A US passport holder needs a visa to enter Ghana. For a holiday, a family visit or a business trip, that means the e-visa, applied for online at evisa.immigration.gov.gh before you fly. There has been no visa on arrival since 25 May 2026.
| Visa needed | Yes |
| How | E-visa, online, before departure |
| Fee | $260, single entry |
| Processing | Up to 96 hours, standard |
| Passport validity | At least 6 months after arrival |
| Yellow fever certificate | Required |
Applying
The application asks for a scan of your passport, a photograph, your flights, and where you will stay - a hotel booking, or a letter from the family or friend hosting you with their Accra address and phone number. Fill it in as your passport reads: it cannot be edited after you submit. — The Ghana e-visa, step by step
Use only the .gov.gh address. Sites that rank above it in search charge a service fee on top of the visa for filing the same form.
The Embassy of Ghana in Washington still handles visas the e-visa does not cover - work, study and long stays - and diplomatic passports.
Yellow fever, and the rest of the jabs
Ghana checks a yellow fever certificate on arrival at Kotoka, before immigration. The vaccine must be given at least 10 days before you land. In the US it is given only at registered yellow fever clinics, so find one early. Your doctor will usually also suggest typhoid, hepatitis A and malaria tablets. — Vaccines and the yellow fever card
Things Americans are caught out by
- The power is 230 volts. Phone and laptop chargers say 100-240V on them and need only a plug adapter. A hair dryer, straightener or kettle made for 120V will burn out without a voltage converter. — Plugs, voltage and adapters
- Cards are not accepted everywhere. Hotels, malls and larger restaurants take them; taxis, markets and chop bars want cash or mobile money. — Money in Ghana
- Dollars are declared above a threshold. Carrying more than $10,000 in cash means filling in a declaration on arrival.
- Malaria is year-round. Take the tablets for the whole trip and the days after it, as prescribed. — Malaria and health
Heritage travel and the Right of Abode
Americans of African descent who want more than a visit can apply for the Right of Abode, which lets the holder live and work in Ghana without a permit, and some go on to citizenship. — The Right of Abode — Ghanaian citizenship
A Ghanaian American who still holds Ghanaian nationality should travel on a dual nationality card, not apply for a visa. — Dual citizenship