Registering a Business in Tanzania: TISEZA 7-Day Guide Today

The Tanzanian government is making it easier for investors to set up businesses within the country, and this initiative comes from the formation of the Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA).

The new agency has a One-Stop Facilitation Centre that helps investors to register their businesses and obtain permits and other necessary documents in one place, allowing them to start operations within seven to 20 days.

TISEZA was created after the merger of the Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) and the Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA).

Minimum Investment Requirements in Tanzania

The first step for any investor is to satisfy the minimum capital requirements set out by Tanzania.

A minimum investment of $500,000 USD should be made by foreign investors and joint ventures, whereas local Tanzanian investors should have a minimum project value of $50,000 USD.

These requirements influence whether an investor can receive incentives and fast-track their application.

Documents for Business Registration in Tanzania

Prospective investors are encouraged to have all necessary documents ready before embarking on the registration process.

Such documents may include:

Certificate of Incorporation
Memorandum & Articles of Association
Feasibility report or business proposal
Fulfilled application form TIF1
Proof of business premises
Copies and passport photographs of the passports of directors
CVs and professional certificates of key staff

It is advisable to get your documents notarized.

Facilities Provided at TISEZA One-Stop Centre

The One-Stop Centre has offices of various government institutions, such as BRELA, TRA, Immigration, OSHA, and NEMC.

This enables investors to perform various tasks all in one place.

Registering a Company with BRELA

First of all, investors can register the business to receive the Certificate of Incorporation and the company extract.

Registering with TRA

Investors can then register with TRA and get the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and VAT Certificate.

Application for Certificate of Incentives

Next, the investor has to submit the feasibility study and TIF 1 to the One-Stop Centre for analysis.

After being approved, the applicant pays for registration fees ($750 USD), after which he/she receives the Certificate of Incentives.

Acquisition of Work and Residence Permits

The last procedure entails applying for a Class A Work and Residence Permit without going to different ministries.

Final Licensing of the Business

In order to complete the process, one needs to receive municipal business licensing and other relevant sector licenses, if necessary (from OSHA, NEMC, etc).

Ways of Facilitating the Application Process

It should be noted that TISEZA encourages businesses to start their application process using the services provided on the website. There, people can create payment control numbers and make the necessary payments electronically.

Also, the authorities advise people that inconsistency between electronic data and paperwork can slow down the process significantly.

Companies registered with the help of TISEZA are eligible to receive an automatic number of foreigners, up to ten persons in total, during project implementation.

Conclusion

The One-Stop Facilitation Center in Tanzania makes business registration easier by integrating several government agencies into one system.

For businesses meeting the required capital threshold and having all the necessary paperwork prepared correctly, such a procedure can save lots of time.

Registering a Business in Tanzania? How to Use the TIC ‘One-Stop’ Window to Get Your Permits in 7 Days or Less