The United States has lifted its visa restrictions on Ghana after months of diplomatic discussions, Ghana’s foreign minister confirmed on Friday.
The decision comes as the West African nation takes on a new role in handling deportees from the US under President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
Earlier this month, Ghanaian President John Mahama disclosed that the country had begun receiving West Africans expelled by the US. Washington has used Ghana as part of a wider plan to send deported migrants to countries where they often have no direct links or family ties.
The visa restrictions, which had been in place since June, limited Ghanaian nationals to short-term, single-entry visas. According to officials, Ghanaians will now once again be eligible for five-year multiple-entry visas along with expanded consular privileges. The announcement was made during the United Nations General Assembly, where Ghanaian officials met with their American counterparts.
The arrangement between Accra and Washington has drawn questions. Ghana has said it is receiving deportees for humanitarian reasons, even though it has not secured any direct benefits in return. President Mahama admitted that the agreement came at a time when relations between both countries were under strain, with the US introducing tariffs and visa restrictions in recent months.
Since early September, at least 14 West Africans have been flown to Ghana as part of the deal. Lawyers in the United States reported that the deportees had been granted protection by US immigration courts against removal to their original home countries. Despite this, some were later sent from Ghana to their nations of origin, while others were transferred to Togo, where they were left without assistance.
US-based lawyer Meredyth Yoon told AFP that several deportees were kept under strict guard in Ghana for weeks before being abruptly relocated. She also noted that another flight capable of carrying 14 more people recently arrived in Ghana, though the number of passengers has not been disclosed.
Ghana maintains that the decision to accept deportees does not mean it supports Washington’s immigration policies. The government insists it is only acting on humanitarian grounds, while continuing to manage the delicate balance of its relations with the US.