Ghana, US disagree over visa restriction

The United States government has defended the imposition of visa restrictions on some categories of Ghanaians, blaming lack of cooperation from the government on international deportation requirements. According to the US Ambassador to Ghana, Stephanie Sullivan at a press conference said, “Government of Ghana has consistently not met in a timely way this internationally mandated […]

The United States government has defended the imposition of visa restrictions on some categories of Ghanaians, blaming lack of cooperation from the government on international deportation requirements.

According to the US Ambassador to Ghana, Stephanie Sullivan at a press conference said, “Government of Ghana has consistently not met in a timely way this internationally mandated standard of the UN Convention on International Civil Aviation,” adding that some of the cases have been pending since 26th July, 2016.

Sullivan said the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State have been communicating with the Ghanaian Embassy in Washington and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the issuance of passports to Ghanaians, awaiting deportation within 30 days, as provided by the UN Convention on International Civil Convention.

Ghana’s inability to timely process travel documents for its national have put additional financial burden on the US, because it has had to arrange charter flights, in some instances for those facing removal from the country.

Consequently, she said, the U.S had suspended the issuance of new visas for domestic employees of Ghanaian diplomats domiciled in the U.S effective from Monday.

In addition, she announced a restriction on the five-year validity period and the number of entries on Tourist and Business visas for all Ghanaian executive and legislative branch employees, their spouses and their children under 21 to one-month, single-entry visas.

“This will also apply to Ghanaians who are not government employees but hold diplomatic and official passports,” she added.

Sullivan said the restriction would not affect previously issued visas, stressing that those who entered the U.S prior to the new visa regime were exempted.

Also current visa holders, student visa applicants, Ghanaian government officials travelling for official duties as well as participants in official U.S government exchange programmes were not included.

“We hope to work closely together with Ghanaian authorities to resolve this issue properly. The U.S government will lift these limitations when the Ghanaian consulate in the U.S issue the required passports and demonstrate they can consistently provide timely issuance of documents for citizens going forward,” she said.

But in a swift reaction to the U.S envoy, Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Mrs. Shirley Ayorkor Botchway said in a statement that “The Ministry has noted with concern and disappointment the decision of the U.S to implement visa sanctions on Ghana for alleged lack of adequate cooperation in accepting Ghanaian nationals who have been ordered to be removed from the U.S.”

The Ghanaian Foreign Ministry said at no time did it fail to cooperate with the U.S, regarding the deportation of its nationals.

“As it is the requirement and in accordance with international law, the Ghanaian Embassy in Washington DC undertakes identification and verification processes to ensure that all persons earmarked for deportation to Ghana are bonafide citizens of Ghana,” it added.

It also disapproved of the manner previous deportations have been enforced, adding that the ministry has had cause to complain the manner in which persons have been transported back home in belly chains and physically cuffed to their seats on the aircraft.