It appears that we will have to mail off our passports from California to Washington d.C. to get our visa's, which makes me nervous. Anyone with any experience in this that can steer me in the right direction?
Plus we are kind of leaning towards wanting to go ohhh in a couple of weeks....!!

http://tanzaniatouristboard.com/page...a1a72d332108ad

As far as I know you can obtain visa at the port of entry.

Maybe you double check with the embassy.

Happy travels!

http://www.tanzaniaembassy-us.org/tzevisa.html

Visa Information

"TYPES OF VISA:

Ordinary/ Tourist Visa: This visa is issued at any Tanzanian embassy. It grants tourists/ visitors the authorization to enter the country through designated entry points on the border, through airports and harbor stations. However, a person coming from a country with no access to a Tanzanian embassy or where it is reasonably distant shall be issued a visa at the entry points in Tanzania."

As posting a document like a PASSPORT facing the risk you don't get it back on time or it gets lost should qualify for visa on entry.

You can get your visa at the airport in Tanzania. You can dowload the form from the Tanzanian Embassy web site in advance and that will make it faster. Fill it out on the plane. You need $100 cash (US dollars) at the airport. Even better, you DO NOT need photos. This is so much easier than mailing off your passport and waiting and does not cost any more.

As Casteyes555 points out, you can easily get your visa at the airport in Tanzania. I've gotten them at both Kilimanjaro and Dar es Salaam. Yes, you can get the visa form in advance and fill it out. They will also give you another form on the plane; fill that one out, too. Don't use a $100 bill for the visa; those bills are popular with counterfeiters and are looked on with suspicion; use a couple of $50s or 5 $20s. Find the line for visa purchases (on the right at Kilimanjaro). You don't have to go through the Immigration line afterwards, so it's no faster to have your visa in advance.

Best is to check TIMATIC to know visa requirements.

http://www.delta.com/planning_reserv...tion/index.jsp

And yes, visa can be obtained at the airport upon arrival...

The person who handles your passport behind the counter at the local USA airport...is actually checking TIMATIC as well (when you check-in)...to know whether you need a visa or not.

There is no need to send passport and funds to Embassy in Washington, DC. You can easily purchase your Visa on arrival at Kilimanjaro.

Upon entering the Arrivals Hall, you will find the Visa window on the far wall where you present completed form, along with Landing Card that is given out on the plane, passport and fee... here Visa is placed into passport. You then go straight out to collect your luggage (no need to stand on the Immigration line).

As to ShayTay's comment: <i>"not to use USD$100 notes for Visa"</i>, this holds true more in Kenya where they feel such bills may be counterfeit, not so in Tanzania where they actually prefer the larger notes. Don't ask me why there is a difference, but there is. For me, however, I never use any note larger than USD$50 in either country.

Thanks everyone for the great info. Will get the Visa in Kelimanjaro!!