Services to investors

Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) is the first point of call for potential investors. It is the primary agency of the government responsible for coordinating, encouraging, promoting and facilitating investment. By law, all government departments and agencies are required to cooperate fully with TIC in its efforts to fulfill it's mandate.

A one stop facilitation centre assists investors (local and foreign) provided they have projects worth 100,000 USD for Tanzanians and 500,000 USD for foreigners.

The one stop facilitation centre facilitates access to incentives, company registration, business licenses, tax payment, the access to land, work permits, resident permits, occupational services certificate, food and drugs certification and environmental impact assessment certificate.

Investors in Mining and petroleum get their licenses from the Ministry of Energy and Minerals (MEM). Projects that require Public – Private-Partnership (PPP) are coordinated and facilitated by TIC and the Ministry of Finance.

Incentives can be both fiscal and non fiscal. Fiscal incentives include: Import duty and VAT exemption on project capital/deemed capital goods and Import Duty Draw Back Scheme. Non-fiscal incentives include immigration quota of up to 5 people, guaranteed transfer of net profits or dividends of the investment, payment in respect of foreign loans, remittance of proceeds net of all taxes and other obligations, royalty fees and other charges, payment of emolument and other benefits to foreign personnel.

Special incentives are provided to strategic investors with projects of over US$ 20 million that offer specific/great impact to the society or economy.

Click here for more detailed information on investment incentives.

Investors can obtain Certificate of Incentives in two phases. In first phase the validity of the Certificate of Incentives is three (3) years. The Investor may choose to apply for the three (3) years at once or apply for one year or two years as long as he/she does not exceed the three years, depending on the nature of the business. In case after three years (3) an Investor still need incentives he/she may apply for an extension of Certificate of Incentives. In this phase an investor is given a maximum of two years, which are broken into one year each. Meaning that you can not get all two years at once.

Tax services

Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) can facilitate investors in registering for Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and getting exemptions as per Tanzania Investment Act 1997 and Income Tax Act. Investors also obtain all information regarding tax matters in Tanzania.

All tax payers (companies and Individuals) must register Taxpayer's Identification Number (TIN). In this case company as an entity and all company Directors must register for TIN. TIN is provided free of charge.

Every individual taxpayer need to have a TIN certificate. Personal TIN certificate is useful during online registration of business with BRELA.

Import duty and VAT exemption on project capital/deemed capital goods and Import Duty Draw Back Scheme are some of the incentives available to investors

Immigration Services

Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) facilitates investors in obtaining

Residence permits Class A for foreign shareholders of a company and for Residence permit class B for foreign nationals (including directors) willing to work in Tanzania as employees in specified companies in Tanzania. Investors can apply for business visa on arrival to facilitate residing in Tanzania for the period of 3 month during business registration process or during prospecting for investment opportunities.

Renew resident permit

The process for renewing the Residence Permit is the same as that of new application. The only difference is that during renewal you may be asked to submit expired certificate and some additional documents as part of proof of application.

National Identification Authority (NIDA)

The National Identification Authority (NIDA) is responsible for registration and issuance of National Identification Cards to Tanzanian citizens and Legal residents. Legal residents are eligible for NIDA card if they have valid valid national passport and valid residence permit of not less than six months. Legal Residents dependents of 18 years and above are also eligible to get the ID. NIDA ID card is a prerequisite for business registration in Tanzania.

Application for the NIDA ID card is free of charge for citizens. Card replacement (in case of loss) is charged TZS 20,000. Click on the blue link above to see the procedure.

Legal Resident with valid national passport and valid Resident Permit of not less than 6months can apply for NIDA ID. Dependents who are 18 years and above are also eligible to get the ID. Click on the blue link above to see the procedure.

Business License is one of the key document when starting business. Click on the link below to see the steps to obtaining business license

OBTAIN WORK PERMITS

Foreign investors can obtain work permits and other labour related services at the Tanzania Investment Centre's One Stop Shop (OSS). Labour officers from the Ministry of Labour, Youth, Employment and Persons with Disability are stationed at the OSS. Work permit issued include Class A for Shareholders, Class B for Science Expatriates and Class C for Directors and other Expatriates.

The application for work permit starts with filling an online form on Ministry's website https://workpermit.mof.go.tz/ and then submitting the physical documents to TIC for investors and to the Ministry Head Quarters in Dodoma for non-investors. These procedures are for investors applying through TIC. Click on the blue links below to see steps for application of the permits

Work permit class A is for investors who are Directors of the companies

Work permit class B is given to foreign science expatriates such as Engineers in oil and gas sector, Science Teachers etc.

Work permit class C is given to foreign directors of the companies and other general management expatriates