Tanzanian Traders Report Increased Difficulties in Visa Applications to China

TLDR

• Concerns about the delays were raised publicly on August 3, 2026 by Tanzania Traders Association chairperson Khamisi Abdallah Livembe during a government-private sector meeting on the implementation of Tanzania.
• China is Tanzania’s largest source of imported goods, accounting for about 28 per cent of the country’s imports in 2025, according to government economic survey data.
• Some traders had speculated that the delays were connected to Tanzania’s 2025 order prohibiting non-citizens from operating in 15 categories of business.
• The Chinese Embassy in Tanzania has denied imposing policy barriers on Tanzanian citizens seeking visas, saying a sharp increase in applications has placed pressure on its current processing capacity.
• In a statement issued following complaints from Tanzanian traders and other travellers, the embassy said applications were being handled “in an orderly and efficient manner” and that measures were underway to expand.