges. Furthermore, some laws are also prosecutable in the United States, regardless of local law. 

Arrest Notification: If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy immediately.

Photography: Photographing military installations is forbidden. Individuals have been detained and/or had their cameras and film confiscated for taking pictures of hospitals, schools, bridges, industrial sites, and airports. Sites where photography is prohibited are not always marked.

Animal products: In Tanzania, it is illegal to export an animal or animal part (including live or dead animal parts, such as skins, bones, teeth, and feathers) without export certification from the Tanzanian government. It is also illegal to export any such products received as a gift or exchange without the correct documentation. The penalties can range from a fine and/or two to five years imprisonment. Additionally, it is illegal to gather, collect, or remove flora or fauna, including seashells and ebony or mpingo wood. Penalties include a fine and/or imprisonment of up to two years.

What to Wear: While visiting Tanzania, you should dress modestly (upper arms and legs covered and no exposed midriffs) outside of the hotel or resort and when arriving and departing from Zanzibar.

Ramadan: During the holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims fast during daylight hours, avoid eating, drinking, smoking, or chewing gum in public except in hotels or restaurants.

Scams: U.S. citizens have been victims of scams involving the alleged sale of gold, diamonds, gemstones, minerals, and other natural resources. You should be very cautious of seemingly lucrative business opportunities offered by agents based in, or with ties to, Tanzania and neighboring countries.

There are also scams involving offers to arrange volunteer visas and safari excursions. Vet anyone offering to provide you such a service and check their references carefully.

LGBTI Rights: Tanzania’s penal code criminalizes consensual same-sex sexual activity on the mainland and on Zanzibar. Those arrested and charged for consensual same-sex sexual conduct may be sentenced up to thirty years in prison. Authorities use the penal code to intimidate and arrest individuals on the basis of their real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. Individuals detained under suspicion of same-sex sexual conduct may be subject to or threatened with forced anal examinations. Members of the LGBTI community may be denied entry to Tanzania by immigration authorities (including on Zanzibar) or once admitted may be targeted, harassed, and/or charged with unrelated offenses. Public displays of affection between persons of the same sex may be met with harassment or violence. Non-governmental organizations that support the LGBTI community and their staff may also be targeted, harassed, or have staff members detained by local authorities.