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Ghana has secured a major diplomatic victory as the United States lifts visa restrictions imposed on the country earlier this year.
The announcement was made public by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who described the decision as a “big win for Ghana.”
According to Ablakwa, the development was formally communicated to him by Allison Hooker, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
“I am really pleased that months of high-level diplomatic negotiations has led to a successful outcome,” Ablakwa said.
The reversal means Ghanaians are once again eligible for five-year multiple entry visas and other enhanced consular privileges. These benefits were suspended when Washington imposed restrictions in July, citing long-standing concerns about visa overstays, particularly by Ghanaian students.
At the time, the US limited Ghanaian travellers to a maximum three-month single-entry visa. The Trump administration, which introduced the measures, said the action was in response to “many years of visa overstays.”
Ablakwa welcomed the decision as a sign of improving bilateral ties.
“It’s good to see healthier and stronger Ghana–USA relations,” he said, adding that the breakthrough reflects the persistence of Ghana’s diplomatic efforts.
The lifting of the restrictions is expected to ease travel for Ghanaian students, professionals and tourists, and to bolster trade and investment between the two nations.
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