Immigration
Business Visitors
Business visitors can enter the jurisdiction for a maximum period of 90 days. Business activities include; Consultation with business associates, travel for scientific purposes, education, conventions and conferences, negotiations of contracts, training, auditing, settling an estate.
Work Permit and Initial Visa Processing Time
- Short Term and Long term/residence permit: A direct work/ residence permit application (without any sector-specific requirement/recommendation takes between 4-8 weeks to be approved and issued. Consequently, where support/recommendation letter from a sector regulator, the processing time may increase by up to four weeks.
- GIPC automatic Immigrant Quota: The processing time is four to six weeks
- B1 entry Visa application must be submitted for the new hire in the country of origin or the nearest embassy with jurisdiction.
Short Term Work/Residence Permit (6 Months)
- A sponsoring company is required to apply to the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) requesting a short term work permit for a new hire and provide sufficient justification for the request. The sponsoring entity must be registered within the region.
- The sponsoring company must demonstrate to GIS that they are compliant and licenses to operate.
- After the application has been processed and the work permit has been approved and issued; the hire must await the issuance of the residence permit prior to being authorized to work.
Long Term/Residence Permit
- Same requirements as short term work permit.; Copy of Passport biodata, employment agreement; medical fitness confirmation, confirmation of relevant skills
GIPC (Ghana Investment Promotion Centre) Automatic Immigration Quota
* GIPC is an indefinite work permit allocated to companies who are registered with the GIPC.
Permanent Residency
- An applicant must reside in Ghana for 12 consecutive months preceding the application.
- They have resided for five years within a period of seven years immediately preceding the application
- An intent to stay permanently
- Make a substantial contribution to the development of Ghana
- No prison record of more than 12 months
- Have a valid residence permit upon application