Ghana Passport Application Procedures And All Details: Updated

This article contains a detailed guide on The Online Ghana Passport Application Procedures, Online Ghana Passport Application Centers Nationwide, the recently launched Premium Passport Application and Misconception About The Online Ghana Passport Application Process. Also covered in this article are in dept details and guidance about The Manual Ghana Passport Application Process, Changes To The Manual Ghana Passport Application Process, Processes Involved In The Manual Ghana Passport Application and Manual Ghana Passport Application Centers Nationwide. This article also goes in dept on the Ghana passport Renewal And Replacement Procedures and How to Print And Track Your Ghana Passport Application Progress.

We also take a look at the Biometric And Non Biometric Passports, Location Of Biometric Data Collection Centers, Online Ghana Passport Application vs Manual Passport Application, Ghana Passport Application Types And Fees (Processing Fees), Ghana Passport Premium Application Fees, Ghana Passport Application Payment Modes, Which Passport Type To Choose (Regular or Expedited) And How Long It Really Takes. We finally delve into the Documents Needed For Ghana Passport Application, Ghana Passport Validity as well as Ghana Passport Visa Free Countries.

Read also

• Apply For Ghanaian passport In An Hour
• Print And Track Ghana Passport Application Progress
• Things To Note When Applying For Online Ghana Passport

Table of Contents

The Online Ghana Passport Application Process

On Tuesday 20th December, 2016, the online Ghana passport application was launched. After its initial piloting in 2014 through the National Information Technology Agency’s (NITA) pilot project. What this means is that it was introduced in 2014 as it was being tested then and it wasn’t available to the general public until December 2016 when it was launched and introduced to the general public.

• Full Details: Passport Office Resumes Operations Nationwide
• Ghanaian Passport Fees To Go Up

Processes Involved In The Online Ghana Passport Application

The online Ghana passport application process requires that you fill all your data online, book appointment and print your form to be submitted for vetting and biometric registration (Data Collection) on the booked date. After which you receive your passport after a month or more depending on the type of application (Regular or Expedited).

What the online Ghana passport application process brought is that instead of manually buying, filling the forms and booking several appointments just to present the forms for verification of documents at the passport offices, all that is now online. You can now sit behind a computer, fill your details online, print the form and book appointment all online.

• Full Details: Passport Office Resumes Operations Nationwide
• Ghana To Launch E-Visa System

Online Ghana Passport Application Centers Nationwide

Here are online application centers across Ghana where you can submit your online application form for further processing after filling it.

Online Ghana Passport Application Procedures

There are two options from which you can choose to do the online Ghana passport application. The first option is to do it your self if you are a little tech savvy. The second option is to go to a Premium Passport Processing Center for the application to be done for you at a fee of 50 cedis in addition to the usual passport application fees which is 50 cedis for regular and 100 cedis for expedited.

Online Ghana Passport Application Option One: Do It Your Self

You can do the online Ghana passport application your self if you are a little tech savvy by just following our concise procedures below.

Online Ghana Passport Application Procedures

1. 1. As this is your first time applying for a Ghana Passport, go to passport.mfa.gov.gh and click on the “New User? Register Here” button. Or just click on the “register” label in the top right corner of the Ghana passport application page. If you already have an account or you have ever created an account on their website, click on the “Existing User? Login Here“ button.
   2. The passport registration page shows up. On the passport registration page enter your full name, phone number, email address, password, then confirm password. Afterwards, click on the capture that would let you click some images to verify you are human and not a bot. Afterwards, click on the “sign up” button.
      
   3. After registration you must login to start applying for your passport. Enter the number you used to register and the password you entered on the registration page to login.
      
   4. After login you will see your dashboard with the full name you entered on the passport registration form on top of the page. There would be a button to click to start new application, just click on it.
   5. To Start a new application you would need to buy an “ Application Voucher ” so the payment page shows up. You would have to select the bank you want to make the payment to. The supported banks are shown on the page. Note that you don’t have to necessarily have an account with the listed banks to buy the voucher. They just receive your payment. The supported payment modes are also shown below the bank names. It could be mobile money, visa or master card. Note that GCB supports only Vodafone cash while Ecobank and zenith supports visa, master card, Airtel money and MTN mobile money.
   6. After clicking on the bank to receive the payment, you will have to choose whether this is a first time application or a renewal application. Choose “First Time Applicant” as this is your first time applying and not a renewal.
      
   7. After choosing the “First Time Applicant” option, you will have to choose whether you want a regular application or expedited application. Regular application is 50 cedis while expedited application is 100 cedis. Choose one and and click on continue. Read More on Things To Note When Going For Passport Vetting And Biometric Registration to know which passport application type you should choose. And also how long it will really take to receive the passport, not what their website says.
      
   8. After choosing the passport application type to pay for, the supported mode of payment will show. Choosing mobile money is an easy option. Just enter your mobile money number.
      
   9. After entering your mobile money number, a popup like this will appear on your phone. So make sure the number you entered is in a phone. Then enter your mobile money password to make payment. After paying, you will receive an SMS containing your voucher pin on the number that you used to make payment. Then enter the voucher pin in the space provided for voucher pin entry on the payment page in step 5.
      
   10. After entering the application voucher pin, the online passport application form will show up. The form has sections and fields that you will have to fill. It also has the applicant information section where you upload a passport size photo and you enter details about your self. The form also has the education section where you enter details about your education level if any. It has the citizenship section where you enter information about your nationality and your parents’. It has the guarantors section where you enter information about those guaranteeing for you. Note that you will need the name, occupation and residential details of two guarantors. Also, the final section of the form is the witness section. Note that you will need complete details of a clergyman (reverend/senior pastor) or head of an institution to be your witness. You need details including name, occupation, residential and ID card details of the witness. A section of the application form looks like this. It is one long form with different sections.
       
   11. After successfully filling the online application form click submit. After submitting the the online application form, you will have to book an appointment to for vetting and bio-metric registration. Read On Things To Note When Going For Passport Vetting And Bio metric Registration to know the documents required for the vetting bio metric registration.The appointment booking page looks like this. There is a calendar of the current month with days colored ash, green, black and white. The ash spots are past days, the black spots are already booked by other people, the green spots are non working days, the white sports are the open days that you can book. When you click on an open day, the available time slot for you will appear. Click the “CLICK TO BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT” button to book appoint.
       
   12. After clicking on the “CLICK TO BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT” button, a confirmation page will appear.
       
   13. After clicking the “BOOK” button, a four page vetting appointment slip shows up right away or on your dashboard. There will be an option to print the vetting appointment slip below the first page. Beside the “official comments” text box. The appointment slip contains a first page where you will have to sign after printing. Your witness will also have to sign and stamp not just sign. An official stamp of the institution your witness heads is required. Also, the other three pages contain the details you entered on the online application form . Note that the bar code on the first page must be there else the form is not valid. The first page looks like this.

The process of applying for a Ghana passport has ended. All you have to do now is to wait for the date you booked, to go for vetting and biometric registration, after which a date will be set for you to go for your passport.

You probably now know how to successfully apply for a Ghanaian passport and book appointment for your bio-metric registration. Check out the second article How To Print And Track Passport Application Progress , if you want to track the various stages your passport is going through to know when you will receive it.

Also check out the third article Things To Note When Going For Passport Vetting And Biometric Registration to know what you are to do next and the do’s and don’ts of the vetting and biometric registration process.

Online Ghana Passport Application Option Two: Premium Passport Application Center

Although you would have to be a little tech savvy to be a able to complete the online passport application process as it requires you to upload passport pictures among other things, You can also employ the services of a Premium Passport Application Center at a charge of 50 cedis.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has commissioned the Premium Passport Processing Center at the Accra Digital Center in December 2018, To assist those who are not tech savvy enough to complete the online passport application process all by themselves.

In December 2018, the The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration commissioned a new passport application center also known as the Ghana Passport Premium Application Center. The new Premium Passport Application Center is located at the Accra Digital Center. It enables applicants go through the online passport application process within 30 minutes at an additional cost of GH₵50.

Processes Involved In The Premium Application Centers

The premium passport application centers will vet your documents, do the online passport application for you and book an appointment for biometric registration (data collection) for you.

