Ghana passport holders showed an increased interest in travelling last year, as applications run by VFS Global increased by 30 percent.
According to Hariprasad Viswanathan, Head – Sub Saharan Africa, VFS Global, the boom in international travel noticed in 2022 and 2023 is likely to continue this year, VisaGuide.World reports.
Seeing the surge in demand for outbound travel and with limited appointment slots available, we encourage our applicants to apply for their visas as early as possible, such as their flight and hotel bookings.
Hariprasad Viswanathan, VFS Global
During an informative session in Accra, Viswanathan urged applicants to carry all necessary documents to apply for a visa and do their research before submitting their application.
Ghana Filed Over 42,000 Schengen Visa Applications in 2022
Nationals of Ghana filed 42,124 visas last year, and Germany stood out with the highest number of applications, 8,150, closely followed by France and the Netherlands.
Germany also leads with the highest percentage of visas issued to this nationality, as over three-thirds (75.4 percent) of applications were approved, indicating a relatively high approval rate.
On the other hand, Malta has the lowest share of visas issued at 26 per cent, suggesting a more complicated approval process.
Around 51.3 and 61 percent of all visa applications in Spain and Italy were approved, exhibiting moderate approval rates. The top five countries that received the highest number of Ghanaian visa candidates are Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, and Spain, with approximately 72 percent of Ghana’s total visa applications being filed in these countries.
Despite the application rates, applying for a visa in Ghana is not a pleasant experience. A Ghanaian national took to social media to complain about the complicated procedure.
The visa process for Ghana is honestly a nightmare and needs to change. The process is long, and the fees (UK) are exorbitant. Can anyone explain why Ghana make it difficult for prospective travellers to obtain a Visa and why there are so many steps? Furthermore, would this not hinder tourism?
Social Media User
OECD Countries – Top Destinations for Ghanaian Migrants, After Nigerians
According to a report by the OECD, Ghanaians are the second nationality in ECOWAS countries that migrates the most to OECD countries, falling only behind Nigeria.
Migration flows from Ghana to OECD countries have grown slower than those from other ECOWAS countries, but annual legal migration flows from Ghana more than doubled between 2000 and 2019 (from 12,900 in 2000 to 23,000 in 2008 and to 27,400 in 2019).
OECD Report
Ghanaian nationals are largely interested in emigrating permanently (44 percent), which follows Sierra Leone (61 percent) and Liberia (58 percent), the two countries with the most population that want to leave their home country in search of better living conditions.
