The Management of the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) has written to all airports and airlines to allow persons holding valid GhanaCard onboard flights to Ghana without the need for a visa.
This means one can travel abroad with a passport with a visa, but travel back into Ghana on the GhanaCard without visas.
This could mean an end to the country’s revenue from passports and visa application at the various embassies, high commissions and consulates abroad.
It is unclear, how many countries are allowing their citizens to adopt the use of electronic cards as a means of travelling.
Ghana Airports Company, made the “announcement to all airports and airlines on the use of the Ghana card as an acceptable ICAO compliant Machine-Readable Travel Document (MRTD) for Ghanaians for international travel to all Ghanaian airports”.
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The unsigned instruction which is on the letterhead of the company, says the use of the cards to Ghana with Visas “..takes effect from 1st March 2022”.
It read, “following a ‘’Key Ceremony’’ at the headquarters of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montreal, Canada, on 9th February 2022, Ghana’s National Identity Card (the GhanaCard), is now duly recognized globally as a valid ID card-passport, a Machine Readable Travel Document (MRTD) that can be read and verified by the ICAO Public Key Directory (PKD) at most airports”.
“Ghana Airports Company Limited announces to all airports and airlines that holders of a valid GhanaCard should be allowed to board Flights to Ghana, without the need for a visa”, it added.
The International Civil Aviation Organization, had indicated that recent reports, suggesting that GhanaCard is now an e-passport are incorrect.
According to the organization, it is not ICAO’s role to certify the use of a State’s Identity Card for international travel in place of a passport.
This was disclosed in a statement the organization shared on its social media handles.
“ICAO is aware of recent and incorrect media reports claiming that ICAO has agreed that the Ghanaian ID card is equivalent to an ePassport. However, it is not ICAO’s role to certify the use of a State’s Identity Card for international travel in place of a passport.”
It indicates that, “A number of States worldwide accept specified national ID cards as identity documents during air travel based on bilateral agreement between issuing and receiving states. Any decision to accept such alternative travel identity documents is made by the receiving state itself”.
Adding that “Ghana’s successful conclusion of its key ceremony on 9th February is a major milestone in its efforts to provide for more international
The Spokesperson of Vice President,Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Dr Gideon Boako, has insisted that the certification ceremony at the Montreal by the ICAO to have Ghana’s National Identity card, captured in the Organization’s PKD was the final step to accept the card as a travelling document.
His comments, come after the ICAO, has been reported to have described as “incorrect” media reports that it has agreed that Ghana’s National Identity card, the Ghana Card, is equivalent to an electronic passport.
It clarified that that decision can only be made by Ghana’s government as “it is the sovereign right of each individual state to decide upon its entry and exit requirements and the documents that need to be presented by those travelling to and/or from its territory”.
In a Twitter thread on Friday, February 11, the United Nations specialized agency for civil aviation, emphasized that it is not its role to certify the use of a member’s ID card for international travel in place of a passport.
“Any decision to accept such alternative travel identity document is made by the receiving state itself.”
But in a post to respond to the tweet by ICAO, which had suggested that it does not determine for a member state which travelling document it accepts, Dr. Boako stated that any holder of the Ghana Card can board a flight anywhere in the world into the country, just as with the normal passport.
According to him, “Just like our current normal booklet passport you will need ICAO to approve and capture the data into their Public Key Directory (PKD) for certification before any country can accept it as official travel documents”. Such key ceremony certification as was done on 9th February in the case of the Ghanacard is the ultimate step to take before any national identity card/passport can be used for travelling purposes.
“Ghana has crossed this stage with respect to the Ghanacard making it officially certified as having the right qualities to be admissible by receiving countries as e-passport subject to country-to-country bilateral agreements.”
“Through the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), official communication has gone to all border ports that Ghana as a receiving country is accepting holders of the Ghanacard into Ghana.
The statement by ICAO that Ghana has crossed the major millstone in efforts to provide for more international acceptance of its biometric electronic travel documents is therefore not inconsistent with official communication from the government,” his statement said.
DrBoako indicated that “Also, Diasporan Ghanaians who hold the Ghanacard will not require a visa to travel to Ghana,” adding that “Within ECOWAS the Ghanacard can be used to travel to any country. Traveling outside ECOWAS however, will require that you use your normal biometric passport which will contain your visas”.
Gideon Boako, wrote saying “Ignore the wrong interpretation of ICAO’s statement, Ghanacard is valid
for travel as e-passport”.
“Just like our current normal booklet passport you will need ICAO to approve and capture the data into their Public Key Directory (PKD) for certification before any country can accept it as official travel documents. Such key ceremony certification as was done on 9th February in the case of the Ghanacard is the ultimate step to take before any national identity card/passport can be used for travelling purposes. Ghana has crossed this stage with respect to the Ghanacard making it officially certified as having the right qualities to be admissible by receiving countries as e-passport subject to country-to-country bilateral agreements.
“Through the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), official communication has gone to all border ports that Ghana as a receiving country is accepting holders of the Ghanacard into Ghana.
“The statement by ICAO that Ghana has crossed the major millstone in efforts to provide for more international acceptance of its biometric electronic travel documents is therefore not inconsistent with official communication from government. In practical terms, the holder of a Ghanacard will be allowed to board a flight to Ghana (receiving country) from any airport, just as with the normal biometric passport, without the need for a visa. Also, Diasporan Ghanaians who hold the Ghanacard will not require a visa to travel to Ghana. Within ECOWAS the Ghanacard can be used to travel to any country.
“Traveling outside ECOWAS however, will require that you use your normal biometric passport which will contain your visas. In the not too distant future, we expect that electronic visas will be issued under ICAO 2.0 protocols. When this starts, electronic visas could be issued on the Ghanacard under bilateral arrangements with other countries.
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