Date of publication:
01/08/2026
United Republic of Tanzania (the)
Do domestic laws and policies provide the right to family life and protect family unity for forcibly displaced and stateless persons?
Assessment by population
Analysis
Tanzania’s commitment to preserving family unity during the asylum-seeking process is enshrined in its legal and policy frameworks, notably the Refugees Act of 1998. This act reflects the country’s alignment with international refugee protection standards, particularly those under the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, which emphasize the importance of maintaining family unity for individuals seeking refuge.
In practice, the Refugees Act ensures that family members of asylum-seekers are recognized and granted protection, even if they arrive separately. It facilitates the admission of refugees as family units rather than as isolated individuals, acknowledging the critical role that family ties play in ensuring the well-being and mental health of refugees.
Additionally, Tanzania’s commitment is reinforced by its policies aimed at facilitating the reunification of families separated during displacement. Family members are usually included in refugee status determinations, and provisions exist for the admission of dependents, which includes spouses, children, and other close relatives. This ensures that the integrity of the family unit is maintained from the very beginning of the asylum process, offering stability and security for those seeking refuge.
Related provisions of domestic law or policy
The Refugee Act
- Year: 1999
- Type: Domestic law
- Rights Category: Asylum
- Link to external source: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6b50bf.html
Legal provision
Section 35.2 - Family Re-union
Any affected or aggrieved person by the decision of the Minister refusing or granting family re-union may file a petition for review to the Minister.
Section 35.3 - Family Re-union
Where there is disunity in the family of a refugee as a result of divorce, separation, death et cetera any member of that family may remain in Tanzania and shall have to apply within a maximum period of 2 years from the time of disunity of the family for the acquisition of the refugee status on his own right or for a legalization of the residence in Tanzania under the Immigration Act, 1995, failure of which shall be an offence under this Act provided that where such application has been made he can remain in Tanzania until the final decision of the application is made.
Section 35.4 - Family Re-union
For the purposes of this Act, members of a family shall only include a husband or wife lawfully married and their children who are below 18 years of age and any dependent as ascribed by the Immigration Act, 1995.
Section 35.1 - Family Re-union
A recognised refugee resident in Tanzania who wishes to join or to be joined by any member of his family outside or within Tanzania respectively shall make application for family re-union to the Minister through the UNHCR or the Director who shall submit the application to the Committee which shall recommend to the Minister whether to allow the family re-union or not provided that such family re-union shall not take place before permission is granted under this section. Failure to abide to this provision shall be an offence under this Act.