The US grants Ghanaians five-year visa privileges following a deportee agreement
The US renewed Ghana’s multiple-entry visa after the country took in deportees from Nigeria and other West African countries.
The US has lifted the limits on visas that were put on Ghana, allowing several types of non-immigrant visas to be used more than once.
In a post on X, Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel Ablakwa revealed the news, saying that Ghanaians can now get visas that let them enter and leave the country multiple times for five years. He said that the change came about after months of political work.
“The rule that Ghana couldn’t get US visas has been lifted.” Nigerians can now get five-year visas that let them enter and leave the country more than once, along with other better diplomatic rights. “This good news came straight from Allison Hooker, who is the US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs. We talked about it at a meeting earlier today, which was held outside of the UN General Assembly,” Ablakwa wrote.
The announcement was also backed up by the US Embassy in Ghana. “The U.S. Embassy is happy to say that the maximum lengths of stay for all types of nonimmigrant visas for Ghanaians have been returned to what they were before.” The B1/B2 tourist visa can be used for up to five years and for up to two different visits. The Embassy said that the F1 student visa can be used for up to four years and for up to three different trips.
Two months ago, Washington limited the length of visas that people from Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, and Ethiopia could get to three months and only allowed one entry. The US Department of State said that the move was part of a global process for visa equality. It was related to worries about people overstaying their visas and fair treatment for US citizens.
Soon after Ghana got 14 people sent back from Nigeria and other West African countries, the restrictions were lifted. President John Mahama said the decision was in line with the ECOWAS policy, which lets people from the same country move freely within the region.
Mahama said, “We agreed with Washington that West Africans were okay because all of our fellow West Africans don’t need a visa to come to our country.”
