Border of Tanzania and Burundi | Customs and Immigration

We went from Tanzania to Burundi

In Tanzania we got an exit stamp and had to return the TIP and get the Carnet stamped out.

In Burundi first stop is the health check. The ladies check your temperature and they exchange money. We changed Tanzania Shillings to Burundi Francs for 1:1,9
Afterwards there’s some immigration checkpoint where they don’t stamp your passport and you have to answer some questions. Then in the next building there’s immigration and customs. All the way on the left is where you get your entry stamp, we already got our visas in Kigoma. On the right there are two customs doors. The left is where you pay 15$ for the TIP. He didn’t have 5$ change so I gave him 5€ and got 10$ back. You should probably bring the 15$ exactly. In the room next to it is where you get the actual TIP and then you’re done. Just a short check at the exit.

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From Tanzania to Burundi. Opens at 7 AM Burundian time (8 AM Tanzanian). Paid 40 USD for a 3 days transit visa. If you enter the 29 for example you have to be out on 31 at midnight (and not 72 h after you entered, so enter early if you are short in time and want to take advantage of a full first day). Changed imoney in the street just before the Burundian barrier on the road, at 1 TZS = 1.51 BIF. No harassmemt, everything quiet. The immigration office is 100 m after the barrier and not just before on the left. Be careful on the Tanzanian office that they put the right date on exit. Early on the morning they were not well awake and they put the date of the day before. This was not ok for Burundian officers and I had to go back to the Tanzanian office to make it change.

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TZ->BI
Exit TZ very easy done in 10min, including CDP. Enter BI, first a temperature screening (changed my TZS in BIF with the screening ladies for 1.7 exchange rate), I had done my transit visa in Kigoma the day before but you can do it at the border as well, then surprisingly my CDP was not accepted and the officer showed me some official looking documents so I had to pay USD 15 for my car, the whole process including long discussion for CDP/TIP took 45 min.

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I was stamped out in 5 minutes. No issues. Crossed from Burundi in to TZ

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BU->TZ
German passports with CdP

very quiet border, no hassle at all, clear directions where to go. Only fee is the TIP in TZ. We got 1 week for 12400TSh or $5 in cash.

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Tanzania > Burundi

Leaving Tanzania very easy, stopped on the right side first for customs and then at the house on the left for immigration. No queues.

Entered Burundi on transit visa that we obtained at the consulate in Kigoma in advance. First had to do temperature and yellow fever cert screen, and then exchanged some TSh we had left into BFr at a 1.55 rate with one of the guys that are waiting outside the health screen house. They initially offered a 1.2 rate, so you can definitely negotiate, maybe to something even better than 1.55.
Then moved on to immigration and then the customs office to pay the $15 for the TIP.

Took around 1hr overall I’d say, everyone very friendly, no asking for bribes.

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Tanzanian border very easy took 10minutes (including carnet). Burundi border very nice and efficient, took 20 minutes for 2 vehicles. IMPORTANT: payment in usd cash only with serial number starting above 29 (newer bills).

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Leaving Tanzania and entering Burundi by bicycle.

Tanzania immigration office was hectic but if you go in (building on the left) they’ll grab you and take you to a back room to get everything done.

Entering Burundi - it’s a couple of kms downhill on the paved road to the Burundian side. The immigration office is the blue building on the left. All very quick and easy. Yellow fever and COVID certificates are needed here. No bribes were asked for, it was all efficient and friendly.

If you’re buying Burundian Francs from money changers be aware that the official rate you see online is a bad deal. The black-market rate is much better.

As of Sept 2023 the official rate is: US$1 = 2,829BF.

The rate we were bought on the black-market US$1 = 4,000BF

We cycled to the ‘InterBank Burundi’ in Mabanda (20km from the border - good, paved road) where they offered us the blackmarket rate in exchange for US$. Make sure your US$ are dated after 2006 and are in good condition. They can also offer a good blackmarket rate on Tanzanian Shillings.

