The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have announced a new Order for all air passengers traveling to the United States. Effective Monday, December 6, 2021, 12:01am EST (5:01am GMT), all travelers two years of age or older will need to get a COVID-19 viral test (regardless of vaccination status or citizenship) no more than 1 day before travelling by air into the United States. You must show your negative pre-departure viral test result to the airline before you board your flight.
If you recently recovered from COVID-19, you may instead travel with documentation of recovery from COVID-19 (i.e., your positive COVID-19 viral test result on a sample taken no more than 90 days before the flight’s departure from a foreign country AND a letter from a licensed healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you are cleared to travel). Same day results are available at numerous COVID-19 testing sites in Ghana. Humanitarian exemptions to this Order will be granted on an extremely limited basis.
Wearing a mask over your nose and mouth is required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and while indoors at U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and train stations.
Effective November 8, 2021, all non-immigrant, non-citizen air travelers to the United States will be required to be fully vaccinated and to provide proof of vaccination status prior to boarding an airplane to the United States. Exceptions to this policy will be limited to children under 18, people medically unable to receive the vaccine, and emergency travelers who do not have timely access to a vaccine. Humanitarian exemptions to this Order will be granted on an extremely limited basis.
COVID-19 Emergence of New Strain – U.S. Citizens Abroad
The U.S. Department of State has no greater responsibility than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas. We are committed to proactively communicating travel advice to U.S. citizens amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, including the most up-to-date information about travel restrictions imposed by foreign governments.
The Department continues to strongly recommend U.S. citizens exercise caution when traveling abroad due to the unpredictable nature of the pandemic. We are closely monitoring health and safety conditions around the globe, working in partnership with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Our ability to provide consular and other services may be hindered by local health conditions.
U.S. citizens considering traveling abroad should review the entire Travel Advisory for their destination(s) on Travel.State.gov. The COVID-19 pandemic poses unprecedented risks for travelers, and our destination-specific advisories take into account the latest data and public health and safety analysis on COVID-related risks. As conditions evolve, we will regularly update our advice to U.S. travelers.
We also urge those contemplating travel abroad to review CDC’s country specific recommendations and their overall guidance on international air travel. U.S. citizens currently abroad should closely monitor guidance from local public health and immigration authorities, as well as the CDC.
We encourage U.S. citizens to stay connected with us via Travel.state.gov and through Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/travelgov/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TravelGov), and to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) so they can receive important messages from their nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate, including timely Alerts and updates to Travel Advisories.
Country-Specific Information
Accra Kotoka International Airport is open for regular international passenger travel. Ghana’s land and sea borders remain closed until further notice. See the Entry and Exit Requirements section below.
The Ministry of Health has mandated the use of facemasks in public. The police are enforcing this directive.
Restaurants are operating with appropriate social distancing precautions. Weddings and funerals can take place in open air spaces but must not last longer than two hours and social distancing, mask wearing, and enhanced hygiene protocols must be observed. Religious services may operate at full capacity for up to two hours per service.
COVID-19 Testing
Are PCR and/or antigen tests available for U.S. citizens in Ghana? Yes.
Ghana has deployed a system for digital verification of COVID-19 PCR test results based on the African Union Trusted Travel and ECOWAS BIOMARS.
The only test results or certificates bearing Trusted Travel or BIOMARS codes will be considered valid for travel out of Ghana. All Travelers arriving in Ghana are to use a tool made available through the UNDP-supported Global Heaven partnership (globalhaven.org) for COVID-19 PCR test results certificate verification.
All travelers are advised to sign up for accounts on https://login.panabios.org/cas/login with the same e-mail address and mobile numbers provided to laboratories during testing.
More information about the overall initiative is available on https://www.ghanahealthservice.org/covid19/; africacdc.org/trusted-travel.
If so, are test results reliably available within 24 hours? Yes.
See Ghana Accredited COVID-19 Testing Laboratories | Ghana (ghanahealthservice.org) for a list of labs in Ghana that are certified by the Ghana Ministry of Health to test for COVID-19.
