Ghana entry rules: what your passport means for your trip

Ghana moved visa applications online and ended visa-on-arrival. Whether you need a paid eVisa, a free travel authorisation, or no visa at all comes down to the passport you travel on - and the official checker answers that in seconds.

By Ernest · 13 October 2026

Kotoka International Airport Terminal 3 at night, Accra. — Kotoka International Airport Terminal 3, Accra. Photo: Sm105, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Kaaklo wordmark added; adapted image shared under the same licence.

What changed

On 25 May 2026 the president launched Ghana's official eVisa portal, run by the Ghana Immigration Service with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs [2][3]. Applications for Ghana visas moved online, and the old visa-on-arrival route was discontinued [2]. The portal's own guide sets out three entry routes: visa-free, a free Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), and the paid eVisa [1].

The passport you travel on decides your route. The portal's eligibility checker - not a headline - gives your answer [1].

What the official checker says

We ran the portal's eligibility checker on 13 October 2026. These are the results for the passports we checked:

United States	eVisa required
United Kingdom	eVisa required
Ireland	eVisa required
Germany	eVisa required
South Africa	ETA - free, 90-day validity, single entry
Mauritius	ETA - free, 90-day validity, single entry
Singapore	ETA - free ("Asian visa-waiver country")
Nigeria	Visa-free - no visa or ETA required in the checker result
Ghana	Visa-free - Ghanaian citizen, no visa required

Results observed on the official portal checker, 13 October 2026. Your result depends on the nationality you enter [1].

The portal's applicant guide describes the routes this way: visa-free covers ECOWAS and AES nationals; the ETA covers African nationals and countries with bilateral visa waivers; everyone else who needs a visa applies for the eVisa [1]. Note the checker's own answer for a Ghanaian passport: visa-free, as a citizen [1].

If your result is the eVisa

The portal publishes three processing tiers, priced by speed rather than nationality [1]:

Standard	from $260 - processed within 96 hours
Priority	$338 - processed within 48 hours
Express	$442 - processed within 5 hours

A single-entry tourist eVisa is valid for 90 days from issue, and the immigration officer on arrival sets the permitted stay, up to 60 days [1]. The portal lists the documents: a passport valid at least 6 months with 3 blank pages, a recent photo, travel itinerary, accommodation for the full stay, proof of funds for tourists, and a Yellow Fever vaccination certificate for entry [1]. Fees are non-refundable except for system error or duplicate payment [5]. The exact total depends on the visa type and processing you select, and is only final inside the application itself.

If your result is the ETA

The ETA is free. The checker describes it for South African and Mauritian passports as "African Union citizen - ETA replaces Visa on Arrival", valid 90 days for a single entry [1]. The application asks for:

A passport valid at least 6 months, plus a scan of the bio-data page.
A passport-style photograph.
Flight details: airline, flight number, departure city and arrival date.
An address in Ghana - hotel or host.
A Yellow Fever vaccination certificate.

Dual nationals

The checker takes one nationality at a time, and no official guidance we could find says which passport governs when you hold two - including a Ghanaian passport alongside a foreign one. If that is you, confirm with the Ghana Immigration Service before you book rather than assuming a rule [1][4].

Before you book

Run your own passport through the official checker at evisa.immigration.gov.gh - it takes under a minute and it is the answer the border will use [1]. Whatever your route, carry a valid Yellow Fever vaccination certificate: it is required for entry [1].