Ghana has launched an electronic visa (e-Visa) application system, introducing a 48-hour processing period for business and tourist visa applications as part of efforts to modernize border management and facilitate travel across Africa.
Launching the platform in Accra on Monday, May 25, President John Dramani Mahama announced that all holders of African passports travelling to Ghana for business or tourism would apply exclusively through the new online system and would not pay visa fees.
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said applicants who submit all required documents online would receive visa decisions within 48 hours. He added that applicants from outside Africa would pay a service fee of US$260.
The e-Visa platform currently covers business and tourist visas only, while diplomatic passport holders, nationals of countries with bilateral visa waiver agreements, and holders of student and family visas will continue to use existing arrangements.
Mr Ablakwa said the initiative formed part of Ghana’s Pan-African agenda and Africa Day celebrations. He noted that African travellers would still be required to complete the online application process and undergo security screening before travelling to Ghana.
According to the minister, the system complies with standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization and incorporates biometric verification and fraud prevention features. He disclosed that the Cabinet approved the initiative following a joint submission by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior and Transport.
On financing, Mr Ablakwa explained that the platform is being implemented through a public-private partnership with Rock Africa, which funded the system’s development and will recover its investment through service charges over time.
He also dismissed reports suggesting the Government had cancelled an existing e-Visa contract that could result in a judgement debt, stating that investigations found no previous e-Visa agreement on record. “There will be no judgement debt. No contract has been cancelled,” he said.
Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, described the platform as a major step towards a technology-driven border management system capable of identifying security risks before travellers arrive in Ghana.
“Before a traveller even boards a plane, we already know who is coming. We assess the risks early, we identify threats early, and we act early,” he said. The Minister of Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, said the e-Visa platform had been integrated with the Advanced Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record systems introduced at Accra International Airport in August 2025, enabling border Agencies to screen passenger information before departure.