The United States has announced the reversal of visa restrictions imposed on Ghana early this year in July.
The US Ghana Embassy’s social media handle, Facebook, communicated the reversal after a bilateral meeting between Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker.
“The U.S. Embassy is pleased to announce that the maximum validity periods for all categories of non-immigrant visas for Ghanaians have been restored to their previous lengths.
“The maximum validity allowed for the B1/B2 visitor visa is again five years, multiple entry. The maximum validity for the F1 student visa is again four years, multiple entry,” the post read.
Earlier, Mr Ablakwa, on his Facebook page, described the diplomatic breakthrough as a “big win for Ghana.”
“Ghanaians can now be eligible for five-year multiple-entry visas and other enhanced consular privileges.
“This good news was directly communicated to me by US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker, at a bilateral meeting earlier [Friday], on the margins of the UN General Assembly,” he revealed on Saturday.
The decision, Mr Ablakwa recounted, was reached after months of high-level diplomatic negotiations between the two countries.
Ghana was among a string of countries hit by the US visa restrictions.
The measure, necessitated by visa overstays, limited applicants to a maximum three-month single-entry into the USA.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
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