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 into 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.

FEES

The following fees are charged for Entry Visas. These may be revised from time to time without prior notice.

Single entry Multiple entries

$65.00 $150.00

Please click on the link below to get additional information of :

• Ghana visa schedule and fees

GUIDELINES FOR VISA APPLICANTS

• WORKING HOURS: 9: AM- 3:PM TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS, AND FRIDAYS
• The visa Section is closed on Mondays, & Wednesdays, and on all public holidays in Ghana and in Canada.
• Please allow to two three working days for the processing of your visa application.
• Payments should be made by Bank draft or postal money order to Ghana High Commission, Ottawa.
• Single Entry Visa is valid for entry into Ghana within three months ie the visa expires if not used to travel within three months from the date of issue. However, the actual period permitted for stay in Ghana shall be as endorsed by Ghana Immigration Service at the point of entry into Ghana, usually for 60 days.
• Visas are normally issued for visit of a three-month duration but may be extended by applications to the Ghana Immigration Service before expiration. One-year, multiple entry visas may also be granted in some cases.
• Multiple-Entry Visa endorsed for six months means that the applicant is granted unlimited entries into Ghana within six months of date of issued visa. It does not entitle the applicant to enter and remain in Ghana for six months. On each entry into Ghana, the period of permitted stay in Ghana will be endorsed by Ghana immigration at the point of entry, usually 60 days.

APPLICANTS FOR A GHANA ENTRY VISA MUST BE IN POSSESSION OF THE FOLLOWING:

A valid passport with expiry date of at least Six (6) months from the date of application for visa and should submit:

• One set of Application Forms (In Quadruplicate) Fully Completed in BLOCK CAPITALS
• Four (4) Recent Passport Size Photographs
• An International Certificate of Vaccination for Yellow Fever
• A Return Ticket or flight confirmation from a Travel Agency

REQUESTS FOR BUSINESS VISAS: Should be accompanied by a Ghanaian Firm/Company letter guaranteeing stay in Ghana and stating the reasons for visit. Two references are required. Please supply names and addresses of business associates and their companies as references in Ghana. A hotel may be used only as a second reference.

REQUESTS FOR VISITORS/TOURIST VISAS: Should be accompanied by names and addresses of two references, one of which can be the Hotel where applicant will be lodging.

REQUEST FOR STUDENT VISAS: Should be accompanied by a letter from Institution applicant intends to study and evidence of financial means whilst in Ghana. Letter of Acceptance from the Institution will be required. Please use the name and address of the institution in Ghana as your reference in Ghana.

VISA APPLICATION FORM

VISAS BY POST - REGISTERED MAIL ONLY: Visa applications by post will be accepted and processed only if all relevant documents are enclosed. A self- addressed stamped envelope, Xpress Poste, Priority or Courier Pre-Paid should be provided by applicants for return mail.

Please click on the links below to get a sample of :

• Application for a Ghana Passport (specimen)
• Application for Ghana entry permit / visa

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 SHALL BE DISQUALIFIED FROM HOLDING OR ACQUIRING A GHANA PASSPORT, AND ANY PASSPORT ALREADY ISSUED TO THEM SHALL BE WITHDRAWN AND CONSFISCATED. 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 Canadian 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 $112.00, made payable by Bankers Draft or Postal Money Order to Ghana High Commission, Ottawa. Passport Application Forms are $28.00 each.

Please allow two to four 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 Licence (if any).

Applications for the replacement of lost or damaged passport ATTRACT A PENALTY PROCESSING FEE OF $224.00 made payable by Bankers Draft or Postal Money Order to Ghana High Commission, Ottawa.

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.

PRESS STATEMENT BY THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND REGIONAL INTEGRATION ON THE VALIDITY OF MANUALLY-WRITTEN OR NON-MACHINE READABLE PASSPORTS

The Ministry’s attention has been drawn to growing anxiety among our compatriots holding manually written or non-machine readable passports which are to be phased out following the introduction of the Biometric Passports.

The Ministry wishes to assure the general public that there is no cause for alarm as these passports can still be used for international travel in line with ICAO Mandatory standards and recommended practices.

