Ghana Visa from UK 2026: Application, e-Visa, Fees

Ghana requires a visa for all British passport holders, with no visa free entry or visa on arrival scheme available to UK travellers in 2026. Two application routes exist: the Ghana e-Visa launched in 2024 via the official visa.gov.gh portal, and the traditional sticker visa applied for at the Ghana High Commission in London. Both require a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate, and visitors planning stays over 90 days must obtain a Ghana Card within 24 hours of arrival. This guide explains both routes, the documentation requirements, the fee structure, and the editorial reality of where third party expediters do and do not add value for a Ghana visa application from the UK. It is not regulated immigration advice.

Last reviewed: May 2026 · Sourced from GOV.UK

Why every British traveller needs a Ghana visa

Ghana operates a universal visa requirement for non Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) nationals. British passport holders, alongside other non ECOWAS visitors, must obtain a visa before travel. There is no visa free arrangement, no visa on arrival scheme, and no transit exemption for British nationals connecting through Kotoka International Airport in Accra.

The visa policy is administered by the Ghana Immigration Service under the Ministry of the Interior. Visa categories available to UK applicants include Tourist (single or multiple entry), Business (single or multiple entry), Conference, Diplomatic, Official, Student, Transit, and Re entry. The Tourist category is the standard route for UK leisure travellers, family visitors, and many short business activities.

The 2024 introduction of the official e-Visa scheme at visa.gov.gh significantly simplified application for UK travellers. Before the e-Visa, all applications required in person attendance or postal submission at the Ghana High Commission in London (Highgate Hill). The High Commission route remains available and is still required for some categories, but for standard tourist and business visits the e-Visa is the primary route.

The British Honorary Consulate in Cape Coast and the High Commission in Accra do not issue visas to British nationals; visa applications for UK passport holders are processed by the Ghana High Commission in London (for the traditional route) or by the Ghana Immigration Service directly (for the e-Visa route).

The Ghana e-Visa via visa.gov.gh

The official Ghana e-Visa portal is visa.gov.gh, operated by the Ghana Immigration Service. The application takes 20 to 40 minutes to complete and asks for personal details, passport information, travel itinerary, contact details in Ghana (a hotel booking is acceptable for tourist applications), and uploads of supporting documents.

Required documents for the Tourist e-Visa include the passport bio data page scan (PDF or JPEG), a digital passport sized photograph (JPEG, white background), a return or onward flight booking, accommodation confirmation, and the yellow fever vaccination certificate. The yellow fever certificate is mandatory for the e-Visa application itself, not only for the airport arrival check.

Fees are denominated in US dollars: $60 USD for a Tourist e-Visa single entry (60 days validity), $100 USD for multiple entry (60 days per visit, six month validity). Business e-Visa fees are slightly higher and require additional documentation such as an invitation letter from the Ghanaian host organisation. Payment is by international credit or debit card through the portal.

Processing time is typically three to five working days for straightforward applications, with most approvals delivered by email within 72 hours of payment. Apply at least one week before travel as a safety margin, and consider two weeks for applications requiring additional review. The e-Visa is delivered by email as a PDF; print two copies and carry with the passport for presentation on arrival at Kotoka International Airport.

The traditional sticker visa via Ghana High Commission

For visa categories not yet fully integrated into the e-Visa system, or for applicants who prefer the traditional route, the Ghana High Commission in London continues to issue sticker visas. The High Commission is located at 13 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8PN, with public office hours typically weekday mornings.

The traditional route is applied for using physical documents submitted in person at the High Commission or by recorded delivery post. Required documents typically include the completed visa application form, original passport with at least six months validity and two blank pages, two passport sized photographs, the visa fee (paid by bank draft or postal order; cash is not accepted by post), the yellow fever vaccination certificate, and supporting documents specific to the visa category.

Fees for the traditional route are broadly comparable to the e-Visa: typically £60 for single entry tourist and £100 for multiple entry, with variations by category. The fee schedule is published on the Ghana High Commission UK website and can change without notice.

Processing time for the traditional route is longer than the e-Visa, typically 10 to 15 working days from receipt of complete documents. The High Commission offers an express service for additional fee that reduces processing time to three to five working days. The traditional route remains useful for applicants who need a physical visa sticker in the passport (some immigration officers and airline staff are still more familiar with sticker visas), or for visa categories that do not appear on the e-Visa portal.

Yellow fever vaccination: mandatory for entry

Ghana requires a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate for all visitors aged nine months and over arriving from any country. This is enforced both at the visa application stage (the certificate must be uploaded as part of the e-Visa application) and on arrival at Kotoka International Airport, where the certificate is checked alongside the visa and passport.

The yellow fever vaccination is administered at an authorised yellow fever vaccination centre in the UK. The NHS list of designated centres is published on the NHS Fit For Travel website. The vaccination costs typically £60 to £80 at a private travel clinic in the UK, takes a single injection, and produces lifelong immunity (the previous booster recommendation has been withdrawn by the World Health Organization).

The yellow fever certificate (Carte Jaune) is issued at the time of vaccination and becomes valid 10 days after the injection. Plan the vaccination at least two weeks before travel to ensure the certificate is valid by the date of arrival in Ghana. Bring the original certificate with the passport; photocopies are not accepted by the Ghanaian immigration authorities.

Visitors arriving in Ghana without a valid yellow fever certificate face mandatory vaccination at the airport (administered by the Port Health Authority for a fee) or refusal of entry. The vaccination on arrival option is not recommended; the airport facility may not be operating at the time of your flight, and refusal of entry would result in immediate return to the UK at the traveller's expense.

