Gov’t rolls out visa-on-arrival policy for inbound travelers this Christmas

The government of Ghana has introduced a visa-on-arrival policy for passengers travelling to Ghana effective Thursday, December 22, 2022, to Sunday, January 15, 2023. 

This means individuals coming to Ghana are not mandated to acquire a visa before arriving in the country but would rather receive their visas upon arrival in the country.

The Transport Minister, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah,, made this known in a press release on Thursday, December 22.

According to him, the move is in furtherance of the government’s “Beyond the Return” initiative.

“Following consultation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Tourism, Art and Culture, Ghana Immigration Service and the Ghana Tourism Authority, approval has been given for passengers travelling to Ghana to opt for visa-on-arrival waiving the requirement for prior approval.

“Consequently, it will be appreciated if systems are updated to reflect the new arrangement and all those responsible for checking-in passengers travelling to Ghana advised not to insist on entry visas before their boarding,” the statement concluded.

The ‘Beyond the Return’ Initiative, which is a 10-year plan designed to build on the momentum of the ‘Year of Return’ is also a follow-up to the Year of Return project, which commemorated the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first recorded enslaved Africans in Virginia in 1619.