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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has announced a 30 per cent reduction in passport application fees for the ordinary 32-page booklet, bringing the cost down from GHC500 to GHC350, effective Thursday, November 13, 2025.
The announcement was made by Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, via Facebook on Sunday, November 9, confirming that the reduction will take immediate effect following months of administrative procedures.
Mr. Ablakwa first revealed the government’s intention to lower passport fees on March 13, 2025, during a parliamentary session, following directives from President John Dramani Mahama to make passports more affordable and accessible for all Ghanaians.
“The government recognises concerns about the affordability of the new passport and is committed to ensuring that the cost remains reasonable while maintaining high security standards,” he stated.
The fee reduction was made possible after Parliament completed amendments to the Fees and Charges Act, clearing the way for the policy to be implemented.
According to the Minister, the new GHC350 fee already includes courier service costs — meaning applicants will not incur any additional delivery charges.
“When they deliver your passport, all you have to do is verify your identity with your Ghana Card and sign. You are not to pay even one cedi more,” Mr. Ablakwa said.
Processing times have also been improved, with regular applications now taking 15 working days, while expedited services will be completed within three working days.
Mr. Ablakwa further disclosed that Ghana has completely phased out the old biometric passport system, replacing it with modern chip-embedded versions that meet International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
The Ministry continues to operate a 24-hour service and aims to have functional passport application centres in all 16 regions by December 2025.
The post Government slashes passport fees to GH₵350 effective November 13 appeared first on The Herald ghana.
