U.S. Tightens Visa Rules for Ghanaians

The United States government has updated its visa reciprocity policy for Ghana, significantly reducing both the duration and number of entries allowed under most non-immigrant visa categories.

According to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, this change means that most Ghanaian applicants—particularly those seeking business (B1) or tourism (B2) visas—will now receive single-entry visas valid for just three months. This is a major departure from the previous practice, which often granted multiple-entry visas valid for one to five years.

Certain visa categories are not affected by the change:

• A-class visas (for diplomats and government officials): Still eligible for multiple entries, with validity ranging from 24 to 60 months.
• K1 visas (for foreign-citizen fiancé(e)s of U.S. citizens) and K2 visas (for their dependent children under 21): Remain single-entry, valid for six months.
• K3 and K4 visas (for spouses and dependent children of U.S. citizens): Remain multiple-entry, valid for 24 months.

However, the update impacts F-1 student visa holders as well. Ghanaian students will now receive single-entry F-1 visas valid for only three months, even though their academic programs typically extend over several years.

This policy change is part of the U.S. government’s broader effort to apply reciprocal visa rules, aligning the terms of entry granted to foreign nationals with those their countries offer U.S. citizens. A similar policy was recently applied to Nigerian nationals.

While the U.S. government has not issued a detailed explanation for Ghana’s inclusion in the revised guidelines, such decisions are often tied to diplomatic relations, immigration enforcement, or security protocols.

The new restrictions could pose added challenges for Ghanaians needing to make frequent trips to the U.S. for business, education, or tourism, as they may now have to apply for a new visa each time—adding both cost and procedural delays.