Tanzania vets all foreigners in fresh crackdown

Tanzania has launched a nationwide operation targeting foreigners living and working in the country illegally. This follows the ban on foreigners engaging in around 15 small-scale trades in July.

According to officials, the crackdown will affect all foreigners residing and working in Tanzania. The Immigration Services Department has instructed employers, business owners, and members of the public to prepare for the inspections and verifications of foreign nationals this month.

The exercise involves authenticating passports, visas, residence and work permits, and verifying other immigration statuses.

On Friday, Immigration Department spokesperson Paul Mselle announced that the operation had begun on September 11 and will run until October 8, 2025. He urged cooperation, warning that those who resist could face sanctions.

Tanzania frequently cracks down on illegal immigrants and has previously intercepted Ethiopians and Burundians being trafficked through the country. Such operations often coincide with election years. The country goes to the polls in October 29, with President Samia Suluhu Hassan seeking a fresh mandate after succeeding the late President John Pombe Magufuli in 2021.

Authorities have sometimes cited security concerns, including the risk of foreign interference in elections or incitement to violence. Officially, the government says the crackdown aims to protect jobs and economic opportunities for Tanzanians. But July’s ban on foreigners in small-scale trade drew criticism, with neighbours warning of possible retaliation.

Industries and Trade Minister Selemani Jaffo said the ban was meant to ensure foreigners worked only within the permits they applied for. He noted that some small-scale business owners had obtained genuine permits but illegally employed foreign workers.

As part of the current verification process, all foreigners have been directed to report to the Kurasini Immigration Office, the Zanzibar Immigration Head Office, or a regional immigration office, with their passports and other relevant documentation.

In April 2025, the Immigration Department announced that it had arrested 7,069 foreigners who were living, working, and trading illegally in Tanzania. Of these, 4,796 were deported and 1,008 were charged in court. Some 703 were sentenced to prison terms.

One focus area has been Dar es Salaam’s Kariakoo trading district, accused of harbouring illegal immigrants, particularly Chinese vendors. Following complaints that Chinese nationals were taking petty jobs such as vending goods and selling roasted maize, authorities arrested 62 foreigners there.

Since April, 305 foreign suspects remain under investigation over their residential status, while 257 others have regularised their stay, according to the Immigration Department.