Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has announced that passport forms can now be acquired online only.
Although the ministry has announced that the online passport forms are free, applicants will still have to pay GHC 50 and GHC 100 as processing fee for regular and express service respectively.
This has left many Ghanaians wondering if the passport is indeed free.
Other questions have been raised as to how effective the new directive will be as applicants have to wait for months before receiving their passports.
However, the Ministry has indicated that the new system which took effect, on November 1st is expected to “eliminate middlemen popularly known as ‘Goro boys’ whose illegal activities have perpetuated bribery and corrupt activities in passport acquisition processes.”
This it says will help restore confidence and enhance the passport acquisition process.
To access the Form the following steps should be followed:
- Visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration website – www.mfa.gov.gh or www.passports.mfa.gov.gh
- Click on Passport menu
- Read instructions and click on download passport forms Click on make payment and follow steps.
A voucher PIN would be instantly sent to the applicant by a text message PIN should be written on the space provided on the printed form - Submit completed application form with relevant documents to preferred Passport Application Centre for processing
For further information or clarification applicants should call +233 302 738 473.
Payment of the processing fee for the PDF form can only be made electronically and not through the banks as was done previously.
Payment can only be made by mobile money (MTN, Vodafone) and Visa or MasterCard.
By:StephanieHorsu/techvoiceafrica.com