To use the premium passport application service, applicants will have to go to the Premium Application Centers and have their documents vetted. You will be assisted to fill the online application form After which, your data will be captured, and then you will make a standard payment of Ghc50 in addition to the cost of the application type (GHC 50 for regular and Ghc 100 for expedited) .

Among the value-added services to be offered by the Premium Application Center include access to Premium Lounge, assistance with the filling of application forms, website appointment system, call center, and email help desk services.

Misconception About The Online Ghana Passport Application Process

What the online Ghana passport application process does is that instead of manually buying, filling the forms and booking several appointments just to present the forms for verification of documents, all that is now online. You can now sit behind a computer, fill your details online, print the form and book appointment all online. It does not however mean that you will sit at home and apply without ever visiting the passport office till you receive your passport.

Biometric And Non Biometric Passports

The introduction of the online Ghana passport application on 20th December 2016 brought about what is called a “Biometric Passport”. What this means is that a Ghana passport applicant’s finger print had to be scanned unto the systems at the Ghana passport office before a passport could be issued. This in a way limited the industry of middlemen, as the presence of the Ghana passport applicant was required at least once during the passport application process.

After the launch of the online Ghana passport application in December 2016, biometric passports where being issued alongside non biometric passports until the end of 2017. From 2018 onward, the Ghana passport application process became fully biometric.

What this means is that, even if you choose the manual process, you would still have to go for the biometric verification process before your passport is issued.

Location Of Biometric Data Collection Centers

For online applicants (those who applied online), biometric data collection is done at the Accra passport application center at the Kinbu Road (Old Foreign Affairs) around the Tema Station in Accra. Also all online applicants are processed only at the Accra passport application center. What this means is that, after doing the online Ghana passport application online, you book an appointment online and submit your passport application documents to the Accra passport application center for verification and biometric data collection before your passport is issued.

For manual application applicants (those who applied manually), the biometric data collection is done at the designated regional offices.

How To Print And Track Online Ghana Passport Application Progress

Here is how to print your online appointment slip or track your online Ghana passport application progress from start to finish. If for some reason you couldn’t print the appointment slip that you would need for the bio-metric registration and inspection of document. Probably because you forgot to. no problem you can access the appointment slip anytime to print it.

You can also track the progress of your application from the moment you applied and the stages it has gotten, up to the time you are to receive your passport. This would give you a fair idea about when your passport would be ready.

Here is a step-by-step instruction on how to print appointment slip or track your passport application progress.

If you are yet to apply for a passport read this How To Apply For Ghanaian Passport In An Hour for a step-by-step guide to apply.

How To Print Ghana Passport Appointment Slip

1. Go to passport.mfa.gov.gh and click on the “Existing User? Login Here” or just go to passport.mfa.gov.gh/login.
2. In order to login, enter the number you used to register and the password you entered on the registration page the first time you registered before applying for the passport. After login you would see your dashboard with your full name on top. Click on the “View All Applications“ button. A page like this would show. Click on the “History” label, then the application you have completed would show with your name, application number and time of completion on it. Then click on the application. You would see a page like the one below, with the preview of the application you completed showing. Click on the “Appointment slip” label to view your appointment slip and print it.
3. There would be an option to print the appointment slip below the first page, beside the “official comments” text box. Click on the “Print Slip” button to print the appointment slip.

How To Track Ghana Passport Application Progress

Do you know it is possible to track the progress of your passport application? Yes you can do this on your dashboard. Here is how.

1. Go to passport.mfa.gov.gh and click on the “Existing User? Login Here” or just go to passport.mfa.gov.gh/login.
2. In order to login enter your username and password. Thus the number you used to register and the password you entered on the registration page the first time you registered before applying for the passport.
3. After login. Click on the “View All Applications” button.
4. Click on the “History” label, then the application you have completed would show with your name, application number and time of completion on it. Then click on the application.
5. You would the preview of the application you completed showing. Click on the “Status” label to see the progress of your online passport application. Note that the green boxes represent the stages your application has gone through while the blue boxes represents the stages your application is yet to go through.

Ideally the tracking process is supposed to give you the information about your application progress from beginning to the end. But that is not the case. It works until you have gone for the bio-metric registration. You will be disappointed to know that the progress page does not show you when your passport is printed and when you will receive it. Even after receiving it won’t be updated. Nothing seems to work as it was meant to.

