Hassan Ayariga, the Presidential Candidate of the All People’s Congress (APC), has pledged to introduce a policy where embassies will refund 50% of the fees charged to Ghanaian applicants if he is elected President in the 2024 general elections.
In an interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Face to Face on Channel One TV, Mr Ayariga also promised that his government would ensure embassies provide written explanations for visa denials, rather than leaving them blank without proper reasons.
He acknowledged the work of the embassies and emphasized that citizens who travel should return to their home country.
“When I become President, I have a policy that even when you don’t get your visa, the embassy must refund 50% of whatever you paid. And the embassy must give you a unique reason, not just a paper to say that you have been denied. No, we can’t accept that in a country like this, you are here to give visas to our citizens to travel to your country and come back.
“We’re not here for you to be denying them visas, without any reason just by telling them that we’re denying you a visa, apply again. There must be a written reason for your refusal, unique. Besides that, you have to get 50% of the money you pay.”
He proposed that visa fees should be adjusted based on an individual’s income rather than applying a uniform rate for everyone, ensuring that the financial capabilities of citizens are considered.
“Besides that visa fees must be charged according to the income of the Ghanaian citizens, salaries of Ghanaian citizens. You cannot just be telling them to pay $100. You are working in Ghana and not the US. So you can’t be taking $100 dollars which Ghanaian citizens’ salaries are not up to $100. It doesn’t make sense.”
He also stated that the embassies quote visa fees in the local currency, not foreign currency.
“Every embassy must quote visa fees in cedi.”
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