Nyaho Medical Centre, MDS Lancet, Akai House Clinic, and Noguchi Memorial Advanced Research Laboratory offer fee-based COVID-19 testing with a 24- to 48-hour turnaround time. Fees vary per institution and are not covered by the Government of Ghana. On average, testing fees range from 450-550 Ghana cedis. Expedited processing is available for an additional fee, typically ranging from 650-750 GHC total. No-cost testing is available at Government of Ghana public hospitals listed in the Local Resources section below, however turnaround times can vary.
COVID-19 Vaccine Information
Has the government of Ghana approved a COVID-19 vaccine for use? Yes.
Are vaccines available in Ghana for U.S. citizens to receive? Yes.
Which vaccines are available in Ghana? Sputnik V, Covishield TM, Jassen, Moderna, Pfizer
See https://ghanahealthservice.org/covid19/downloads/vaccine_administration.pdf for location information from the Ghana Health Service about deployment of the vaccine.
Visit the FDA’s website to learn more about FDA-approved vaccines in the United States.
The U.S. government does not plan to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to private U.S. citizens overseas. Please follow host country developments and guidelines for COVID-19 vaccination.
See https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html for Information from the CDC regarding COVID-19 vaccination.
Entry and Exit Requirements
Are U.S. citizens permitted to enter? Yes.
Accra Kotoka International Airport is open for regular international passenger travel. Ghana’s land and sea borders remain closed until further notice.
Is a negative COVID-19 test (PCR and/or serology) required for entry? Yes.
Individuals arriving in Ghana by air must present a negative COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test conducted by an accredited laboratory in the country of origin not more than 72 hours prior to departure.
Ghanaian residents who depart Ghana and return within one week are not required to present a negative COVID-19 test prior to boarding, but they will be subject to testing upon arrival (see the following section).
Is proof of vaccination required for entry? Yes
All persons 18 years-old and above arriving in Ghana will be required to provide evidence of full vaccination for a COVID-19 vaccine. All unvaccinated Ghanaians and residents of Ghana who are currently outside of the country and intend to return within 14 days from midnight December 12, 2021, are exempted. However, they will be vaccinated on arrival at the airport in Ghana. A person is said to be fully vaccinated when he or she has taken the full dose of vaccines approved and registered by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) of Ghana. You need two doses of AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, or Sputnik V to be declared as fully vaccinated. One dose of Johnson and Johnson vaccine is required to be declared fully vaccinated.
Are health screening procedures in place at airports and other ports of entry? Yes.
Upon arrival, each traveler age five and over must undergo a temperature screening and COVID-19 test conducted at the airport.
The test carries a $150 fee per person. Travelers MUST pay the fee online before departure at https://myfrontierhealthcare.com/Home/Ghana and present proof of payment to the airline prior to boarding.
Test results will usually be available within 30 minutes. Travelers who test negative for COVID-19 will be allowed to enter Ghana with no quarantine requirement, but will be advised to continue to observe COVID safety precautions following arrival in Ghana. Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 upon arrival in Ghana, asymptomatic or not, will be required to undergo mandatory quarantine and treatment at a designated health facility or isolation center, for seven (7) days at the traveler’s expense. Final discharge of cases will be based on existing Ghana Government case management COVID guidelines and protocols.
Individuals who depart Ghana and return within one week will not need to present a negative PCR COVID-19 test. However, they will still be subject to testing upon arrival at the airport.
Passengers transiting and transferring through Accra will not be required to take the COVID test in Accra. Transit passengers will still be required to adhere to COVID testing protocols for the destination countries.
All international departing passengers will be required to meet the following guidelines prior to departure:
Passengers will be required to adhere to COVID testing requirements for destination countries;
Departing passengers will undergo temperature screening at the entrance of Terminal 3 departures;
Only passengers and persons with business in the terminal will be allowed entry;
Online check-in or the use of self-service kiosks is strongly encouraged to reduce physical contact at the airport;
Passengers are advised to arrive at the airport at least four (4) hours before the scheduled departure time.
Movement Restrictions
Is a curfew in place? No.
Are there restrictions on intercity or interstate travel? No.
Domestic airplanes, taxis, and buses are permitted to operate at full capacity. Face coverings are required in public.
Quarantine Information
Are U.S. citizens required to quarantine?
