Foreigners to undergo mandatory Covid-19 medical exams - Immigration Service

The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has indicated that it will commence an enhanced mandatory medical examination for all foreign nationals seeking to work and reside in Ghana.

It said the mandatory measure was an add-on to the already existing medical examination conducted by the service as one of the requirements for acquiring work and residence permits by foreign nationals.

The directive will take effect from Monday, June 15, 2020 and will include testing for the COVID-19 and also cover other permits such as Indefinite Residence, Right of Abode and Naturalisation, as well as renewal of other residence permits.

Public health

According to the GIS, the enhanced mandatory medical examination was not only to help streamline and regulate the issuance of work, residence and other permits in the country but also safeguard public health and security, as directed by the Immigration Act of 2000, Act 573.

Additionally, the directive would help obtain information on the health status of immigrants and its consequence on the country’s public health.

It would also assist immigrants to know their health status in order to take the appropriate steps in seeking medical intervention or otherwise observe precautionary measures for a specific disease.

The official fee for the examination for a one-year residence permit of a new applicant, a four-to-five-year renewal of residence permit and an indefinite residence permit, as well as a

Right of Abode for other African descents in the Diaspora, would be GH¢1,100.

A one-to-three-year renewal of Residence Permit examination would be done at GH¢600.

All medical examinations for these permits would be done at the GIS Clinic, located at its National Headquarters in Accra.