The Manual Ghana Passport Application Process

Prior to 2016, the Ghana passport application process as well as the Ghana passport renewal process was completely manual. What this means is that one had to buy a Ghana passport form from the Ghana passport office or an authorized bank. Then fill the passport form. And join long queues at the various regional Ghana passport offices to book several appointments for verification of documents among other bureaucratic processes before eventually getting the Ghana passport. The frustration associated with that system would let you abandon the process and passport all together before it is due for collection or fall to the schemes of middlemen who would charge over five times the Ghana passport application fees. The passport issued under this system was called a “non-biometric passport”. What this means is that your finger print was not scanned during the Ghana passport documents verification and data collection process. This made it possible for people to sit right at their homes and pay middlemen to do the entire process for them and have it delivered to their door step.

Changes To The Manual Ghana Passport Application Process

Starting 1st November 2018, the manual Ghana passport application process became partially online. What this means is that instead of buying the passport application forms at the banks or designated regional passport application offices, the forms are to be downloaded for free online however you are to pay processing fees of GHC 50 for regular and GHC 100 for expedited also online. It is not really free after all. Starting 28th February 2019 the banks no longer sell or receive payment for manual application forms. You are to make the payment of the manual application form on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Website. All such processes are covered in detail in this article.

Processes Involved In The Manual Ghana Passport Application

The manual Ghana passport application process now requires that you download a passport application form, manually fill it and present to a regional passport application office for vetting of documents and book appointment for biometric registration (Data collection) at the designated regional passport application center. After the biometric registration (Data collection) at the regional passport application center you receive your passport after a month or more depending on the type of application (Regular or Expedited).

Manual Ghana Passport Application Procedures

Here are detailed processes to follow if you choose to do the manual Ghana passport application process instead of the online Ghana passport application process.

1. Visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regions Integration website Here: www.mfa.gov.gh
2. Hover your mouse over the Passport menu and click on “ Manual Passport Applcations “
3. Scroll to the “ How To Apply ” section and click on the “ Click here to download forms” to Download a passport application form or just Click here to download the passport application form.
4. At the second option of the “How To Apply” section you will see the “ Pay for the processing of your application … Click here to pay ” Click on it to make payment. You can follow the detailed guide to make payment below.
5. Write the Paid Voucher Code on your Manual passport application form after filling the entire form with the right details. Then Submit the completed Manual passport application Form to the designated regional passport application center (PAC) for further processing.

How To Pay For The Voucher Code To Get Transaction Number

Here is how to pay for the voucher code for the manual Ghana passport application process. The voucher code sent to you through SMS is to be written on the manual Ghana passport application form and to be presented at the designated regional passport application centers.

1. Enter your personal details such as your “FULL NAME” , “EMAIL ADDRESS” and “MOBILE PHONE” NUMBER.
2. Select an application type of either “EXPEDITED APPLICATION” or “STANDARD APPLICATION”. Note that Expedited Application is GHC 100 while Standard Application is GHC 50.
3. Choose a payment option. Preferably MTN mobile money. Then confirm transaction on your phone by: Dialing *170# on your phone, Select the Wallet option., Select the My Approvals option., Enter your PIN, Approve the payment request matching the amount you selected.
4. After payment, a voucher will be sent by SMS to your mobile phone number provided under “Personal Details” section. The voucher number must be written on the form when submitting your application.

Manual Ghana Passport Application Centers Nationwide

Here are the manual application centers across Ghana where you can submit your manual application form for further processing after filling it.

Online Ghana Passport Application vs Manual Passport Application

The manual process is still being run along the online process as it has always been since the introduction of the online Ghana passport application process. The online Ghana passport application process requires that you fill all your data online, book appointment and print your form to be submitted for vetting and biometric registration (Data Collection) on the booked date. After which you receive your passport after a month or more depending on the type of application (Regular or Expedited).

While the manual Ghana passport application process requires that you download a passport application form, manually fill it and present to a regional office to book appointment for biometric registration (Data collection) at the designated regional passport application center. After the biometric registration (Data collection) at the designated regional passport application center you receive your passport after a month or more depending on the type of application (Regular or Expedited).

