The Ghanaian Immigration Service has commenced the pilot
phase of visa on arrival for all African Union nationals, reports ITRealms.
This innovation as agreed recently by AU, ITRealms is novel
and could mean a transformation of Africa as its citizens now have the
opportunity of seeking visa, especially those outside the current visa free
agreement with other countries with anticipation of boosting tourism.
Till date, Ghana seems to pioneer this implementation in Africa.
According to a press statement endorsed on behalf of the
Comptroller-General of Immigration by the Head of Public Affairs of GIS, Mr.
Francis Palmdeti, in a memo dated July 8, 2016, Ghana says this exercise takes
immediate effect.
“All African Union nationals whose countries do not have a
visa free agreement with Ghana would be able to obtain visas on arrival at the
Kotoka International Airport (KIA),” part of the statement read.
ITRealms also gathered that this current arrangement would
be piloted at KIA for the first three months before being extended to all other
entry points of the country.
The Comptroller-General recalls that in his state of the
nation address on February 26, 2016, His Excellency, President John Dremani
Mahama informed parliament that all AU nationals will from July 2016 be issued
with visas on arrival following a decision taken at the Executive Council
Meeting of the Africa Union.
The GIS being the government agency mandated to regulate
migrant flows into the country, intends to ensure the smooth implementation of
this new policy.
As said by the Comptroller-General, the service in line with
this directive has initiated the modalities to give effect to the policy.
These modalities include that all AU nationals affected by
this policy who arrive in the country must have a passport, valid for at least
three (3) months, from the date of entry.
Also, such migrant GIS said, they must have a return ticket
or evidence of onward travel and sufficient funds and proof of accommodation
before they are granted visas.
All such visas, GIS noted, would be issued for validity of
30 days, even as they would be subject to the provisions of Section 4 of the
Immigration Act 2000 (Act 573) which applies to all travelers entering Ghana.
GIS further beckoned on the public, foreign missions and
embassies to take note these modalities, reassuring that GIS would continue to
execute its mandate professionally and effectively with the intention of making
Ghana an attractive destination to investors and tourists.
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