Over 161,824 chip-embedded passports have been printed since the introduction of the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s new system, the sector minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has revealed.

Speaking at the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Monday, September 15, Mr. Ablakwa indicated that as of September 10, the Ministry had delivered 122,895 of these to applicants.

“These passports incorporate over 175 advanced security features, compared to 32 in the previous version, and fully meet International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards. This has greatly enhanced the global credibility and security of Ghanaian travel documents,” he added.

He noted that the new development marks significant progress in the country’s passport reform agenda. The reform initiatives surrounding the new passports also include 24-hour operations, e-tracking, and reduced application fees, all aimed at improving the overall experience for applicants.

The ministry has emphasized that the passport overhaul is an integral component of a comprehensive initiative aimed at modernizing the system, eliminating intermediaries, and ensuring a more transparent and user-centric application process.

In addition, the rollout will include several reforms throughout 2025, such as 24/7 passport processing, courier delivery to both home and office addresses, electronic application tracking, and a 30% reduction in processing fees.

As an upgrade to the current biometric passport, the new chip-embedded passport also boasts an improved design that reflects Ghana’s rich cultural heritage. The passport design incorporates Adinkra symbols such as “Fawohodie” (Freedom and Independence) and “Funtunfunefu Denkyemfunefu” (Democracy and Cooperation).

The new chip-embedded passport, which was rolled out on April 28, represents a major shift from the outgoing biometric system and brings Ghana in line with international travel standards. The updated document contains 175 security features and is embedded with nanotechnology to safeguard against fraud and damage.

It also includes a compressed polymer-based biographical data page, which users are advised to handle carefully. Ghanaians still holding valid biometric passports can continue using them until 2030 in line with regulations set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), though they may opt to upgrade to the new version at any time.

Biometric Travel Solutions spearheaded the development of the new passport platform, with Troskit and Ghana Post leading courier services under a 24-hour operational model. In May, the minister announced that a total of 31,935 passports had been printed.

As of the time, a total of 8,463 Ghanaians had received their new chip-embedded passports across the country. During that period, Mr Ablakwa saw to the first round of delivery of Ghana’s new chip-embedded passport. The minister joined Ghana Post on 9th May to personally hand over passports to clients at the addresses they provided.

Applicants facing address challenges will be able to retrieve their passports from designated Ghana Post offices at no extra cost. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has assured that Ghana Post will continue to ensure the timely delivery of passports across the country. Delivery packages have been designed with tamper-evident sealing to guarantee document integrity.

Meanwhile, Director of the Accra Passport Office, Felix Nyarku, has expressed concerns over the inconsistencies in applicants’ identification documents, highlighting mismatches between names on Ghana Cards and birth certificates.

During a visit by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Foreign Affairs last week, Mr Nyarku noted that this often delays the processing of chip-embedded passports.

What not to do

The new passport contains a biographical data-page composed of layers of polymer compressed into a solid substrate that must not be bent or kept in the pocket, especially the back pockets.It must be protected from heat and all forms of liquid.

Holders are advised not to store other cards with chips embedded in them inside the passport, as it may interfere with encoded information on the RFID. inside the passport.Avoid attempting to split the biographical data page. This will permanently damage the passport.Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has 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.