The Ghana Immigration Service has announced to the general public that, effective 1st March 2022, it will begin to admit Ghanaian passengers and dual nationals returning to Ghana with a valid Ghana Card.
According to the Immigration Service, this move follows the official recognition of the Ghana Card as an ICAO-compliant travel document. The Service indicated that the Ghana Card will serve as an optional travel document for travelers.
The Ghana Immigration Service, however, informed travelers that until bilateral agreements are signed with other countries, the Ghana card cannot be used to travel outside the ECOWAS sub-region. It stated that Ghanaians who have renounced their Ghanaian citizenship for another country are not eligible to travel with the Ghana Card.
“It should also be noted that dual nationals holding the Ghana Card will not require visas to enter Ghana.”
Ghana Immigration Service
Touching on the entry procedure for citizens having the Ghana Card, the Immigration Service stated that there shall be designated booths at the Kotoka International Airport to process Ghanaian passengers who travel with the Ghana Card into Ghana.
According to the Service, upon arrival, the identity of the Ghana Card holder will be verified against the National Identity Register (NIR). The Service explained that once the passenger’s identity has been successfully verified, the passenger will be admitted into the country.
Touching on the departure procedure, the Service noted that any Ghanaian who entered Ghana with the Ghana Card will be required to show their card to the Immigration officials at the Immigration Departure Control.
Passengers with fake Ghana Card to be denied entry
The Service cautioned passengers who will arrive into the country with a fraudulently acquired or fake Ghana Card to be denied entry, arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the applicable laws.
According to the Immigration Service, it is an offence under Section 52 of Immigration Act, 2000 (Act 573) for a person to fraudulently acquire or use a forged or fake travel document. Such convicted offenders may be fined and/or imprisoned.
This announcement followed the confirmation by the officials of the National Identification Authority (NIA), considering the Key Ceremony in Montreal, Canada, the Ghana Card can now be verified internationally. It stated that border control authorities will be able to confirm in less than 10 seconds that a Ghanaian biometric e-passport (booklet), as well as the Ghana Card were issued by the right authority, have not been altered and are not copies or cloned documents.
The Authority indicated that it will also now be faster and more effective for border control authorities to verify the identity of holders of Ghana’s passports.
This move was initially dismissed by a section of the public and various stakeholders describing it as “impossible” with some saying it is “a figment of imagination” on the side of government.
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