Obtaining your visa for travel to Ghana
A travel visa is permission from the government (usually a mark in your passport) to enter and leave the country you are
visiting. A visa is not always necessary for travel, depending on the country your passport is from, and the country you are
traveling to. If you hold a passport from the USA/Canada/UK/Australia you will need to apply for a visa in order to
travel to Ghana. If you hold a passport from another country, you may need to apply for a visa in order to travel
to Ghana. All participants should locate their nearest Ghanaian Consulate and contact them directly to obtain an
application and learn more about the official requirements.
US: Apply for a Tourist Visa. Please download your visa application and follow the guidelines here:
https://ghanaconsulatenewyork.org/gcn/VisaApplication.aspx
Canadian: Apply for a Volunteer Visa. Please download your visa application and follow the guidelines here:
http://www.ghc-ca.com/frm-e-consular-matters.html
UK: Apply for a Tourist (B-2) Visa. Please download your visa application and follow the guidelines here:
https://www.ghanahighcommissionuk.com/Passports/VisaApplication.aspx
Australian: Apply for a Tourist Visa. Please download your visa application and follow the guidelines here:
http://www.consulate-ghana.com.au/visa.html (Western Australia and Northern Territory) or
http://ghanacg.com.au/services.aspx (all other states and territories)
Other Countries: Please consult the visa requirements section of the Ghanaian government’s website here:
http://www.ghana.gov.gh/index.php/ghana-visa-regulations. Next, contact the Ghanaian Consulate or Embassy in
your country to learn more about their requirements, here: http://www.ghanatourism.gov.gh/visas.asp.
Questions to ask yourself before you begin your visa application process:

When should I apply for my visa? Single entry visas are valid for entry up to three months from the date of
issue. The best time to apply for your visa is 30 to 90 days before your program start date. The process takes
one to two weeks, plus mailing time. You may be able to have your visa expedited within 24-48 hours for an
additional fee.

Do I already have a passport? Also, ensure your passport is active. Your program should not fall within six
months of your passport expiration date.

Have I booked my flight? You’ll need to include a photocopy of your confirmed flight itinerary.

Have I had a Yellow Fever vaccination? A photo copy of your Yellow Fever vaccination certificate may need to
be included with your application.

Will I need to submit a Letter of Invitation? Persons traveling with a US or Canadian passport will need to
include a Letter of Invitation from Cross-Cultural Solutions with their application. Persons travelling under other
passports may also need to submit a Letter of Invitation. Your Program Site Specialist will email you the letter;
make sure you write your full name, as it appears on your passport, on this letter. You may also need to include a
copy of your Ghanaian host’s photo ID, which your Program Site Specialist will email you as well.

Do I have official passport photographs? You will need to attach between 2 and 4 “2x2” official passport
photos to your application. Passport photos can be taken at your post office or stores like Walgreens and CVS.

Do I have my visa fee ready? Payment has to be made by bank check or money order (not a personal check).
USE THE FOLLOWING CONTACT INFORMATION FOR YOUR REFERENCES IN GHANA:
1. Makafui Amenuvor
 Address: Cross-Cultural Solutions, Poly Down, Plot No. VR193/96, House No. 12, Wortoe, Ho.
 Phone: (233) 20-895-5468
 Email: [email protected]
2. Michael Azila-Gbettor, Bismark
 Address: #5 Crown Lane, Medical Village/P.O. Box MA 208, Ho, Volta Region, Ghana
 Phone: 233 20 8986023
 Email: [email protected]
Other tips:

Yes, you need to submit your actual passport.

Apply for a single-entry visa, unless you will leave Ghana and return at least once before your final departure (If
you are staying longer than 60 days, you may also want to consider a multiple-entry visa. Speak with your Ghana
Program Site Specialist for more information).

Under the business address field, use your work place or university address (as applicable). Do not use CrossCultural Solutions.

For the “Traveling by” category, check or write “yes” next to the “Air” space. For the question, “Is applicant in
possession of return ticket?” mark “yes.” Your ticket number, if requested, should be on your itinerary. It may
be called “ticket number,” “order number,” “confirmation number,” etc., but it is NOT the flight number.

On the application for visa, one question asks for “Financial Means at Applicant's Disposal,” or, “Amount of
Money you are travelling with.” This means how much money will you have available to you while traveling in
Ghana. They want to know that you have enough financial means at your disposal to cover your travel and
accommodation expenses during the stay. $1000 (USD) is a standard amount to indicate, which covers what
you’ve already paid through your program fee for housing and transportation. It does NOT mean you need to
bring $1000 USD in cash with you!

Your purpose of journey is tourism (or volunteer in Canada), NOT business or employment

If the application asks for the name & address of your Employer in Ghana, do not list Cross-Cultural Solutions.
Leave it blank or write “n/a.”

The Australian application asks for your address while in Ghana. Use the address above for Makafui Amenuvor.

The U.S. Consulate asks in section (e) for a Copy of U.S. Permanent Resident Card, Student ID Card, or valid
U.S. Work Visa. This only applies for non-U.S. citizens who are applying with another passport in the U.S. For
U.S. citizens, your U.S. passport will suffice.

Make sure you read through ALL of the Consulate’s official guidelines on their respective websites!
Expediting Your Visa
If you’d like professional assistance having your visa processed, for an additional fee, you can use a visa expediting
service. Listed below are two expeditors that volunteers have used in the past:
A Briggs Passports & Visas. Tel: 1-800-806-0581, www.abriggs.com
Travisa Expeditors. Tel: 1-800-222-2589, www.travisa.com