Ghana has officially launched its first electronic visa (e-Visa) system, marking a major shift in the country’s travel and immigration regime as the government moves to position the West African nation as a more accessible destination for tourism, trade and investment.
The new platform, unveiled by President John Dramani Mahama in Accra on Africa Day, allows travellers to apply for visas entirely online without visiting Ghanaian embassies or consulates. The initiative is expected to significantly reduce paperwork, shorten processing times and simplify entry procedures for visitors.
A key highlight of the new policy is the waiver of visa fees for all African passport holders travelling to Ghana for business or tourism.
“Effective immediately, all holders of African passports travelling to Ghana for business or tourism will apply for visas exclusively via the new online e-Visa platform, and they will pay no visa fee,” President Mahama announced at the launch ceremony.
The launch forms part of the Mahama administration’s broader “Ghana Open for Business” agenda, which seeks to modernise public services and deepen Ghana’s attractiveness as a regional hub for commerce, conferences and leisure travel.
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the new digital visa system was developed in response to longstanding complaints from travellers and international partners about delays and cumbersome application processes under the previous system.
According to him, Cabinet approved the reform as part of wider efforts to modernise Ghana’s immigration architecture and improve investor confidence. He noted that the new online platform aligns with President Mahama’s vision of creating a more efficient and welcoming environment for international visitors.
Under the new arrangement, visa applications can now be completed electronically, eliminating the need for physical paperwork, courier submissions and lengthy embassy appointments. Officials say applicants who submit the required documentation online should receive visa decisions within 48 hours.
The e-Visa system is also expected to strengthen Ghana’s push for deeper continental integration at a time when African countries are increasingly looking to ease mobility across borders under initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 framework.
The visa-fee waiver for Africans, first announced by President Mahama in April during a bilateral meeting with Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has been widely interpreted as a symbolic and practical step toward promoting intra-African travel and economic integration.
The launch on Africa Day adds symbolic significance to the reform, underscoring Ghana’s longstanding pan-African identity and its efforts to ease movement across the continent. Ghana joins a growing number of African countries leveraging digital visa systems to attract tourists, investors and conference delegates in an increasingly competitive global travel market.
