The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration is considering an increase in passport application fees.
This is due to a scarcity of raw materials and equipment needed to meet the high demand at the passport office.
Speaking to the media in Accra on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Kwaku Ampratwum Sarpong said Ghana had the lowest passport fees as compared to neighbouring countries.
Ghanaians currently pay $8 due to subsidies, while Liberia, the second lowest, pay $40 for the same service.
Mr Ampratwum Sarpong said the ministry will soon commence discussions with parliament to push for an upward adjustment in the fees.
“We are in consultation with the various stakeholders, and hopefully, our next attempt is to engage with Parliament because we, on our own, cannot increase passport fees. We will need the support of Parliament to make it happen,” he said.
He also said plans are underway to introduce chip-embedded passports in the second quarter of 2024 in alignment with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
“And also, we are thinking of upgrading our passport from biometric to chip-embedded. So the chip-embedded version is going to cost more. If we continue charging at $8, we will continue to face the problems that we are having at the passport office… So we have to raise the fees,” he said.