ghana visa problems

[spanishtravellers]

hi everyone, we are in Ouaga, Burkina Faso at the moment and cannot get the visas for Ghana. They said we need to get them in our country of residence. . . but of course that is impossible now and they are only valid for 3months from the date of issue so they would have run out before we got there! We also tried in Bamako, Mali last week and were told the same thing. Does anyone know if we can get them at the border?
Thanx.

[taniyamorris]

I am pretty sure that you can't get them at the border I'm afraid. What is your nationality? Spanish I guess? We got them last year in Ouaga with out any problems (we're British, so no idea if that would make a difference). The only other thing I could recommend is to DHL your passports back for the visa to be organised through an agency.... the last option I would like to take however. Good luck. T

[markharf]

This is a new issue with Ghana visas--the policy came into being without warning a few months ago, and it's caused a lot of trouble for a lot of people. At the moment it's one of those things you really want to know about in advance.

Using an expediter and express mail will work, although the feeling of being trapped in a foreign country without your passport while you wait for its return is not a pleasant one. If you're ahead of the curve, I've always (3 times now) gotten multiple entry Ghana visas, good for 5 years, at home before heading out.

Good luck. Keep us posted if you find a workaround.

Mark

[Desert Driver]

The Ghana visa is no longer issued at any border so you have to get it in an embassy. We were in Ouga in December and ran out of time and so decided to get ours in Togo. It was a bit of a nightmare and i ended up giving them an "extra" 15000CFA on the side for a fast track service as I called it.

I suggest you don't tell them that you have tried in other embassy before, just make up a story that you weren't planning on visiting but have heard so many nice things about the country that you have chnaged your mind.

About Ghana itself all I have to say is lots of police controls and all asking for money or trying to give you a fine for nothing but if you are spanish it should feel like home as that is what the guardia civil do (at least to tourists).

Good luck

[spanishtravellers]

Hi everyone thanks for your replies, we guessed as much. Looks like we´ll have to leave Ghana for the next trip (around Ivory Coast etc )planned on bikes in 3 years time.
By the way we are both british passport holders (English parents). Loved the comment on the spanish Guardia Civils by the way. Our blog is landcruisingafrica if anyones interested in our trip,
it´s in English & Spanish. Thanks again.

[Rone]

Late November 2010, I 've got my visa for Ghana in Ouaga without any problems.

[markharf]

That was before the rules changed, and is unlikely to do the OP any good.

[Fokke]

If theres Any new info about the Ghana visa plz let us know. Trichelia and me are in Mauritania now. Headed for Mali and def like to visit Ghana. Cheers

[grandi]

Hi guys. this new rule came into play about February this year, but travellers have been getting through the system. there was a guy on a vespa that got his in ouaga about 3 weeks ago or so. If you wish to get it in UK, you could DHL your passports to Travcour, which is a visa agency here and they will process it for you. At the moment the embassy here in the UK are processing loads of nationalities - australian, south african, american etc are all getting done over the last 2 weeks. they have a 1 day to 3 day service. have used Travcour before for Ethiopia visa as we had to sedn ours back whilst on the road. Contact Mandy she is a star. Try again at Oauga you never know they may change there minds.
Travcour- TRAVCOUR (UK) Ltd
it is travcour .com not travcour .uk

good luck

[mus]

you guys still in Mauri ?

[ta-rider]

Hi,

Sad story...what about traveling direktly to togo insted? There and in benin you get a short time visa at the boarder. I had simular problems in nigeria but after a few days of waiting and explaining why i cant get my visa in germany i finaly got it...

Travel save, Tobi
Riding the rough west coast through Africa part 3

[vengavamos]

Hi we are in Mauritania heding for Mali soon. Just read about the Visa problems for Ghana. We really had Ghana on our places to see.
Does anyone have uptodate info. We are British passport holders.
We couls go Burkina Faso to togo but does this have any visa probs. as we planed to get the Togo visa in Ghana.
Can anyone give us advice?
Going to try for Nigerian visa in Mali as we believe thats pos. now.

[vengavamos]

We are in Bamako and Monday will apply for our Ghana visa. Some other travellers at the sleeping camel have got theirs allready. All British citizens. You need 4 copies of the form, photos and copy of passports.
A friend has allready contacted the Ghana embassy in UK. and there seem to be no problems.
Dave

[davidmarcus]

Took some negotiating, but I finally got the visa - valid for 3 months and only cost 50 dollars!

[EddieWouldGo]

I got a Ghana visa in Ouagadougou's Ghanaian Embassy on the 9th December.

I applied on a Tuesday and got it on the Friday, but applications from all through the week were all stacked up for dispersal on the Friday (mid-morning).

To be allowed to apply I had to explain why I didn't get my visa in my home country, and then with the application form I was given a blank A4 piece of paper and told to fill it with my explanation.

That I have been on the road longer than the three month validity was reason enough, and I showed absolutely no evidence to support my claim (had only been in Africa two months if they checked my Morocco stamp).

Reasonable price at 17,700 CFA, and I met a hot French student while waiting there and got taken for lunch.

A Dutch friend still on the road got his at the Bamako embassy, but said he paid "too much" - likely he will write his experiences here when given the time and good internet.

Hope this info is useful to someone.

Oh, also I am a U.K. citizen if that's a relevant factor too.

Eddie.