Ghana tourist visa application, requirements, price, and processing time
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The Ghana tourist visa is available for tourists who wish to visit Ghana for vacation and sightseeing. Obtaining a visa from the Ghana High Commission in your country is easy as long as you have the visa requirements.
Traveling To Ghana
Ghana is a beautiful country of friendly people who are welcoming of visitors. The former British colony is located in West Africa and is one of the 4 Anglophone countries in the region. She shares common borders with three countries. Ivory Coast to the west, Togo to the East, Burkina Faso to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. Formerly called the Gold Coast because of its gold riches, Ghana remains one of the top tourist destinations in West Africa.
Every year, particularly towards the end of the year, thousands of tourists visit the country to enjoy the side attractions on offer. The capital city of Accra hosts a lot of visitors who come for holidays because of its proximity to the beaches. However, other regions are tourist hotspots as well, such as the Elimina Castle in Cape Coast, Central Region, and the Mountainous Resort Towns in the Eastern Region, where their weather is calm all year round.
The food is good, and above all, the country is safe and secure, especially in the cities where nightlife is at a premium.
Who Needs A Tourist Visa To Enter Ghana?
Foreigners who are not from an ECOWAS country or a visa exempt country will need a tourist visa to enter Ghana as tourists. The good news is that the government has improved the Ghana visa application process at their embassies over the last few years to make the system more efficient. As more visitors visit and tourism revenue grows, the system will only get better.
Ghana Tourist Visa Document Requirements
Here are the documents that will be requested of you at the Ghana High Commission to obtain a single entry visa or multiple entry visa.
Completed Application Form: The visa applicant will need to complete a visa application form. The form must contain your personal information. Endeavor to provide only valid information; otherwise, your application will be rejected.
Valid Passport: You need a valid passport to apply for this visa. The passport should have at least 2 blank pages for stamps and be valid for at least 6 months, counting from the day of your arrival.
Vaccination Certificate: The authorities only allow vaccinated visitors into the country. Visitors either show a Covid vaccination certificate or a negative COVID-19 PCR test result taken at least 72 hours before arriving in the country. Also, visitors from some selected countries are expected to be vaccinated against yellow Fever before they can be allowed into Ghana. They must also show a certificate to that effect.
Proof of funds: You need to show proof of funds. A bank statement for the last six months with sufficient funds to cover your travel and living expenses during your stay is required.
Proof of accommodation: If you plan to stay with a friend or family, provide their contact address. Otherwise, provide a copy of the hotel reservation.
Cover Letter: The cover letter should clearly indicate your visit's purpose as clearly as possible. Be honest with your declaration so you don’t encounter any issues with immigration officers at the airport or border.
Medical Insurance: Visitors are expected to have medical issued by a reputable Insurance company. The insurance policy should provide sufficient coverage in case the visitor falls ill or is involved in an accident during their stay.
Return Flight Reservation: A copy of your return flight reserved ticket back to your country at the end of your visit.
How To Apply For A Ghana Tourist Visa?
Online application for tourist visas are not available for now, so you will have to visit the Ghana High Commission in your country to submit a physical application form. You will be invited for an interview, and if you meet all the requirements, the embassy will issue you the visa.
Important Things To Note
Kindly note that the Ghana tourist visa is not a work visa, so holders are not permitted to work while in the country. Any tourist caught working on a tourist visa will be fined or deported in the worst cases. It is also an immigration crime to overstay your visa. Visitors are advised to leave Ghana on or before their visa expires. If you wish to stay for a little while longer, visit the immigration office closest to you at least 7 days before your visa expires to apply for an extension.
The Ghana tourist visa is suited for international tourists coming to Ghana for vacation and sightseeing. You can visit and spend time in the West African country and enjoy all the amazing side attractions.
Ghana Visa Policy
Ghana has a comprehensive visa policy that determines who enters the country with and without a visa. Under the government's current policy, visitors from most countries require visas unless they are from visa-exempt countries. Visas are obtained from Ghanaian diplomatic missions abroad, visas on arrival, or over the Internet.
Under the visa waiver program, persons from eligible countries can stay in Ghana for 90 or 60 days. Ghana is a member of ECOWAS, the Economic Community of West African States, a loose economic association for economic integration.
ECOWAS citizens can visit any member state for up to three months without visas. Citizens of other visa-exempt countries may also stay for up to 60 days without visas.
