The Government of the United States of America has officially lifted visa restrictions it placed on Ghana and holders of Ghanaian passports in July this year.
The reversal happened at a time Ghana has become of the deportation hubs for President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. Ghana continues to receive West African nationals deported from the United States. There is however no official statement linking the reversal of the restrictions to the receiving of the deported West Africans.
The United States Embassy in Accra confirmed the reversal of the visa restrictions on its official X page moments after the news was first made public by Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
“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 U.S. Embassy noted on Saturday September 27.
Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa describes the reversal of the visa restrictions as a “big win” and said it was the result of “months of high-level diplomatic negotiations”
He made the comments on his social media page, X: “Big win for Ghana! The US visa restrictions 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. I am really pleased that months of high-level diplomatic negotiations has led to a successful outcome.
“It will be recalled that the US imposed visa restrictions on Ghana and other countries in July this year. The affected countries were slapped with a maximum three-month single entry visas and other limitations. In the specific case of Ghana, the Trump Administration said they were reacting to many years of visa overstays mainly by students. It’s good to see healthier and stronger Ghana 🇬🇭 USA 🇺🇸 relations. For God and Country.”
The United States, when it placed the restrictions in July said it was part of measures adopted to curb visa over stays and immigration non-compliance challenges. It however created financial and logistical burden on Ghanaians seeking education, business and other legitimate travel issues in the United States.
Though the reversal has brought some relief for Ghanaian travelers and the move is being applauded, President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has said it is not something worth celebrating because in his view, Ghana could have asked for more.
Franklin Cudjoe took to his Facebook page to criticize Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa for celebrating the lifting of the restrictions.
“Frankly, my brother Honourable Okudzeto, I wish this had not been posted and celebrated. We had this already. Yes, l know the Trump administration threatened visa restrictions, but we could have negotiated for more, perhaps a good reduction of the 15% tariff imposed on Ghana.
“Knowing that Trump is a deal maker on almost everything and given our President’s daring, audaciously great speech on Gaza, we should not be settling for this visa pittance. Is this all we got from taking in our deportee West African neighbours? Anyway”, Franklin Cudjoe noted.
