“Proof of address” is a hard ask in Accra. Many streets have no names on the ground, most houses have no number, and the electricity and water bills are in the landlord’s name. Offices know this, and most will accept something other than a utility bill - but each has its own list, so ask what it accepts before you go.
Your address, written down
First, have an address you can write. Get your house’s GhanaPost GPS
digital address (two letters and a number, such as GA-123-4567): it
identifies the exact spot, every form asks for it, and drivers and couriers
can find you with it. Then write the address the way offices expect:
House name or number, street if it has one
Nearest landmark
Area, town
Digital address: GA-123-4567
What usually counts
In roughly the order offices like them:
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| A utility bill in your name, recent | ECG, Ghana Water or a fixed internet bill. Most want a recent one; ask how recent |
| Your tenancy agreement | Signed by you and the landlord, with the address and dates. A stamped copy from the Rent Control Department carries more weight |
| A bank statement posted to that address | Or showing it |
| A letter from your employer | On letterhead, giving your residential address |
| A letter from your landlord or the head of the household you live in | With their Ghana Card, and a utility bill in their name |
| A statutory declaration of your address | Sworn before a Commissioner for Oaths, for when nothing else exists |
A screenshot of a bill on your phone is rarely enough; bring a printed copy, and the original where you have one.
If the bills are in someone else’s name
This is the usual case, and the usual answer is a letter plus their bill: the person whose name is on the bill writes that you live at the address, signs it, and attaches a copy of the bill and of their [[Ghana Card]]. Banks and embassies see this every day.
Ask your landlord at the start of a tenancy whether they will write such a letter when you need one. It costs them nothing, and it is far harder to ask during a dispute.
When nothing else works
A statutory declaration of residence - a short sworn statement giving your address and how long you have lived there - is accepted by many offices that ask for proof of address, because making a false one is an offence.
— Swearing an affidavit or declaration
For a bank account
Banks verify their customers under the Bank of Ghana’s know-your-customer rules, and the Ghana Card is the main document. Many banks ask for proof of address as well, usually a utility bill or tenancy agreement; for smaller, low-value accounts they often need only the Ghana Card. Ask the branch.
From abroad
An embassy or foreign bank asking for proof of a Ghanaian address usually wants a document in English with your name and the address on it. If the document is going to a foreign authority, it may need to be authenticated first.