The United States has lifted the visa restrictions in Ghana applied under Section 243(d) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act. As of Friday, January 17, visa processing will return to the normal procedures.
The validity period and the number of entries on new tourist and business visas (B1, B2, and B1/B2) for all Ghanaian executive and legislative branch employees, their spouses, and their children under 21 will revert to receiving the normal validity, based on reciprocity, which is currently five years with multiple entries.
All pending non-immigrant visas (NIV) to domestic employees (A3 and G5) of Ghanaian diplomats posted in the United States that were received during the visa restrictions will now be processed.
This follows the establishment of a mutually agreed process for the identification, validating and issuance of travel documentation to Ghanaian citizens under final orders of removal in a manner consistent with international standards issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization, of which Ghana is a Member State.
For information on the visa processes, kindly visit gh.usembassy.gov/nonimmigrant-visas/ for more details
What is the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act- Section 243(d)?
On April 11, 2019, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) published new regulations in the Federal Register dealing with refusal procedures for visas barred under section 243(d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The new regulations took effect on April 22, 2019.
Section 243(d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) allows the Secretary of State to impose visa sanctions against countries whose governments deny or unreasonably delay accepting the return of nationals and residents ordered removed to those countries. Under prior regulations, consular officers adjudicating visa applications abroad were required to grant or deny every visa application, including those which could not be approved due to section 243(d) sanctions.
The United States and Ghana have a close and enduring friendship rooted in their mutual commitment to freedom and democratic values.
