Visa Applications: Number of Ghanaian applicants tripled since 2019

The US Embassy in Ghana has reported that the volume of Ghanaian visa applications it receives has tripled since 2019. The number of applications they process has significantly outnumbered the resources available to handle them. The American Consul General in Ghana, Elliot Fertik, disclosed during a roundtable discussion to announce the Embassy’s plan to transition all visa applications to a new system beginning August 16, 2024 that the increased demand for visas has led to a stack of pending applications,

Hence, the new system is expected to provide some additional improvements and increased efficiency since the main factor contributing to the backlog is the high demand for visas.The Embassy is working on processing more applications to help alleviate the backlog. The Embassy will shift to a new visa services provider, starting from August 16, and this will cause a temporary halt of the visa application platform until August 26, 2024. During the transition period, from 16th to 26th August, applicants will be unable to book new visa appointments, cancel or reschedule existing appointments, or access customer service. All current non-immigrant visa interview appointments will remain valid throughout this time, according to the Embassy, despite the transition.

Important Information for Visa Applicants:

For interviews scheduled between August 16 and 26, applicants must print their appointment confirmation letters before the August 16 deadline. During this period, they will not be able to cancel, reschedule appointments, or access customer service. It is highly recommended to attend the scheduled interviews. If an applicant misses their appointment, instructions for rescheduling will be available after August 26. Starting August 26, they will need to create new accounts on the new visa services website to manage their appointments and access customer service.

For interviews scheduled on or before August 16, applicants can proceed to access their accounts at ustraveldocs.com to review appointment details and use customer service as needed. No additional steps are required.

Action Required for Different Groups of Applicants:

For applicants who have paid the visa fee but haven’t scheduled an interview are advised to schedule visa appointments as soon as possible and follow instructions based on the interview date. Applicants intending to travel after September who have not paid the MRV fee are to consider commencing the visa process from 26 August onwards.

Important Dates:

16 August is the last day to access ustraveldocs.com for fee payments, scheduling appointments, and contacting customer service. 21 August happens to be the final day to submit documents at Premium Delivery locations. 23 August is the last day to submit documents at locations in Ghana for delivery to the Embassy, while 26 August will be the launch of the new visa appointment website. Fee payments, appointment scheduling, and customer service will be available, along with new document drop-off and pick-up locations.

The US Embassy advises all applicants to complete any necessary steps before the transition to avoid any disruptions in their visa application process.