There is no ATM at the border, but there is one at the bank in Mabanda and many in Kigoma.

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Leaving TZ entering BI.

Leaving TZ was so easy and fast. First hand over the TIP, then proceed to immigration to get stamped out.

Drive to Burundi side. First we had to have our temperatures taken and yellow fever cards checked. The women then asked us for 'a little something'. They were not impressed when we said no.

Then to immigration to get stamped in (we got our visas in advance in Kigoma), then two doors down to customs for the TIP. TIP now costs $15 USD, payable in USD only. Was very quick.

Total time was around 1 hour.

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As described below…
just one thing don’t withdraw or change in the official rate (at the time 1$ ~ 2200FB in the bank and 4000FB in the black market), always ask or look for Indian guys in shops or stations

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Leaving Burundi entering TZ.
Simple exit from Burundi, officer spoke no English only French. Stamped out passports and then into the next office to stamp out carnet/TIP. A bit confusing where to go but it's small and someone will direct you.

It's quite a long drive from the Burundi to TZ offices! There's a sign to tell you to switch from right/left side of road or vice versa.

Entering TZ took forever but they were really relaxed and friendly, it was late and they actually were meant to be closed so we were thankful they allowed us! Careful of the one hour time difference.
First stop - health check for yellow fever and temperature.
Second - Immigration (if you're still within 90 days of an initial TZ visa you don't need a new one)
Third - Carnet/TIP and vehicle inspection. You can get transit TIP for $5 or a month for $20.

No need for anything covid related. There were a few money changer guys on Burundi side but that was it.

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Tanzania to Burundi (01.09.22) As of today you need a rapid COVID test (nasal- yikes!) to enter Burundi. Cost $15. You get the test before entering the gate. After test go to immigration to pay.

At the same place you pay for the test you can also pay the BIFranc 30,000 for the car TIP. Very nice officer called a money fixer to change $ to BIFranc (we showed the current online exchange rate).

Then go to immigration to get stamped in- we got our visa in Kigoma so the process at the border was fast.

COVID Test took the most time- and trying to understand each other between Swahili, French and English 😅

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Tanzania to Burundi.
First stop, customs building on the right, stamped out our Carnet.
Then head to immigration at stamp passports.
Drive across the border, change to right side!

Before first gate, stop for COVID-testing. Wait for the results and get gate pass.
Drive through the gate and stop at Burundi immigration/customs.
Start with paying for your COVID-test, $15
Show the receipt and get your passports stamped. We got visas in Kigoma in the same day.
Next you pay 30.000 francs for TIP and then you finally head to customs to get the TIP and off you go. Friendly people all over. Lots of changers at the Burundi side. The rate is a lot better with the changers

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Crossing from Tanzania to Burundi.
At the Tanzania side, we had to shower our yellow fever certificates, got our temperature taken then stamped our passports.
Burundi side, temperature taken again then checked and stamped the visas.
They tried to make up pay $72 for the car, but we told them that the embassy said we didn’t have to because we have paid for the visa to enter the country.
This worked and they waved us through.
Very quick and painless.
One off the better boarders we have had.

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they stamp our carnet and the border and everything was as usual. So no worry about this
for apply the visa in kigoma you also need 1 picture of you. So better be prepared

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We crossed the border from Tanzania to Burundi.

In the Tanzanian side we stopped first at thr right hand side of the road, for processing the car documents. Then we headed to the another building on the other side of the road to get the passport stamped.

We drove about 3 minutes to Burundi side. The process was very fast and simple. The officer just wrote our details from the passport and welcomed us to the country.
We asked about the car and they said we are good. According to them nothing has to be made with the car. Neither payment, Nor documents.

The whole process was easy and the workers in both of the sides were nice and friendly.

* The little information about the visa and its process on the internet is generaly misleading.

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**We did the visa to Burundi on the same day, in Kigoma (look for the sign we put on the map), an hour drive away from the border. The visa cost 90$ for 30 days.
You only need the money and passport. It's a short 10 minutes process.

Good Luck 😃

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