Individuals who test negative for COVID-19 upon arrival in Ghana will not be required to quarantine.
Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 upon arrival in Ghana, asymptomatic or not, will be required to undergo mandatory quarantine and treatment at a designated health facility or isolation center, for seven (7) days at traveler’s expense. All passengers who are in quarantine will undergo a repeat COVID-19 test within 24 hours of arrival, also at traveler’s expense.
Transportation Options
Are commercial flights operating? Yes.
Accra Kotoka International Airport is open for regular international passenger travel. Ghana’s land and sea borders remain closed until further notice.
Is public transportation operating? Yes.
Domestic airplanes, taxis, and buses are operating at full capacity. Face coverings are required in public.
Fines for Non-Compliance
Not wearing a face covering in public could result in a fine of 12,000 to 60,000 cedis, and/or a prison sentence of four to ten years.
Consular Operations
All U.S. citizens in Ghana are strongly encouraged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrolment Program (STEP). STEP is a free service that will allow you to receive regular travel, health, and safety email alerts from the U.S. Embassy.
American Citizen Services: The U.S. Embassy in Accra is offering routine passport, Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA), and notarial services to U.S. citizens by appointment only via our online scheduling system. If you are unable to schedule an appointment, please check back later – additional appointments will be made available on a regular basis. We are facing increased wait times for services due substantial backlogs and increased public health protocols which limit the number of appointments we can schedule each day. For emergency American citizen services (death, arrest, or hospitalization of a U.S. citizen), contact [email protected].
Visa Services: The consular section is scheduling a limited number of visa appointments for qualifying applicants. Immigrant Visa (IV) applications are processed according to worldwide prioritization guidance. Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV) applications are processed for students, temporary workers, and for the traveler’s emergency medical care via expedite requests at USTravelDocs.com. Visa holders in possession of a still valid or expired B1/B2, F, M, or J visa are encouraged to apply for a renewal via the Interview Waiver Program. Appointments for routine nonimmigrant visa interviews, including B1/B2 “tourist” or “visitor” visa interviews, are acutely limited and applicants should expect lengthy waiting periods for routine appointments. Expedited interview requests for business, tourism, or family visitation travel are not being considered for emergency appointments at this time. The validity of unused nonimmigrant visa payments (known as the MRV fee) has been extended until September 30, 2023, to allow all applicants the opportunity to schedule and attend a visa appointment with the already paid fee. Please visit https://gh.usembassy.gov/visas/ for more information.
If you have an upcoming appointment at U.S. Embassy Accra, please watch this video to learn about health protocols that will keep us all safe during your visit: https://youtu.be/oWkvaeOPu_E
Please review U.S. visa-related COVID-19 Travel Restrictions and Exceptions to determine if you will be able to travel to the United States with your visa. If you are currently present in Ghana, and subject to restrictions, and qualify for an exception, please contact the consular section at least 15 business days before your planned travel to apply for a National Interest Exception (NIE). Travelers subject to regional proclamation because of planned transit through Europe, the United Kingdom, or other affected countries should reroute to travel directly to the United States instead of requesting an NIE.
Local Resources:
Ga East Municipal Hospital, Ridge Hospital, and Tema General Hospital have been designated as the primary COVID-19 treatment centers in the Greater Accra region. Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) and Kumasi South Hospital are the primary COVID-19 treatment centers in the Ashanti region.
Ga Municipal Hospital has recently opened an Infectious Diseases Unit and 37 Military Hospital has a recently completed Bio-containment Ward intended for infectious disease threats such as COVID-19. These hospital treatment facilities are expanding laboratory capacity to perform COVID-19 diagnostic testing in addition to treatment.
The Government of Ghana has expanded COVID-19 treatment of confirmed cases with the addition of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, 37 Military Hospital, and University of Ghana Medical Center. Isolation centers at Pentecost Community Center and Pram-pram Convention Center are the designated isolation centers for confirmed COVID-19 cases
The Government of Ghana has set up two phone numbers for questions regarding COVID-19: +233 50 949 7700 and +233 55 843 9868. The Ghana Health Service maintains a website tracking the current number of local cases: https://ghs.gov.gh/covid19/
