Ghana and United Arab Emirates agree visa-free travel agreement for citizens of both countries

GHANA and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have approved a visa-free travel agreement that enables citizens of both countries to visit each other without having to apply for travel documents of any sort.

Under the terms of the agreement, Ghanaians can now enter the UAE without hassle after Ghana's parliament approved a visa waiver agreement for diplomatic, service, special and ordinary passport holders. This deal, approved on August 5, follows the adoption of the Foreign Affairs Committee Report on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ghana and the UAE.

According to UAE officials, it was approved because the conduct of Ghanaian passport holders are usually in line with public and state security apparatus. Shirley Botchway, Ghana's minister of foreign affairs and regional integration, had presented the MoU to the Ghanaian House on May 26.

Consent in principle was first reached on November 18, 2019 and under the terms of the deal, Ghanaians can stay in the UAE for not more than 90 days without a visa. This agreement comprises structured visa regimes for both countries and does not impose obligations to admit people who are considered to be of questionable character.

Ghana's parliament says while visa waiver arrangements to facilitate the movement of diplomats and government officials are common, this one makes ordinary passport holders beneficiaries. In Henley and Partners’ current world’s passport ranking, Nigeria is ranked 101 with 46 access countries, while Ghana ranks 84 with 64 access countries.