How to get a Ghanaian passport

INTRODUCTION

The Ghanaian passport is a document that is issued exclusively by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and Regional Integration to Ghanaian citizens, in accordance with the Ghanaian nationality law.
The passport certifies the Identity and Nationality of the holder, making them entitled to travel
under its protection to and from foreign countries.

TYPES OF PASSPORTS

• Contemporary Ghanaian passport: Issuable to all citizens and non-citizen nationals. The validity of
  this passport type used to be five years but has now been extended to 10 years, from the date of
  issue.
• Service Ghanaian passport: This type of passport is issued to officials attached to government
  institutions who have to travel on official business
• Diplomatic Ghanaian passport: This type is issuable to Ghanaian diplomats accredited overseas and
  their eligible dependents.

Available Passport Application Types and Cost

There are 2 types of application. These are the expedited, popularly known as “express” which takes a
short while to be processed and the Standard which takes a longer time to be processed. Here is how
much it cost to get a passport in Ghana.

• Expedited Application (48 pages) – GHS 200
• Expedited Application ( 32 pages) – GHS 150
• Standard Application (48 pages) –    GHS 150
• Standard  Application (32 pages) –   GHS 100

Payment Channels for Processing Fees

BANK CHANNELS

•      Ecobank Ghana : VISA & MasterCard, MTN Mobile Money, Vodafone Cash.
•      GCB Bank: Vodafone Cash.
•      Ghana.Gov  Branches nationwide.
•      Zenith Bank Ghana: MTN Mobile Money, Vodafone Cash, VISA & MasterCard.

Passport Application Centres (PAC)

#LOCATION ADDRESS

• Accra PAC. Kinbu Road (Old Foreign Affairs)
• Kumasi. Ministries Adum
  behind the Court of Appeal PWD (National Service Secretariat)
• Takoradi. Ghana Immigration Head
  Quarters (Within the Regional Administration)
• Sunyani. Adjacent  Jubilee (shares a wall with
  the Park)
• Ho. Regional Administration (Shares building with Immigration)
• Tamale. Police Park (Old
  Library)
• Ridge Premium PAC – Accra Digital Center, Adjacent State Housing Company,
  Ring Road West, Accra

Important documents needed to apply for a passport in Ghana

For every passport application, it is mandatory to have with you some important documents. These
documents certifies your application and proves that you are a Ghanaian and therefore eligible for
the application.

FIRST TIME APPLICANTS

If this is your first time of applying for a Ghanaian passport, you need to have the following
documents in order to kick-start the process:

• Birth Certificate
  This is a very important document that proves that indeed an applicant is a citizen of ghana. The
  type of birth certificate that is required for this application is what is referred to as the biometric
  birth certificate. Note that this is not the birth certificate you receive at the hospital after birth.
  Find out how to register for a Ghanaian biometric birth certificate by clicking here
•  Supporting ID Card
  You need other supporting Identification that will attest to the fact that you are a Ghanaian.
  Documents such as Driver’s Licence, National ID card are mostly required in applying for a passport in
  Ghana.
• Proof of Profession
  If the applicant is currently employed, an introductory letter from the employer or a work ID card
  that bears the name of the organisation, applicant name and postion is required from the applicant.
  However, Registered Business Owners and self-employed applicants must produce their business
  registration certificate as proof
  If an applicant is a student at the time of registration, a student ID of the applicant is required.
  Homemakers/housewives and applicants that are unemployed and those in the informal sector of
  employment like shoe makers,drivers, mechanics, hairdressers seamstresses, traders etc. do not needa formal proof of Profession.

PASSPORT RENEWAL

• First page. Applicant need to present the first page, which is the bio data/ information page at the
  passport application.Always ensure the bio page is clear
• Valid Visa. Instances where the applicant has been issued some visas, he/she is to present a copy of
  visa in his expired passport.
• Last page. Applicant need to present a copy of the last page of expired passport.
• Proof of Profession if changed. It is assumed that, at the time of renewal, an applicant may have
  changed his Profession and therefore mandated to present a proof of his profession to that effect.

MISSING PASSPORT

• Police Report. This is an important document that is requested from an applicant who has misplaced
  his passport. Visit your nearest police station for a police report indicating the passport number and
  place of issue of your passport.
• Affidavit. You need to swear an oath that is signed to back the proof of passport misplacement.
  This can be done at the offices of commissioner of oaths
•  Proof of Identity. Also, you will need to present a copy of your Identification Card to prove your
  identity
• Birth Certificate.

DAMAGED PASSPORT

• For some reasons, your passport may have been left to the mercy of some rodents, your kids or even
  the weather and now in a state that seems unpresentable and therefore feel the need to apply for
  a new one that’s more presentable. Feel free! ensure to have the following documents in order to
  apply for a new passport.
• Old damaged passport. Of course the registrar would demand a proof of your damaged passport
  before the process can commence, so don’t forget to take with you,your damaged passport.
• Affidavit. You also need to swear an oath, indicating the state of your passport. Remember this
  can be done at any of the offices of the commissioners for oath.

CHANGE OF NAME

• Marriage/Divorce Certificate
• Affidavit
• Gazette

APPLICANTS BELOW 18 YEARS

• Birth certificate
• Parents or Guardians ID

 

Quick Steps on How to apply for your passport online

PLEASE NOTE THAT ONLINE APPLICANTS ARE PROCESSED AT THE ACCRA PAC AND PREMIUM
PAC ONLY. You would have to visit
passport.mfa.gov.gh or passports.mfa.gov.gh to start the process. Create an account with a valid
and active mobile number as well as email address (optional) as a new user or log in as an existing
user. Steps:

• Login with your Username and Password.
•  Click on Start New Application.
• Make Payment for the processing fee. a. Choose a bank, then choose an application type (standard
  or expedited), choose payment channel to make payment. b. After a successful payment of the
  processing fee, the form is issued into your account to continue with your passport application. This
  form can be found at “My Applications”. c. Note that payment made are irreversible. d. Please note
  that manual (PDF) forms processing fee voucher codes are NOT TO BE USED here.
•  Complete all details on the form.
•  Sign the Declaration Form.
•  Book a date you will like to go to the Passport Application Center (PAC) for the verification of your
  documents and to take your biometric details (i.e. photograph and fingerprints).
•  Present yourself on the appointment date at the Passport Application Center for verification of
  your documents and to capture biometric details.
• After your appointment, the PAC will indicate to you when your passport will be ready for
  collection.
•  Go to the Passport Application Center (PAC) on the date indicated to you to collect your passport.
  The Premium PAC has the option for courier delivery.