Tanzania: Procedures and requirements to obtain a passport, including issuing authority, documents, and fees required; appearance and security features, including fingerprinting and whether passport photographs are provided by the applicants themselves; procedures to replace a lost passport, including cases whereby a person has no identity documents (2004-October 2015)

Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa

1. Overview

According to Keesing's Reference Systems, there are two Tanzanian national passports in circulation: one with a validity of 5 years and another with a validity of 10 years (Keesing's Reference Systems n.d.). The same source states that the passport with a validity of 10 years was first issued in 2005 and that this model requires children to be bearers of their own passport (ibid.).

2. Issuing Authority

According to the website of the Immigration Services Department (ISD) of Tanzania, "[t]he competent authority to authorize the grant[ing] of passports is the Commissioner General of Immigration Services" (Tanzania n.d.). The same source states that passports are printed at the Immigration Headquarters in Dar es Salaam as well as at the Zanzibar Immigration Head Office (ibid.).

3. Required Documentation and Fee

The website of the ISD states that when applying for a passport, the individual must present the following:

A Birth Certificate or Birth affidavit or Certificate of Naturalization of the applicant (in case the applicant is a citizen by naturalization).

A birth certificate or birth affidavit or Certificate of Naturalization of the applicant's parent or parents;

Recent, clear and un-mounted passport size photographs as may be directed by the issuing authority.

In case of the applicant who is below the age of 18 years, the parent's or legal guardian's written consent. (ibid.)

The same source states that in the event that an individual cannot provide a certificate of birth, an affidavit shall be stated or sworn by the following:

A parent or legal guardian; or

a person who was present at the place of birth when the applicant was born and who is not less than five years above the age of the applicant; or

the applicant's close relative who was informed of the applicant's birth by the parents. (ibid.)

The website of the ISD indicates that a fee of 50,000 Tanzanian shillings (TZS) [approximately C$30] is required to apply for an ordinary passport (ibid.).

4. Applying for a Replacement Passport

According to the website of the ISD, a passport may be replaced when it is full or damaged (ibid.). In such circumstances, the application for a replacement passport must be accompanied by the previous passport as well as four passport-sized photographs (ibid.).

5. Applying for the Replacement of a Lost or Stolen Passport

The website of the ISD indicates the following regarding lost or stolen passports:

[w]here a passport is lost, stolen, or severely damaged, an application for replacement shall be accompanied by sworn declaration of the circumstances surrounding the loss, theft or damage of the passport and authority to which the loss, theft or damage was reported. (ibid.)

The same source states that when a passport is lost or stolen, the owner of the passport is required to report the loss or theft to the nearest police station as well as publish the loss or theft in a daily newspaper where the passport was lost (ibid.).

6. Physical Appearance

According to Keesing's Reference Systems, the passport with a 10-year validity measures 125 millimetres by 88 millimetres (4.9 inches by 3.4 inches) and contains 48 pages (Keesing's Reference Systems n.d.). The passport number consists of six digits preceded by two letters and all pages are perforated (ibid.). The passport photograph is integrated into the document and is repeated as a hologram when exposed to UV light (ibid.). Edison's Document Checker indicates that the cover of the ten-year passport is green (Edison's Document Checker n.d.).

Keesing's Reference Systems states that the passport with a 5-year validity measures 125 millimetres by 88 millimetres (4.9 inches by 2.5 inches), contains 36 pages, and all pages are perforated (ibid.). The first page contains information which is printed and the third page is composed of clear laminate with print, sewn in (ibid.). The same source indicates that the passport photograph on this model is glued in, sometimes with a dry embossing stamp; the signature of the passport bearer is placed below the photograph on a separate yellow, white, or green strip with red dots (ibid.). Keesing's also indicates that the passport number itself is seven digits preceded by a letter (ibid.). According to Edison's Document Checker, the cover of the five-year passport is green (Edison's Document Checker n.d.). Sample copies of both the five and ten-year passports as provided by Edison's Document Checker and Keesing's Reference Systems have been attached to this Response. Corroborating information on the physical appearance of Tanzanian passports could not be found within the time constraints of this Response.

7. Security Features

Keesing's Reference Systems reports that security features of the 10-year passport include the bearers photograph repeated as a hologram under UV light as well as a hologram feature on the photograph (ibid.). Edison's Document Checker also indicates that there is a watermark depicting a coat of arms on all pages of the passport (Edison's Document Checker n.d.). Sample copies of these security features are attached to this Response.

According to Keesing's Reference Systems, security features of the five-year passport include the binding of the booklet, which uses a particular type of binding wire and also a synthetic laminate material which is applied to protect the biographical data (Keesing's Reference Systems n.d.). The same source also indicates that the document reacts to UV light, producing a series of images when exposed (ibid.). Edison's Document Checker likewise states that the passport reacts to UV light, producing a yellow colour reaction (Edison's Document Checker n.d.). The same source notes that the passport has a watermark present on all pages which reads "passport" in three languages (ibid.). Sample copies of these security features are attached to this Response.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Edison's Document Checker. N.d. "Tanzania National Passport." [Accessed 29 Oct. 2015]

Keesing's Reference Systems. N.d. "Tanzania National Passport." [Accessed 26 Oct. 2015]

Tanzania. N.d. "Passports and Travel Documents." [Accessed 26 Oct. 2015]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: Canada - High Commission to Tanzania; Tanzania - High Commission to Canada, High Commission to the United Kingdom, Ministry of Home Affairs Immigration Services Department; 10 Law Firms in Tanzania.

Internet sites, including: African Confidential; The African Union; Africa Research Bulletin; Al Jazeera; AllAfrica; Amnesty International; BBC; Canada - High Commission to Tanzania; The East African; ecoi.net; European Union - Public Register of Authenic Travel and Identity Documents Online; Factiva; Freedom House; Human Rights Watch; Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; Tanzania - Embassy to the US, High Commission to Canada, High Commission to the UK; US - Department of State.

Attachments

1. Edison's Document Checker. N.d. Tanzanian National Passport.

2. Keesing's Document Checker. N.d. Tanzania National Passport.