All persons entering Ghana must be in possession of a valid passport or Travel Document establishing the identity of the holder.
Exemptions to the requirement of an entry visa
Nationals of the following countries are exempted from obtaining ENTRY VISAS TO GHANA.
- CITIZENS OF ECOWAS COUNTRIES
Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire,Gambia,Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal,Sierra Leone, Togo
- HOLDERSS OF DIPLOMATIC, SERVICE/OFFICIAL PASSPORTS OF THE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES:
- Brazil
- Cuba
- Germany
- Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China **
- Iran
- Namibia
NB: Exemptions category above shall be for a period not exceeding ninety (90) days from date of entry
**Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China revoked visa exemption requirements for ordinary passport holders following arrests in Hong Kong of some foreigners who fraudulently travelled on Ghana Passports.
- All nationals of the following countries may be issued with gratis visas:
- Kenya
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Namibia
- Singapore
- South Africa**
- Tanzania
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Uganda
- Zimbabwe
** Children with ordinary passports accompanying holders of diplomatic, service or official passports accredited to Ghana or South Africa are exempt from entry visa requirements.
NB: Please not that Botswana, Egypt and Malaysia are no longer on the list
List of International Organizations with which Ghana has concluded visa exemption agreements
- Holders of passports of Regional Economic Communities in Africa and African Economic Community
- United Nations and Specialized Agencies
- World Bank
- African Development Bank
Airside Transit
All persons in direct airside transit are exempt from visa requirements
The following category of persons may not be granted entry visas:
- prohibited immigrants
- A person without visible means of support
- An undesirable person
- An idiot or insane person
- On the advice of the health authorities, an individual may be refused entry into Ghana
Important Immigration Notice
Intending travellers must note that the possession of the appropriate documents does not confer a right of entry. Travelers may be refused entry into Ghana if they fall within the category of prohibited immigrants and if they do not satisfy immigration requirements at the point of entry. The Government of Ghana will not be financially liable for their repatriation.
Other relevant additional information prior to entry into Ghana
Immigrant Quota - Persons who enter Ghana ostensibly as visitors may not be permitted to take employment. Indeed, no person shall be permitted to accept employment or undertake an occupation for reward in Ghana unless such employment is within an authorized Immigrant Quota (an immigrant quota being the number of non-Ghanaians that a person or firm can employ). An application for Immigrant Quota must be made to:
THE SECRETARY,
IMMIGRANT QUOTA COMMITTEE,
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR,
P.O.BOX M. 42,
ACCRA, GHANA
An approval for Immigrant Quota for a foreign employee must be obtained before he proceeds to Ghana.
Investors
Investors to Ghana must register with the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC). Application for the extension of visa or automatic quota must be accompanied by a supporting letter from the GIPC confirming the status of the Investor.
Mining
Investors in the Mining Sector in Ghana must register with the Minerals Commission as approved Mining Services Company. Application for the extension of visa or Immigrant Quota must be accompanied by a supporting letter from the Minerals Commission confirming their status.
Professionals
It is an offence for foreign doctors, dentists, lawyers, pharmacists and other professionals to practice their profession in Ghana unless they have registered their profession in accordance with the ordinances of their respective professions. All professionals wishing to enter Ghana to practice one of the above mentioned professions are required to provide particulars of their qualifications to help determine their eligibility for registration.
Application for Ghana Passports
Applicants, guarantors and witnesses are to note that the making of a false statement for the purpose of procuring a passport is an offence under Section 15 of the Passport and Travel Certificate Decree (NLC155, 11967) of the Republic of Ghana.
Where it is not possible to prosecute such persons in a criminal court because they live outside Ghana, such persons be disqualified from holding or acquiring a Ghana passport, and any passport already issued to them shall be withdrawn and confiscated. They may also be arrested and dealt with under Ghana law anytime they attempt to enter Ghana.
PRESENTATION: Application forms must be duly completed from Section 1 through 15. N° 11 (i) and (ii) - the Guarantors Section must be completed by two Ghanaians. Section 15 - Witness Section should also be completed by a Ghanaian. Both Indian and Ghanaian addresses are required in each section.
Should an applicant be less than 18 years, the Parents/Guardians must complete Section 13, date and sign the Form.
Should an adult applicant who cannot read or write request that the Form be completed on his/her behalf, Section 14 must be completed by the said person.
Right Thump Print of ALL Applicants is to be imprinted on the Form at N°16. Four passport size photographs must be attached. The photographs should be endorsed at the back by the studio and dated.
Please attach the old passport which will be duly cancelled and returned together with the new one. The Processing Fee is 35,000 cfa. Passport Application Forms are 5,000 cfa each.
Please allow four to six weeks for the processing of your new passport.
Replacement of Lost or Damaged Passports
An applicant for a replacement passport must duly complete a passport application form and return it with four passport-size photos, birth certificate, police report, Medical Card, Landed Immigrant Document and Driver's License (if any).
Applicants in this category will be invited to the Mission for an interview in order for the Mission to satisfy itself that they are bona fide Ghanaian nationals. Applicants are kindly requested to call the Mission to schedule appointments for interviews.
Ghanaian Travel Certificates are issued only to persons who are not in possession of Ghana Passports and require traveling to Ghana in an emergency situation. They are usually good for three months. Upon completion of a Travel Certificate Form, applicants will be required to produce evidence of Ghanaian nationality such as photocopy of a passport, birth, together with 2 passport size photos and a fee of 5,000 FCFA. Applicants are required to apply personally at the Mission for an interview at the time of submitting the request for the Travel Certificate.
The links to the application form for the Travel Certificate is here.
Consular Identity cards are also issued for bonafide Ghanaian nationals at a cost of 3,000 CFAF. The cards have a validity of two years. These cards establish the Ghanaian identity of persons in Benin without passports and helps the Embassy to establish the bonafides of Ghanaian nationals in Benin in cases of emergency. The cards are also accepted by the local authorities for day to day transactions. Please click the link here for the application forms for consular ID cards.
The Embassy does attestation and authentication services in respect of Ghanaian nationals or documents at a charge of 5,000 CFAF per service.
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