October 18 deadline set for pending passport applications

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called on all passport applicants who made payments before April 1, 2024, but have not yet completed their biometric details, to visit their designated Passport Application Centres (PACs) and finalize the process as soon as possible.

In a public announcement, the Ministry stated that passport applications submitted under the old fees of GH¢100.00 and GH¢150.00 will no longer be valid after October 18, 2024, if biometric details have not been captured.

Applicants are urged to act swiftly to ensure their applications remain valid.

Background

On April 1, 2024, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs increased passport processing fees. According to the new rates, an expedited 48-page passport booklet now costs GH¢800, while the expedited 32-page booklet is priced at GH¢700. For standard applications, the 32-page booklet costs GH¢500, and the 48-page booklet is GH¢644.

In 2023, the Ministry had proposed a review of the old charges, which ranged from GH¢100 to GH¢644 for passport applications. Foreign Affairs Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey explained in Parliament last year that the state could no longer sustain the subsidies on passport production, necessitating the price adjustments.

"Ghanaians pay just about GH¢100 for a passport, yet to produce one passport booklet costs GH¢400, meaning the government has to subsidize GH¢300 per passport, and this is not sustainable," she stated.