The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that the Premium Passport Application Centres located in Accra and Kumasi will cease operations from February 20, 2026.

In a statement released on Monday, February 23, the Ministry indicated that the directive impacts all individuals who rely on those facilities, especially applicants whose requests are yet to be completed.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform the general public of the closure of the Premium Passport Application Centres in Accra and Kumasi effective 20th February, 2026."

Clients affected by the development have been encouraged to continue their application processes at the Regional Passport Application Centres.

"All passport applicants, particularly clients with pending applications at the afore-mentioned Premium Passport Application Centres, are hereby advised to access the Regional Passport Application Centres for the processing of their applications or contact the Passport Office Client Service Unit on 0302-754-200 for assistance,"

The Ministry further stressed that the shutdown of the premium facilities will not affect service standards, reiterating its resolve to ensure efficient passport delivery across the country.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to take this opportunity to assure the general public of its commitment to deliver quality public service," the statement ended.

Last year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs debunked reports that it is responsible for the United States government's revision of the reciprocity schedule for a considerable number of African countries, including Ghana, reducing the B1/B2 visa validity from 5 years multiple entry to 3 months single entry.

Ghanaian visa applicants can no longer access the 5-year visa and multiple-entry.

It was reported that the Foreign Ministry had also limited the number of entries and duration given to US passport holders, hence the reciprocity by the US government.

However, in a statement, the Ministry refuted this claim, noting that consistent with bilateral arrangements, US passport holders are entitled to a maximum visa validity of five years, and in most instances, five-year multiple-entry visas are issued upon request.

"Some applicants, however, apply for single-entry visas owing largely to limited validity of their passports," the statement read.

Besides the maximum five-year multiple visas, Ghana also issues multiple-entry 6-month, one-year, two-year, three-year, and four-year visas based on various considerations.

From January 2025 to date, 40,648 visas have been issued by Ghana's missions in Washington, D.C., and New York. Out of this, 28,626 are multiple-entry visas to Ghana.

The statement further indicated that "The official statistics clearly demonstrate that contrary to false narratives, Ghana has issued, on average, an impressive 70.42% of multiple long-term visas to US passport holders, consistent with our bilateral arrangements."

The Foreign Ministry noted that the present limitations imposed by the United States vary substantially from the prior reciprocal arrangements that Ghana has kept with the United States.

The US' decision has sparked concerns, and the Ministry has acknowledged the legitimate concerns of Ghanaian travellers to the United States for professional, business, educational, touristic, medical and family purposes inconvenienced.

The Ministry has expressed its firm solidarity with all thoseGhana recognizes the sovereign right of every country to determine its visa regime.

While the Government of Ghana studies the current developments more closely and considers its options, it remains committed to working expeditiously with its longstanding partner, the US Government.

"We hope for an early resolution of the concerns that have led to the revision of the schedule which have been confirmed to be overstays, including by ensuring that the conduct of applicants align with the visa application procedures and requirements of the United States," the statement added.

Government has stated that it will, at its highest levels, sustain best efforts in strengthening relations with the United States in a manner that further enhances people-to-people relations in the mutual interest of both countries.

The updated guidelines, published under the U.S. Visa, reveal that Reciprocity and Civil Documents by Country for Ghana also affect student visa applicants.

F-1 visa holders, who are typically enrolled in full-time academic programmes in the U.S., will now be issued visas that allow for only one entry and expire after three months.

Diplomats and government officials will, however, continue to receive multiple-entry visas with validity ranging from 24 to 60 months.

The K1 visa, issued to the foreign-citizen fiancé(e) of a US citizen intending to marry within 90 days of arrival in the United States, and the K2 visa, provided to the unmarried dependent child (under 21 years old) of a K1 visa holder, are single-entry visas that will be valid for 6 months.

The K3 visa, for the foreign-citizen spouse of a US citizen, and the K4 visa, for their unmarried dependent child (under 21 years old), are multiple-entry visas that will be valid for 24 months.

All other visa applicants, including those applying for B-class visas, which cover business and tourism travel, will now be issued single-entry visas valid for just three months.