Most people need a Ghana visa to enter Ghana, irrespective of the point of entry.

If you are planning to visit Ghana, this page will give you all the information you need to apply for a Ghana visa.

Of course, being a citizen of Ghana, I’ve never had the occasion to apply for a Ghana visa before. So this is one of the few pages on this web site in which I am not writing from a personal experience.

The Ghana Visa application information presented here are compiled from publicly available sources, consultation with Ghana Immigration Service officials and various Ghana missions abroad, as well as the first hand experiences of many travelers to Ghana who have been kind enough to share their Ghana visa stories with me.

Getting a Ghana Visa Upon Arrival

Can you obtain a Ghana visa upon arrival? The official answer is: yes. In reality though, there is no such thing as a visa on arrival. You’ll be lucky to even talk to an immigration official who has an idea what you’re talking about.

So play it safe and get a visa in advance before embarking on your journey.

What You Need to Apply For a Ghana Visa

I’ve come to believe a good way to predict how things work in any country is to deal with the country’s embassy on your own soil. There will surely be exceptions to this, but Ghana is certainly not one of these exceptions.

There is no one central official web site for Ghana’s missions abroad — each embasy has its on web site, some of which are so badly designed, full of broken links, and most information horribly out of date.

The process and the time it takes to get a visa also differ greatly — even the application forms are different for each mission. So here I’m presenting the generally requirements, but DO contact the Ghana embassy in your own country for the specific requirements.

1. Ghana Visa Application Form: None of Ghana’s embassies offer online or electronic visa application, so you’ll need to download and complete an application form from the respective embassy’s web site (see below for list of embassies).
2. Valid Passport: You must present a passport with at least six months validity, and some blank visa sheets remaining.
3. Passport-size Photographs: You’ll need one, two or four passport-size photos of every applicant — the number depending on which embassy you’re applying from
4. Visa Application Fee: The fee varies depending on purpose of travel (hence type of visa), validity period, whether single or multiple entry, and even the country where you’re applying from. Average is about US$50 for a three-month single-entry visa and a one-year, multiple entry visa costing about $80.
5. Evidence of Financial Support: You’ll need to include in your application concrete evidence that you can support yourself while in Ghana. This usually takes the form of a personal bank statement, letter from your employer for business travelers, or letter of invitation and sponsorship from your host in Ghana.

Note that most embassies require you to turn up in person with your visa application. In some countries, however, the Ghana Embassy or High Commission will allow you to mail in your passport and visa application documents. If you live in such a country (e.g. the Ghana Embassy in Washington, US), you need to include a prepaid, self-addressed envelope with your application. This will be used to return your passport to you.

Note that in all circumstances you must also have a yellow fever vaccination certificate. You need this even if the embassy doesn’t ask for it, as you’ll have to present it to customs when entering Ghana. Malaria course is also essential, as this is a common disease here.

Extending Your Ghana Visa

If you decide to stay longer than your entry visa allows (a maximum of 30 or 60 days are usually granted for tourists), you have to apply for a visa extension. And you need to take your passport for visa extension to the Immigration Service early, and expect delays in getting your passport back.

The official processing time for visa extension is two weeks. But take this only as a guideline, as this can and often often takes much longer. And when you’re granted the extension, be sure to examine what dates are stamped in your passport. Sometimes immigration mistakenly puts a 60 day stamp on a visa for 3 months – and the stamps is what counts!

And here is a tip one traveler to Ghana told me: If you don’t want to go through the hassle of dealing with Ghana’s Immigration Service, which can take several weeks, simply take a day’s trip to Togo and back to get a new visa stamp at the border. This is quick and easy, and passing through the Aflao border into Togo is an adventure in itself.

Lis of Ghana Embassies & High Commissions

I’m working on this list. Check back soon.