Gov’t extends free visa support to African diaspora for 2025 summit

The government has confirmed that participants travelling for this year’s Diaspora Summit will receive free visas, a move the Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes as a gesture of “solidarity and Pan-African cooperation.”

The Ministry said the offer fulfils an earlier pledge by the Minister for Foreign Affairs during the Media Launch of the Diaspora Summit 2025.

The summit will take place from December 19 to 20 at the Accra International Conference Centre, and the free-visa arrangement is meant to ease travel for Africans and people of African descent taking part in the event.

In a statement issued in Accra, the Ministry urged prospective participants to visit Ghana’s embassies, high commissions, or consulates in their countries of residence to obtain the free visas ahead of their trips.

It further reminded the public that online registration for the summit closes on Monday, December 8, through the dedicated portal.

According to the Ministry, the support is in line with the objective of fostering new partnerships across the African diaspora.

“This gesture of solidarity is being extended to participants in the spirit of Pan-Africanism,” the statement noted, adding that the summit seeks to deepen cooperation and advance collective development.

The announcement also highlighted countries whose nationals can already travel to Ghana under reciprocal Visa Waiver Agreements. Holders of all passport types from countries such as Barbados, Dominica, Mauritius, Seychelles, South Africa, Kenya, Lesotho, Tanzania, Rwanda, Morocco, Guyana and several others continue to enjoy visa-free entry.

Additionally, diplomatic, official and service passport holders from countries including Brazil, China, Cuba, Germany, Turkey, Namibia, Hungary, Iran, India, and the United Arab Emirates can also travel without visas under existing agreements.

The Ministry encouraged all registered participants to take note of these arrangements and plan their travel accordingly. It also reminded applicants that free visas will be processed strictly through Ghana’s official missions abroad.

For further inquiries, participants have been advised to contact the Diaspora Summit Secretariat through the official website .