The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has announced that Ghanaians who possess ordinary passports can enter South Africa without a visa for a cumulative period of 90 days, effective November 1, 2023.
In separate press releases dated October 13, the South African High Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration notified the public that the two governments concurred to implement the waiver for ordinary passport holders granting citizens of both countries the luxury of entering both countries without a Visa.
However, the holders of the passport shall, per requirement, apply for a visa if the cumulative 90-day waiver is exhausted within the period of 12 months before they can enter South Africa.
This bilateral exercise is geared towards bolstering tourism, investments, and trade in South Africa, which commenced over five years ago when Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba announced in Pretoria that Ghana will be included in the countries that the ministry is finalizing an agreement for free visas in 2019.
This gives Ghanaians and South Africans the luxury of entering South Africa “to transit through, depart from, and stay in the territory of both countries” within the indicated cumulative period of 90 days.
This comes as good news, as Ghana was reluctant to sign the agreement a year ago as it demanded a 180-day cumulative waiver instead of the 90-day waiver that South Africa Home Affairs offered.
It adds to the travel policies that South Africa has with Ghana so far, as it earlier incorporated Ghana into the list of countries that can apply for visas online without visiting the High Commission.
Ghana and South Africa have had significant diplomatic ties since Ghana’s democratic regime in 1992. There have been a number of bilateral agreements, including a Memorandum of Understanding, which was signed during the visit of President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2021, on cooperation in agriculture, the economy, trade, and investment, among others.