Ghana Passport Renewal And Replacement Procedures

The Ghana passport Renewal and Replacement processes can be done through either an online Ghana passport renewal process or the manual Ghana passport renewal process. With the Online Ghana passport renewal process, you fill the entire form online, print it and book appointment online for vetting of documents. While with the manual Ghana passport renewal process, you download the passport application form, fill it and present to designated regional passport offices for vetting of documents.

Ghana passport Online Renewal And Replacement Procedures

To begin the Ghana passport Online Renewal And Replacement Procedures:

1. Go to passport.mfa.gov.gh and click on the “Existing User? Login Here“ button.
2. After Clicking on the “Existing User Login Here” button, the login page shows up. Login to start the online Ghana passport renewal process. Enter the number you used to register and the password you entered on the registration page during your first application. If your first passport application was manual then you would have to click on the “ New User? Register Here ” button to register before loging in.
3. After login you will see your dashboard with the full name you entered on the passport registration form on top of the page. There would be a button to click to start new application, just click on it.
4. To Start a new application you would need to buy an “ Application Voucher ” so the payment page shows up. You would have to select the bank you want to make the payment to. The supported banks are shown on the page. Note that you don’t have to necessarily have an account with the listed banks to buy the voucher. They just receive your payment. The supported payment modes are also shown below the bank names. It could be mobile money, visa or master card. Note that GCB supports only Vodafone cash while Ecobank and zenith supports visa, master card, Airtel money and MTN mobile money.
5. After clicking on the bank to receive the payment, you will have to choose whether this is a first time application or a renewal application. In this instance Choose “Renewal (Biometric Passport)” or the kind of renewal in this options page that fits your needs (either Damaged Passport, Stolen Passport etc).
6. After choosing the “Renewal (Biometric Passport)” option, you will have to make payment, the supported mode of payment will show. Choosing mobile money is an easy option. Just enter your mobile money number.
7. After entering your mobile money number, a popup like this will appear on your phone. So make sure the number you entered is in a phone. Then enter your mobile money password to make payment. After paying, you will receive an SMS containing your voucher pin on the number that you used to make payment. Then enter the voucher pin in the space provided for voucher pin entry on the payment page in step 5.
8. After entering the application voucher pin, the online passport renewal form will show up. The form has sections and fields that you will have to fill. It also has the applicant information section where you upload a passport size photo and you enter details about your self. The form also has the education section where you enter details about your education level if any. It has the citizenship section where you enter information about your nationality and your parents’.
9. After successfully filling the online passport renewal form click submit. After submitting the application form, you will have to book an appointment for vetting of documents and bio-metric registration.
10. There is a calendar of the current month with days colored ash, green, black and white. The ash spots are past days, the black spots are already booked by other people, the green spots are non working days, the white sports are the open days that you can book. When you click on an open day, the available time slot for you will appear. Click the “CLICK TO BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT” button to book appoint. After clicking on the “CLICK TO BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT” button, a confirmation page will appear. After clicking the “BOOK” button, a vetting appointment slip shows up right away or on your dashboard. There will be an option to print the vetting appointment slip below the first page.

Ghana Passport Manual Renewal And Replacement Procedures

The manual Ghana passport renewal document requirements are:

• The expired Ghanaian passport to be renewed
• The completed and stamped renewal application form
• Four passport size photographs
• Receipt of payment

You are to download the passport renewal form from the Ministry of foreign affairs website.

The form has sections and fields that you will have to fill. It has the applicant information section where you attach your passport size photos and you enter details about your self. The form also has the education section where you enter details about your education level if any. It has the citizenship section where you enter information about your nationality and your parents’.

It has the guarantors section where you enter information about those guaranteeing for you. Note that you will need the name, occupation and residential details of two guarantors. Also, the final section of the form is the witness section. Note that you will need complete details of a clergyman (reverend/senior pastor) or head of an institution to be your witness. You need details including name, occupation, residential and ID card details of the witness. A section of the application form looks like this. It is one long form with different sections.

After filling the forms, an applicant is to submit it to designated regional passport application centers for vetting of documents and further processing.