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Emergency Assistance in Tanzania

If something goes wrong when you are in Tanzania on holiday or otherwise and you need help, you can contact the Embassy in Dar es Salaam or call the Consular Assistance Unit at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Dublin on +353 1 408 2000.

Travel Advice

Before travelling to Tanzania, you should read our "Know Before your Go" travel advice for tips on road safety, local laws and customs, precautions against petty crime, and more.

Consular Duty Service Our of Hours

In cases of emergency outside of office regular office hours, the Embassy can be contacted by calling the Duty Officer directly on +255 754 783 455.

When you speak with the Duty Officer, please provide the following information:

  • Your name
  • The nature of your problem
  • Where you are now
  • You contact details (mobile phone number or phone number of where you're staying)

This duty service is operated from the Embassy in Dar es Salaam. You may also wish to call the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Dublin directly at +353 1 4082000.

Crime

Accident/assault victims

We will do everything possible to assist you if you have been the victim of an accident or assault.

We can provide information on local legal and medical practitioners, but we cannot provide you with legal or medical advice, or formally recommend or pay for doctors or lawyers.

All cases are treated in complete confidence. We can also help you to contact friends and family and assist with arrangements to get you home, if that is your wish. All persons who have been assaulted or in an accident must report the incident to the Police. The Embassy can provide some practical information, but it is essential to engage a local lawyer to act as your representative if a prosecution is being considered.

Arrest

If you are arrested, the Tanzanian authorities are obliged to inform the Embassy of your arrest. If they do not do so, you may request them to inform the Embassy.

The Embassy can:

  • Arrange for you to be visited by an Embassy official
  • If necessary, provide you with a list of local English speaking lawyers
  • Advise you about the prison system and about your entitlement to visits, mail and other facilities
  • Bring details of any medical condition you may have to the attention of police or prison officials
  • Pursue with the prison authorities on your behalf any complaints about ill-treatment or discrimination
  • Pass messages to and from your family.

However, the Embassy cannot:

  • Secure better treatment for Irish citizens than local or other nationals receive
  • Give or pay for legal advice
  • Recommend specific lawyers
  • Interfere with or influence the proper operation and application of the local judicial system
  • Provide any financial assistance while you are in prison
  • Pay bail bonds or fines.

Illness/Death Abroad

Death Abroad

If a member of your family dies while abroad, the Irish Embassy will provide all possible assistance in dealing with the formalities that arise in these situations.

The Embassy can:

  • Arrange to have the next of kin of the deceased informed by the Garda Síochána
  • Assist relatives to appoint a local undertaker
  • Assist with procuring documents such as death certificate or medical or police reports
  • Assist relatives to communicate with the Police and other authorities

However, the Embassy does not:

  • Investigate the circumstances of the death
  • Pay expenses relating to local burial or cremation
  • Pay the cost of repatriating the remains
  • Pay for relatives to travel to where the death occurred or to accompany the remains to Ireland

If the deceased was covered by travel insurance, it is important for next of kin to contact the insurance company without delay. If there is no insurance, the cost of repatriation or burial will have to be met by the family.

Families should be aware that the time required to repatriate remains to Ireland varies depending on the circumstance of a death. A minimum of a week is quite usual from Tanzania. However there may be circumstances where repatriation can take longer.

In cases of sudden or unexpected death, an autopsy may be required. Further investigation may be necessary before a decision as to cause of death is reached. If death was caused by a criminal act, the police will be ordered to conduct a full investigation. The State Prosecutor will then decide whether to prosecute. This can delay the release of the body for burial.

Illness/Hospitalisation

If you become ill or require hospital treatment while in Tanzania, you or your friends/family can contact the Embassy for assistance if you need help in dealing with the situation.

The Embassy can:

  • Offer general advice on the local medical services.
  • Assist in liaising with doctors or hospitals
  • Arrange interpretation if necessary
  • Advise relatives or friends about accidents or illnesses
  • Assist in arranging repatriation to Ireland

It is important to stress that the Embassy does not have funds to pay the hospital bills or meet other medical expenses on your behalf.

Also, the Embassy does not:

  • Provide medical advice
  • Pursue insurance companies about payment of or refund of the cost of medical treatment
  • Pursue claims for compensation relating to negligence, injury or any other matter
  • Pay for visits by relatives

Air Ambulance

Please be aware that a medical evacuation to Ireland from Tanzania can cost upwards of €20,000. Comprehensive travel insurance is essential in order to protect yourself in the event of a serious medical emergency requiring repatriation to Ireland.

Lost/Stolen Passport

If you have lost your passport or had it stolen, you must immediately report in person to the nearest Police Station in Tanzania and obtain a police report.

Once you have obtained the report, you may contact the Embassy to make arrangements for the processing of an Emergency Travel Document if you need to travel urgently. Otherwise a standard passport will be processed.