This summer, I completed a global health internship in Accra, Ghana. While the experience was an amazing opportunity, Ghana requires that all tourists acquire a visa before entering and the process has the potential to become overwhelming. While all of the application details can be found on the official Ghanaian embassy website, here are a few things to remember throughout the process:
Keep Track of Your Documents
First and foremost, you MUST have a passport that is valid for at least six months after your return date. While this may seem excessive, it is highly recommended for international travelers to prevent any issues if they have to stay abroad for longer than expected. Outside of the passport, the application requires many documents, including but not limited to an updated passport photo, proof of COVID-19 vaccinations, a travel itinerary, and proof of residence. In addition to uploading all of these documents to the website, applicants must print and mail them to the embassy along with the application.
You Will Have to Give up Your Passport
Before traveling to Ghana, I was completely unaware that I would have to trust USPS to safely deliver my passport from California to Washington D.C., and back again. From a young age, most of us are taught the importance of keeping one’s passport near and easily accessible at all times, so needless to say this was a jarring experience. Since the visa does not function as its own document, but as an addition to your passport, the process requires you to mail your passport along with your application. After several days or weeks of processing, the passport will be mailed back to you and the visa will be permanently sealed to your current passport.
The Application Process is Expensive
After uploading all of the required documentation and submitting the application, the Ghanaian embassy website will prompt you to pay the application fee. When I completed my application, the fee was $105, which is likely to increase in time. In addition to the application fee, you will also need to pay the return postage for the passport. The return postage fee can vary depending on which option you choose, but the minimum fee is about $30. If you would like the package to be returned sooner, this will incur additional fees.
Prepare For the Post Office
The post office is similar to the DMV in that people often complain about long wait times, so it is best to arrive completely prepared. Make sure to arrive with all of the components of your application inside a large manila envelope that is labeled with your name, address, and the Ghanaian embassy address. You will then have to place this envelope into the U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail envelope that should be labeled with the same information on the previous envelope. If you have questions or need assistance with the process of choosing the proper envelope, do not be afraid to ask a postal clerk for help. In my experience, everyone was really helpful and the clerk explained how to properly package my application. Toward the end of your visit to the post office, you will have the pleasure of paying another fee for the envelope and postage of your application.
Applying for a visa is tedious, but there is no way around it if you plan to travel to Ghana as a U.S. citizen. While these tips encapsulate most of the application process, there are also a lot of good YouTube videos describing the process step-by-step for those who need more information. And while the process was challenging, it did not dampen my enthusiasm for Ghana and I can confidently say that I would go through the process again (but not anytime soon).