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Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has confirmed that Ghana is exempted from the latest US visa restrictions announced on December 16, 2025. The update comes amid the Trump administration’s expanded travel limitations affecting 20 countries and the Palestinian Authority.
Speaking during a farewell parade for Ghana Army Engineers deployed to Jamaica for reconstruction efforts on December 17, Minister Ablakwa emphasized that Ghana’s exemption reflects the strong diplomatic ties between the two nations.
“Last night, in the latest round of US visa restrictions, which affected almost all our neighbours, President Trump once again exempted our brother country, the Republic of Ghana,” he said.
The updated US policy, effective January 1, 2026, imposes full entry restrictions on nationals from Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria, along with Palestinian Authority passport holders. Laos and Sierra Leone moved from partial to full restriction, while 15 other countries, including Nigeria, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, face partial limitations.
According to US officials, the expanded restrictions aim to enhance national security by addressing issues such as visa overstays, unreliable civil records, corruption, and insufficient cooperation in repatriation of deported nationals.
Minister Ablakwa thanked President John Dramani Mahama for his leadership in shaping Ghana’s foreign policy, which contributed to the country being spared from the new travel limits.
