US Reverses Visa Restrictions on Ghana After Successful Diplomatic Negotiations

US Reverses Visa Restrictions on Ghana After Successful Diplomatic Negotiations

Ghana has scored a major diplomatic victory as the United States government has officially reversed the visa restrictions it imposed on the country in July this year. Ghanaians are now eligible once again for five-year multiple entry visas and other enhanced consular privileges.

The announcement was made by Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who disclosed the breakthrough on his official page following a high-level bilateral meeting with US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly.

“I am really pleased that months of high-level diplomatic negotiations has led to a successful outcome,” Ablakwa stated, hailing the development as a big win for Ghana.

It will be recalled that in July, the US government imposed restrictions on Ghanaian travellers, limiting visas to a maximum of three months single entry. The move, under the Trump Administration, was explained as a response to longstanding concerns about visa overstays, particularly among Ghanaian students.

However, Ghana mounted a strong diplomatic response, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs engaging Washington in a series of negotiations aimed at restoring the original bilateral arrangements. Today’s announcement signifies the full restoration of those privileges.

The reversal is expected to ease the burden on Ghanaian professionals, students, businesspeople, and families who frequently travel to the US, and is also seen as a significant boost to Ghana-US relations.

“This outcome is not just about visas,” Ablakwa emphasized, “it is about deepening people-to-people ties and strengthening our longstanding partnership with the United States.”

The development has been widely welcomed as a testament to the effectiveness of Ghana’s diplomatic efforts under President John Dramani Mahama’s administration.