Combined work and residence authorisation for a lawfully admitted foreign national employed by a Ghanaian company.
Official government source: gis.gov.gh · checked 2026-07-27
Western Africa · Immigration
Ghana
Ghana sits in Western Africa. Its immigration system runs 14 distinct routes — led by short stay & visit, work and family, each set out in official law. All 14 cite an official government source, shown on the route with the date we last read it. Who actually qualifies depends on your full profile.
- Immigration routes
- 14across 9 route categories, each set out in official law
- Source-cited routes
- 14 of 14cite an official government source, with the date we last read it
- Largest category
- Short stay & visit3 of the 14 routes — see them under Short stay & visit below
- Region
- Western Africa
- Capital
- Accra
- Population
- 35,064,272
- Official language
- English
- Currency
- GHS
- Time zone
- UTC
Source-cited pathways
Immigration routes
All 14 routes, grouped by purpose — 14 of 14 cite an official government source directly.
Work
2 routes
Sponsored residence and work authorisation for a qualifying missionary or registered NGO worker.
Official government source: gis.gov.gh · checked 2026-07-27
Business & self-employment
1 route
Residence route for qualifying shareholders or workers covered by a GIPC, immigrant-quota or free-zone approval.
Official government source: gis.gov.gh · checked 2026-07-27
Study
1 route
Residence permit for a foreign national admitted to an educational institution in Ghana.
Official government source: gis.gov.gh · checked 2026-07-27
Family
2 routes
Residence authorisation for a qualifying dependant of an expatriate or of a Ghanaian who holds a foreign passport.
Can bring: spouse, children
Official government source: gis.gov.gh · checked 2026-07-27
Indefinite residence for a qualifying foreign spouse of a Ghanaian citizen with the prescribed residence history.
Can bring: spouse
Official government source: gis.gov.gh · checked 2026-07-27
Independent means
1 route
Published residence-permit purpose for retirement; the authority does not publish a route-specific online checklist or financial threshold.
Official government source: gis.gov.gh · checked 2026-08-03
Residence-based status
1 route
Permanent residence status for a qualifying long-term foreign resident, including the separate statutory conditions applicable to a foreign spouse.
Official government source: gis.gov.gh · checked 2026-07-27
Short stay & visit
3 routes
Exceptional entry approval for a traveller arriving without a visa where the Ghana Immigration Service grants an emergency entry visa.
Official government source: gis.gov.gh · checked 2026-07-27
Mission-issued entry visa for a visa-required traveller visiting Ghana for an approved short-stay purpose.
Official government source: gis.gov.gh · checked 2026-07-27
In-country extension for a visitor who needs to remain beyond the original authorised stay.
Official government source: gis.gov.gh · checked 2026-07-27
Humanitarian protection
1 route
In-country protection application to the Ghana Refugee Board through an authorised receiving channel.
Official government source: grb.gov.gh · checked 2026-07-27
Ancestry & return
2 routes
Permanent status for a person who lost Ghanaian citizenship through acquisition of a foreign nationality.
Official government source: gis.gov.gh · checked 2026-07-27
Discretionary permanent status for an eligible person of African descent in the diaspora who demonstrates substantial links and contribution.
Official government source: gis.gov.gh · checked 2026-07-27
Official sources
- Ghana Immigration ServiceGovernment
- Ghana.GOV Services PortalGovernment
- GIPC Investment PromotionGovernment
- [NSO] Ghana Statistical ServicesGovernment
See which Ghana routes you actually qualify for.
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