In Ghana, any foreigner willing to enter the country has to get a visa to legalize his stay. For expats, it is not possible to enter Ghana without a visa. As the application process can be lengthy, you are advised to submit your visa application at least one month prior to arrival in Ghana.
To apply for your visa, you can contact the Ghana Immigration Service Headquarters or a regional office. You can also go through an embassy or consulate in your own country. This option may make the application process easier and save time.
However, in several cases, citizens of certain countries or those holding certain passports do not require a visa. This list includes:
- Foreigners in direct airside transit
- Citizens holding a diplomatic passport (for a limited amount of time of 3 months), from Brazil, Iran, Cuba, Germany, South Africa, SAR (Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong).
- Foreigners holding an official passport for the African Union, Regional Economic Communities in Africa, or United Nations and its special agencies (the World Bank, African Development Bank, IMF, WFP).
- ECOWAS Citizens (for special cases): African citizens from any of the 14 African countries that form the Economic Community Of West African States are not asked for visas for short stays in Ghana.
- Citizens of Commonwealth East and Southern African countries (Malawi, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Uganda, Swaziland, Botswana).
- Citizens of the following countries: Kenya, Malaysia, Singapore, Egypt, Trinidad and Tobago.
Ineligible people
Those people judged as risky, medically unsound, who have a current deportation order, or who have been sentenced for extradition (Under the Extradition Act of 1960) in their home country are not eligible for a Ghanaian Visa.