The Tanzanian Government has initiated diplomatic consultations with the US following reports that the East African country could face travel restrictions amid a broader migration crackdown led by the administration of US President Donald Trump.
In a public statement, the Government Spokesperson and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Mr Gerson Msigwa, confirmed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was in contact with US authorities to address specific concerns regarding immigration and consular processes.
“The Tanzanian Government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has initiated consultations with our US counterparts to identify areas that need attention to prevent Tanzania from being among the countries whose citizens may be restricted from entering the US,” Mr Msigwa said.
According to the US State Department’s 2023 data, Tanzanian citizens were issued 332 immigrant visas (equal to 0.6% of all visas issued to African citizens) and 8,170 non-immigrant visas, which is approximately 1.37% of the total visas issued across the continent.
By comparison, Kenya led the East African Community (EAC) bloc with 2,411 immigrant visas and 28,305 non-immigrant visas. Rwanda followed with 879 immigrant visas, while Uganda and Burundi received 460 and 16 visas, respectively. Uganda also received 9,623 non-immigrant visas during the same period.
Internal diplomatic cables obtained by the Washington Post show that the US is reviewing 36 countries for full or partial travel bans if they fail to meet updated immigration and security criteria within 60 days. The list includes Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana and Egypt.
The memorandum, signed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, outlines key areas of concern, such as the production of secure and verifiable identification documents, passport integrity and cooperation in returning citizens subject to removal from the US. The memorandum also addresses visa overstaying and alleged anti-American activities by foreign nationals.
“We are constantly re-evaluating policies to keep Americans safe,” a senior State Department official said, without naming specific countries.
This latest development follows a memorandum earlier this month by President Trump that banned citizens from 12 countries, citing national security risks. The directive is part of an expanded immigration policy during Trump’s second term that includes restrictions on student visas and increased deportations. A similar ban targeting several Muslim-majority countries was upheld by the US Supreme Court in 2018.
Mr. Msigwa stressed that the Tanzanian government was urgently addressing the issue and pledged to keep citizens informed.
“We are committed to protecting the rights and freedoms of Tanzanian citizens abroad and cooperating on global security issues,” he said.
Tanzania’s inclusion on the US immigration watch list has raised concerns among civil society groups and stakeholders in the travel, education and business sectors. Many fear the designation could have negative impacts on bilateral relations, tourism, academic exchanges and trade.
In response, the government called for calm and assured the public that it was pursuing diplomatic channels to resolve the issue.