Passport application fee hike from GHS100 to GHS500

The application fee for a Ghanaian passport has more than tripled effective today, April 1, 2024. This is in line with the planned increment communicated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration in 2023. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the Minister for Foreign Affairs announced the planned adjustment in December last year.

“It is time for Ghanaians to pay realistic prices for passports they acquire to travel beginning next year,” she said at the time. Adding that “Ghanaians pay just about GH¢100 for a passport yet to produce one passport booklet costs GH¢400 which means that for every passport that an applicant acquires, the government has to put in GH¢300 and this is not sustainable.” 

She argued that “Passports are no longer sources of identification as we all have our national ID. Therefore, anybody who needs a passport and actually applies and acquires a passport does so because they have [the] intention to travel,” adding that “…if you are going to travel or you intend to travel and you cannot pay GH¢400 then it is unfortunate because even tickets are now expensive.”

The latest increment has seen the prices increase from GHS100 for the standard 32-page booklet to GHS500. For those seeking the 48-booklet via the standard application, they will pay GHS644. Expedited applications for the two are set at GHS700 and GHS800 respectively effective April 1.