US Embassy lifts visa restrictions on Ghana effective Friday, January 17

According to the Embassy, beginning Friday, January 17, 2020, visa processing will return to the normal procedures.

The embassy said the move comes following a mutually agreed process for the identification, validating and issuance of travel documentation to Ghanaian citizens under final orders of removal in a manner consistent with international standards issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization, of which Ghana is a Member State.

The US Embassy said this in a statement it released to the public.

It noted that “ The validity period and number of entries on new tourist and business visas (B1, B2, and B1/B2) for all Ghanaian executive and legislative branch employees, their spouses, and their children under 21 will revert to receiving the normal validity, based on reciprocity, which is currently five years with multiple entries. All pending non-immigrant visas (NIV) to domestic employees (A3 and G5) of Ghanaian diplomats posted in the United States that were received during the visa restrictions will now be processed.”

Adding that “This follows the establishment of a mutually agreed process for the identification, validating and issuance of travel documentation to Ghanaian citizens under final orders of removal in a manner consistent with international standards issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization, of which Ghana is a Member State.

Background

The United States Embassy in Ghana on February 2019 placed some visa restrictions on Ghanaians wanting to travel to the United States.

Aside students, the restrictions affected all non-immigrant visas (NIV) to domestic employees (A3 and G5) of Ghanaian diplomats posted in the United States.

The move also limited the validity period and a number of entries on new tourist and business visas (B1, B2, and B1/B2) for all Ghanaian executive and legislative branch employees, their spouses, and their children under 21 to one-month, single-entry visas.

Per the Embassy’s explanation, the move was necessary due to the government of Ghana’s non-compliance with international obligations regarding the issuance of travel documents to Ghanaians awaiting deportation in the USA.