The United States has lifted the visa restrictions imposed on Ghana, restoring multiple-entry validity for several categories of non-immigrant visas.
Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Ablakwa, confirmed the development in a post on X, stating that Ghanaians are now eligible for five-year multiple-entry visas. He noted that the reversal was the outcome of months of diplomatic engagement.
“The US visa restriction imposed on Ghana has been reversed. Ghanaians can now be eligible for five-year multiple-entry visas and other enhanced consular privileges. This good news was directly communicated to me by US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker, at a bilateral meeting earlier today, in the margins of the UN General Assembly,” Ablakwa wrote.
The US Embassy in Ghana also confirmed the announcement. “The U.S. Embassy is pleased to announce that the maximum validity periods for all categories of nonimmigrant visas for Ghanaians have been restored to their previous lengths. The maximum validity allowed for the B1/B2 visitor visa is again five years, multiple entry. The maximum validity for the F1 student visa is again four years, multiple entry,” the Embassy stated.
The decision comes two months after Washington reduced the validity of visas for citizens of Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, and Ethiopia to three months, single-entry. That move, described by the US Department of State as part of a global visa reciprocity process, was linked to concerns about visa overstays and reciprocal treatment for American citizens.
The restrictions were lifted shortly after Ghana received 14 deportees from Nigeria and other West African countries. President John Mahama explained that the decision aligned with the ECOWAS protocol, which permits free movement of nationals across the region.
“We agreed with (Washington) that West African nationals were acceptable because all our fellow West African nationals don’t need a visa to come to our country,” Mahama said.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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