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The United States has lifted its visa restrictions on Ghana, the country’s foreign minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, announced on Friday, marking a diplomatic breakthrough as the West African nation becomes a key player in President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. Earlier this month, Tribune Online reports Ghanaian President John Mahama disclosed that Ghana was accepting West Africans deported by the United States. Trump has made so-called “third-country” deportations central to his anti-immigration agenda, sending people to nations where they have no family or personal ties. Accra has maintained that it received nothing in exchange for taking in the deportees. However, Mahama acknowledged the deal came at a time when relations were “tightening”, with Washington introducing tariffs and visa restrictions in recent months. “The US visa restrictions imposed on Ghana” have been “reversed”, Ablakwa said. Posting on X, Ablakwa described the development as “good news” communicated by US officials on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). He added that the move followed “months of high-level diplomatic negotiations.” Confirming the development on Sunday, the United Embassy in Ghana, via its official X account tweeted, “The U.S. Embassy is pleased to announce that the maximum validity periods for all categories of nonimmigrant 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 United States had announced in June that most visas for nationals of Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana and Nigeria would be limited to three months and a single entry. “Ghanaians can now be eligible for five-year multiple entry visas and other enhanced consular privileges,” Ablakwa said. Despite the policy shift, concerns remain over the treatment of deportees. At least 14 West Africans have been sent to Ghana since early September, though neither Accra nor Washington has provided full details of the arrangement. Lawyers said the deportees had secured protection from US immigration courts against being sent back to their home countries. Nonetheless, Ghana has forwarded at least four to their nations of origin, according to an AFP tally. After weeks in detention under reportedly poor conditions and military guard, between eight and ten deportees were suddenly sent to Togo last weekend and abandoned, US-based lawyer Meredyth Yoon told AFP. Yoon added that another plane capable of carrying 14 people has since arrived in Ghana, though the number of passengers remains unclear. Ghana has defended its role, stressing it is accepting West Africans on humanitarian grounds and that the arrangement is not an “endorsement” of US immigration policy. ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
