Ghana Launches 48-Hour e-Visa System, Waives Fees for African Travellers
African passport holders can now apply online for business and tourist visas at no cost under Ghana’s new digital immigration initiative.
- Ghana has introduced a new electronic visa platform.
- African passport holders will no longer pay visa fees.
- Visa applications will be processed within 48 hours.
Ghana has officially launched an electronic visa (e-Visa) application system, introducing a streamlined process that promises visa decisions within 48 hours for business and tourist travellers.
Announcing the initiative at a launch event in Accra on Monday, President John Dramani Mahama revealed that all African passport holders travelling to Ghana for tourism or business will now apply through the online platform and will not pay any visa fees.
The new system forms part of the government’s broader effort to modernise immigration and border management while promoting travel, trade and regional integration across Africa.
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, explained that applicants who submit all required documents through the platform would receive feedback on their visa applications within 48 hours. He added that applicants from outside Africa would pay a service fee of US$260.
Under the arrangement, African travellers will still be required to complete online applications and undergo security screening before entering Ghana, despite the waiver of visa fees.
The e-Visa platform currently applies only to business and tourist visas. However, diplomatic passport holders, individuals from countries with bilateral visa waiver agreements, as well as holders of student and family visas, will continue using existing procedures.
Mr Ablakwa stated that Ghana’s existing visa waiver agreements with nearly 50 countries remain unaffected by the new policy.
He also noted that the platform complies with standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization and incorporates biometric verification and fraud prevention systems.
According to the Foreign Affairs Minister, Cabinet approved the initiative following a joint proposal from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior and Transport.
He further disclosed that the platform is being operated through a public-private partnership with Rock Africa, which financed the setup and will recover its investment through service charges over time.
Mr Ablakwa dismissed claims circulating on social media suggesting that the government had terminated a previous e-visa contract that could lead to a judgement debt. He clarified that investigations found no prior e-visa agreement existed, explaining that the only existing arrangement related to machine-readable visa stickers.
Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, described the launch as a significant milestone in strengthening Ghana’s border security and immigration management.
He explained that the technology-driven system would enable authorities to assess travellers and identify potential security risks before they arrive in the country.
Meanwhile, Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe said the e-Visa system has been integrated with the Advanced Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record systems introduced at the Kotoka International Airport in August 2025.
According to him, the integration will allow border agencies to screen passenger information before travellers board flights destined for Ghana.