Ghana Card requirement for stays over 90 days

The Ghana Card is the national identity card issued by the National Identification Authority of Ghana. Since the 2021 expansion of the Ghana Card system, all foreign nationals staying in Ghana for 90 days or more are required to register for a Ghana Card within 24 hours of arrival.

Registration takes place at a National Identification Authority office, with branches in Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, Tamale, and other regional capitals. The application requires the passport, the visa endorsement, the yellow fever certificate, a Ghana address, and biometric capture (fingerprints, photograph). The fee for foreign national registration is typically GHS 120 (around £6 at 2026 exchange rates).

The Ghana Card serves as the recognised identity document for foreign residents in Ghana and is required for routine activities including opening a bank account, registering for SIM cards beyond temporary tourist arrangements, and certain accommodation registrations for stays over 90 days. Visitors planning short stays (under 90 days) do not require a Ghana Card.

The 24 hour registration window is enforced inconsistently in practice, with most short stay foreign visitors not registered for a Ghana Card despite technically being subject to the requirement. For visitors planning genuine extended stays (research, volunteer work, long study programmes), early Ghana Card registration is the safer route to avoid complications at the time of departure or visa extension.

Where expediters add markup and where they add value

The Ghana e-Visa portal accepts British passport holders directly without intermediary. The official fee is $60 USD for single entry tourist (around £48 at 2026 exchange rates), and the typical processing time is three to five working days. Third party UK visa expediters offering "Ghana visa" services typically charge £100 to £150 for the same Tourist e-Visa, representing a £50 to £100 markup over the official cost.

What the expediter is selling for that markup is form completion assistance, document preparation (notably the yellow fever certificate upload and the photograph specification), and email forwarding of the e-Visa once issued. The underlying e-Visa is the same one the Ghana Immigration Service issues directly. There is no expediter privileged channel into the Ghana visa system.

The customer support argument is the strongest case for expediter use, in scenarios where the customer is uncertain about the yellow fever certificate requirement, the photograph specification, or the supporting document needs for a non standard category. For most first time UK travellers to Ghana, the official portal guidance combined with the GOV.UK Foreign Travel Advice page for Ghana provides sufficient context.

The traditional sticker visa via Ghana High Commission is the harder case to self serve, particularly for applicants outside London who need to arrange postal submission and bank draft payment. Here a third party expediter can add genuine convenience value for the additional fee, though the High Commission itself accepts properly prepared postal applications without intermediary. For the e-Visa route, the direct approach is cheaper and faster.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do British citizens need a visa for Ghana in 2026?

Yes. Ghana requires a visa for all British passport holders. There is no visa free arrangement, no visa on arrival scheme, and no transit exemption. Apply via the Ghana e-Visa portal at visa.gov.gh for the fastest route, or via the Ghana High Commission in London for the traditional sticker visa. A valid yellow fever vaccination certificate is mandatory at both the visa application stage and on arrival at Kotoka International Airport.

How long does the Ghana e-Visa take to process?

Typically three to five working days from successful payment. Most applications are approved by email within 72 hours, though more complex cases or applications submitted during peak periods can take longer. Apply at least one week before travel as a safety margin, and consider two weeks if the travel date cannot slip. The Ghana High Commission traditional sticker visa takes longer, typically 10 to 15 working days for standard service or three to five working days for the express service at additional fee.

What does a Ghana visa cost from the UK?

The official Ghana e-Visa costs $60 USD for single entry tourist (60 days validity) or $100 USD for multiple entry tourist (six months validity, 60 days per visit). At 2026 exchange rates this is approximately £48 to £80 plus card conversion fees. The traditional sticker visa via the Ghana High Commission is broadly comparable in fee, typically £60 to £100. Third party expediter services charge £100 to £200 for the same products, representing significant markup over the official cost.

Is yellow fever vaccination really required for Ghana?

Yes. The yellow fever vaccination certificate is mandatory for all visitors aged nine months and over, enforced both at the visa application stage and at airport arrival. The vaccination is administered at NHS approved yellow fever vaccination centres in the UK at a typical cost of £60 to £80. The certificate becomes valid 10 days after the injection and lasts for life. Travellers arriving without a valid certificate face mandatory vaccination at the airport or refusal of entry.

What is the Ghana Card and do I need one?

The Ghana Card is the national identity card issued by the National Identification Authority. Foreign nationals staying in Ghana for 90 days or more are technically required to register for a Ghana Card within 24 hours of arrival. The requirement is enforced inconsistently for short stay visitors but is the safer route for genuine extended stays. Visitors planning trips of under 90 days do not need a Ghana Card.

Can I extend my Ghana visa in country?

Yes. Visa extensions are processed at the Ghana Immigration Service offices in Accra and other regional capitals. The application requires the original passport, the existing visa endorsement, a written explanation of the reason for extension, and the extension fee (typically GHS 50 to GHS 100 per month of extension requested). Allow at least two weeks for the extension to be processed. For pre planned extended stays, applying for the multiple entry e-Visa or a longer category visa before travel is more efficient than in country extension.

Should I use a third party service for a Ghana visa?

For the Ghana e-Visa, the official portal at visa.gov.gh accepts British passport holders directly at the lowest cost. Third party expediters charge £50 to £100 markup for the same e-Visa. For the traditional sticker visa via the Ghana High Commission, the postal application route accepts properly prepared submissions without intermediary, though an expediter may add convenience value for applicants outside London. For most UK travellers, going direct via the e-Visa portal is the most efficient route.

Primary Sources

• Ghana e-Visa Portal: official Ghana Immigration Service application system
• GOV.UK Foreign Travel Advice Ghana: entry requirements and visa categories
• Ghana High Commission London: traditional visa applications and consular services
• GOV.UK Foreign Travel Advice Ghana: overall safety and travel guidance
• TravelHealthPro Ghana: NHS travel health and yellow fever vaccination guidance