Visa applications from Ghana have nearly doubled in 2023 compared to 2022, according to Hariprasad Viswanathan, Head of VFS Global’s Sub-Saharan Africa.
According to him, the number of applications processed at the VFS Global-run Ghana Passport Premium Application Centers has increased by 30% year-over-year, indicating that Ghanaians are increasingly eager to travel abroad.
A notable increase in international outbound travel occurred in 2023, especially to nations like Ghana.
Explaining why the demand for visas increased and what applicants need to keep in mind ahead of the current peak travel season, Mr Viswanathan, speaking during a media outreach session in Accra, said “Based on the initial trends, we expect the increase in international travel in 2022 and 2023 to continue this year as well”.
“Outbound travel has rebounded last year to pre-pandemic levels with tourism, family visits, and educational as well as business trips being the common reasons for outbound travel from Ghana. Seeing the surge in demand for outbound travel and with limited appointment slots available, we encourage our applicants to apply for their visas as early as possible like their flight and hotel bookings.”
As a pioneer in the industry for governments seeking outsourced consular and visa services, he reaffirmed the company’s dedication to consistently creating cutting-edge solutions to improve the entire visa application process.
“Applicants are regularly provided information about visa processing timelines, data protection and privacy assurance, how to detect fraud and the organisation’s value-added services are regularly communicated via key touch points,” he said.
