Picky

Went this morning to Tanzanian Episcopal Conference headquarters at Kurasini, Dar es Salaam. The mission objective was to hand over sealed envelope I was asked by sister-in-charge of immigration matter in our Diocese of Musoma to deliver to the Secretary General of TEC to proceed with the residence permit (for my incoming volunteers Agata, Denise and Thomas) procedure via persons in charge of these matters on TEC level...


I was very surprised to learn from the lady in charge in the Secretary General office of those matters that Immigration Office in Dar es Salaam demands the residence permit fees be done with new US dollar notes, not issued earlier that 2006. Why was that - she did not know, only stating that the immigration people refuse to accept older notes, which are valid and legal tender anyway all over the world.

Everybody in Tanzania, including surprised unpleasantly visitors, knows that here US dollar bills issued in 1996 and the old ones with 'small heads' are not accepted. No one really knows why, but this is how it is here.

But today it went too much. Government agency refusing to accept legal tenders because they don't want old banknotes is too much in my opinion.

Luckily there were only a few bills issued before 2006 among those I came with to pay for residence permits for my volunteers. The treasurer of TEC agreed to exchange them for new ones. If I had more of them on me, then the whole exercise of pushing residence permit process would stuck...

All of you who are prospective volunteers or missionaries coming to Tanzania to work, have been warned. Get your US dollar bills sorted out before you apply for residence permit here.