Ghana Placed On US Visa Ban Watchlist, Says Foreign Affairs Minister

Ghana has been placed on a U.S. visa ban watchlist due to its high rate of student visa overstays, according to Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Thursday, June 26, Ablakwa revealed that 21% of Ghanaian students who travel to the United States for their education fail to return upon completion of their studies exceeding the U.S.’s acceptable overstay threshold of 15%. This development has raised red flags within U.S. immigration authorities and positioned Ghana among nations being considered for potential visa restrictions.

U.S. President Donald Trump, in a statement released on June 14, 2025, disclosed that his administration is considering visa limitations for citizens of 36 countries, including Ghana.

“The issue has created considerable anxiety, and that report came to all of us as a surprise,” Ablakwa acknowledged. “However, I can confirm this evening that the government, led by the Honourable Foreign Minister, has engaged U.S. officials. We’ve had very productive meetings. The U.S. authorities have now officially brought this matter to our attention it is no longer just a leaked report.”

He explained that the proposed visa restrictions are based on 12 areas of concern cited by U.S. officials, including terrorism, state sponsorship of terrorism, harboring violent extremists, and visa overstays.

“In Ghana’s case, the sole concern raised by the U.S. is related to the high number of student visa overstays,” Ablakwa clarified. “The good news is that all other listed concerns, such as terrorism and extremism, do not apply to Ghana.”

He also noted that the U.S. has formally communicated a list of 188 Ghanaians scheduled for deportation. Ghana’s embassies in New York and Washington have been cooperative in processing these cases, reinforcing the country’s commitment to bilateral protocols.

“We believe that Ghana’s issue focused solely on overstays should not warrant categorizing us alongside nations that pose significant security threats or sponsor terrorism,” Ablakwa emphasized.

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has confirmed that the country is currently on a U.S. visa ban watchlist due to a high rate of student visa overstays.#JoyNews pic.twitter.com/aPHH7mlj6e

— JoyNews (@JoyNewsOnTV) June 26, 2025

Source: Nkonkonsa.com