While the phase-out exercise is proceeding, the holders of manually-written or non-machine-readable passports can use them for international travel until 24th November 2015 if they have not expired. For the avoidance of doubt, the relevant sections of the ICAO Mandatory Standards and Recommended Practices are quoted below for the information of all interested parties:

Quote

D. Travel Documents

3.10 Contracting States shall begin issuing only Machine Readable Passports in accordance with the specifications of Doc. 9303, Part I, no later than 1 April 2010.

Note – this provision does not intend to preclude the issuance of non-machine readable passports or temporary travel documents of limited validity in cases of emergency.

3.10.1 For passports issued after 24 November 2005 and which are not machine- readable, Contracting States shall ensure the expiration date falls before 24 November 2015.

Unquote

In the light of this clarification, the Ministry hopes the fears of the travelling public will be allayed and wishes to appeal to all concerned to exercise patience and not rush to change their manually-written or their non-machine-readable passports immediately if they have not expired.

13th April 2010

TRAVEL CERTIFICATES/LAISSEZ PASSER

Ghanaian Travel Certificates are issued only to persons who are not in possession of Ghana Passports and require to travel 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 /baptismal certificate, together with 2 passport size photos and a fee of $50.00. Applicants are required to apply personally at the Mission for an interview at the time of submitting the request for the Travel Certificate. Ghana has four (4) Honorary Consul-Generals across Canada, please click here for information about consulate locations.

REGISTRATION OF GHANAIAN NATIONALS

Ghanaians who are resident abroad should at the earliest opportunity register their names and addresses at the nearest Diplomatic Mission or Consulate of Ghana. Failure to do may in a period of emergency result in difficulty or delay in according them the assistance and protection of which they are entitled. Changes of address or departure from the country should also be notified to the Mission or Consulate.

GUIDELINES FOR ACQUISITION OF DUAL CITIZENSHIP - REPUBLIC OF GHANA

INCREASE IN DUAL CITIZENSHIP FEES
It is announced for the information of interested parties that fees for Dual Citizenship Application Form and issuance of Dual Citizenship Certificate have been adjusted as follows:

Application form	CAD $ 200.00
Issuance	CAD $   40.00
TOTAL	CAD $ 240.00

HOW TO APPLY

ATTACHMENT TO APPLICATION FORM (EVIDENCE OF GHANAIAN NATIONALITY)

• Birth Certificate/Passport
• Evidence of Parents' Nationality - Passport, Voters ID Card, Birth Certificate.
• Six (6) passport sized photographs

NB DUAL CITIZENSHIP HOLDER

• Shall be issued with a Ghanaian passport or travel document;
• Shall be permitted to remain in Ghana without limitation provided the person entered on a Ghanaian passport;
• Shall not be permitted to use two passports interchangeably to deceive an Immigration Officer. Any dual citizen who does so will be considered to have committed a criminal offence and will be liable on a summary conviction to a fine not exceeding 250 penalty units or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding one year or to both.

No citizen of Ghana shall qualify to be appointed as a holder of any office in specified in this section if he holds the citizenship of any other country in addition to his citizenship of Ghana:

• Chief Justice and Justices of the Supreme Court;
• Ambassador or High Commissioner;
• Secretary to the Cabinet;
• Chief of Defence Staff;
• Inspector-General of the Police;
• Commissioner, Customs, Excise and Preventive Service;
• Director of Immigration Service;
• Commissioner, Value Added Tax Service;
• Director-General, Prisons Service;
• Chief Fire Officer;
• Chief Director of a Ministry;
• A rank of Colonel in the Army or its equivalent in the other security services; and
• Any other public office that the Minister for the Interior may by legislative instrument prescribe.

Please click on the link below to get a sample of :

• Application for registration as a dual citizen

PRESS RELEASE - VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIENS OF THE COMMONWEALTH AND IRELAND (LANDED IMMIGRANTS) RESIDING IN CANADA

The Ghana High Commission in Ottawa has been requested by the Embassy of the United States of America to bring to the attention of all Ghanaian landed immigrants in Canada that with effect from 17 March 2003, landed immigrants from some Commonwealth countries, including Ghana, residing in Canada shall be required to obtain visas if they wish to travel to the United States of America.

The High Commission is, therefore, appealing to all Ghanaians to take note of this new arrangement and endeavour to comply with it in order to avoid unnecessary difficulties.

Travellers are encouraged to apply for visas at the nearest U.S. Consulate as early as possible to avoid travel delays.