Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, has revealed that Ghana is currently on a U.S. visa ban watchlist.
Ablakwa revealed that Ghana is on the U.S visa ban watchlist due to a high rate of student visa overstays.
According to official U.S. data communicated to Ghanaian authorities, 21% of Ghanaian students who complete their studies in the United States fail to return home—a figure significantly above the U.S. threshold of 15% for acceptable overstay rates.
On June 14, 2025, a statement made by U.S. President Donald Trump indicated that his administration is considering restricting entry to citizens from 36 additional countries, including Ghana.
At a press conference in Accra on Thursday, 26 June, Mr Ablakwa stated, “The issue has created considerable anxiety, and that report came to all of us as a surprise”.
“However, I can confirm to you this evening that the government, led by the Honourable Foreign Minister, has engaged U.S. officials. We’ve had very productive meetings. The U.S. authorities have now formally brought this to our attention, so it is no longer a leaked report.”
“The ban, according to U.S. officials, will affect countries not complying with some 12 listed concerns. These range from terrorism, state sponsorship of terrorism, and being safe havens for violent extremists, to high rates of visa overstays,” he explained.
“The U.S. officials have communicated to us that Ghana’s concern specifically relates to student visa overstays.”
“The engagements, I must say, are going well because U.S. authorities have confirmed that, apart from overstays, all the other troubling matters, including terrorism, do not apply to Ghana. We have been formally notified of 188 Ghanaians on President Trump’s deportation list, and our embassies in New York and Washington have been compliant,” he said.
He added, “We take the view that Ghana’s issue, which has to do with overstays, is not so severe that it should place us in the same category as countries sponsoring terrorism or harbouring extremists.”
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa had earlier stated there is no cause for alarm as Ghana has not received any official notice from the U.S. on the travel ban.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa stated, “Ghana has not been officially notified that we are going to be placed on any prohibition list or on any ban where our citizens cannot travel to the U.S.”
“I have asked that we be assured that those leaks do not carry merit. So far, I can tell the people of Ghana that there is no cause for alarm,” he assured.
Watch the video below:
