Refund Refused Visa Fess – Dep Minister Gyakye Quayson Advocates
Hon. James Gyakye Quayson, the Deputy Minister-designate for Foreign Affairs, has called for a comprehensive review of the current visa fee policies imposed by foreign embassies.
Describing these policies as exploitative and unfair, Mr Quayson expressed deep concern about the non-refundable nature of visa fees, particularly in Western countries, and their disproportionate impact on young Africans seeking better opportunities abroad.
During his vetting before Parliament’s Appointments Committee, Mr Quayson lamented the exorbitant costs associated with visa applications, noting that the application form alone can cost around $160, equivalent to a month or two months’ pay for many Ghanaian youth.
He decried the fact that despite such substantial payments, many applicants, particularly from Africa, are denied visas without any form of reimbursement.
“These embassies are collecting these monies and denying almost 90% to 95% of them. We have to find a way to streamline this to save our youth the money,” Mr Quayson emphasized.
He further alleged that visa fees have become a significant revenue source for foreign embassies operating in Ghana and other African countries, enabling them to sustain their operations.
To address this issue, the Deputy Minister-designate pledged to work closely with his Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, to initiate diplomatic engagements aimed at reforming such policies. “We will find a way to put an end to that, and I will work with my minister to make sure that any policy that we put together will be something that will be of interest,” he stressed. “Because foreign policy is not about protecting foreign nations only,” he added, underscoring the need for policies that prioritize the interests of Ghanaian and African travellers.