Ghanaians who also hold dual nationality and have a Dual Nationality card issued by the government may apply for a visa in advance which will be issued to them at the point of entry.
There are exemptions for holders of service, diplomatic and official passports issued by nationals from China, Iran, South Africa, Cuba, Brazil, Namibia, and China. Diplomats from Turkey may also visit Ghana Visa-free.
Visa On Arrival
The visa-on-arrival sub policy is open to citizens of all African Union countries that don't enjoy visa-exempt privileges so they can obtain a special gratis Visa for visits that don't last for more than 30 days. There is a fee for the visa, which is paid at the point of entry, but Rwandan and Egyptian nationals are exempted from paying this fee. Furthermore, the designated entry point is Kotoka International Airport. Gratis Visa on arrival is valid for 60 days.
A special provision also allows persons from countries without consular and diplomatic missions to apply for visas on arrival if they will only be staying for a short time. Visas on arrival are also granted to visitors with pre-arranged approvals issued by the Immigration Department.
Ghana Electronic Visa
The Ghanaian electronic visa is an online visa obtainable online. It is an alternative to the visa on arrival and is far easier to apply for. If you want to wait less in long lines for an arrival visa, you can apply for an e-visa a few days before your trip. The visa will be valid for 90 days, and holders can enjoy the sights and sounds of the West African nation for a short time. The government has yet to announce the maximum number of days visitors with this visa can stay, but we will surely provide you with the information once it's announced.
E visas are issued solely for tourism, transit, and business, not work or long-term commitments. The application forms are available online and should be submitted alongside your passport bio-data page and a few documents. The only designated entry point for e-visa carriers is the Kotoka International Airport, but the government intends to expand entry to other points in the coming months.
Key Information About Ghana e Visa
Application Fee: There is a mandatory application fee that you must pay for this electronic visa before you can submit your application form. This fee is not refundable after payment and does not guarantee that your application will be approved. Only applicants who meet the requirements will get the visa. Application fees are paid with debit or credit cards online.
Dual Nationality: Ghanaians with dual nationality must possess one of two things; they must either have a valid Ghanaian passport or a dual nationality card. Also, such visitors can still enter Ghana with it without a visa since they enjoy visa-free entry like other citizens.
Print A Copy: When coming to Ghana for a short visit, always come with a copy of your electronic visa. Bringing a copy along is helpful should there be a reason to prove that you are in the country legally. A copy will be requested at the entry point by immigration officers, and you may even be required to prove your status to law enforcement officers inside the country as you go about your activities.
Use The Same Passport: Remember that your e-visa is linked to your passport and will best details like your name, passport number, sex, etc. So make sure you travel with the same passport, not a different one. You must arrive with a different passport to be allowed into Ghana. Also, make sure that your passport meets the validity requirements before applying for the visa.
Applying For Extension: Visitors will be allowed to apply for extensions, but the authorities still need to specify how long the additional number of days will be. Once the information is available, we will publish it on VisaHQ. However, be informed that the application for an extension should be submitted before and not after the current visa expires.
When To Apply: Electronic visas take three days to process, so be advised to submit your application at least three days before your planned trip. Or better still, submit it four days in advance so you have an extra day to prepare. The risk of submitting your application too early is that should the visa be issued on time, it will become active, and you would lose some valuable days on your visa before making the trip.
Entry Route: The government plans to expand designated entry routes to other parts of the country, but for now, the only approved route for e-visa holders is the Kotoka International Airport in Accra.
Ghana Visa Online – Get your Ghana e-Visa with VisaHQ
Are you interested in making a trip to Ghana? You can get a visa within days if you are not from a visa-free country. Ghana's online visa is easy to get, and you don't have to spend hours filling out the application form as it takes only a few minutes.
How To Apply For A Visa With VisaHQ?
It is relatively easy to apply for a visa with VisaHQ. Here is the step to take.
Please fill out the e-visa form: The e-visa Form is on our main application page, so visit the page and take your time to fill it out with your details. There are sections for different data that must be completed.
Attach documents: Upload a scanned copy of your passport's bio-data page, including any other required documents.
Pay the visa fee: Use your credit or debit card to pay the e-visa fee, then submit the application.
Get the visa: The application will be processed, and within 1-3 days, you will get the visa in your email.
Print out a copy for your trip.
Why Use VisaHQ?
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