Ghana has secured the fourth position amongst African countries that are open to citizens from other parts of the continent, according to the Africa Visa Openness Report 2022.

The Africa Visa Openness Index (AVOI) assesses how accommodating African countries are to visitors from other African countries. AVOI examines changes in country scores over time to demonstrate how national policies on freedom of movement vary across Africa.

Data for this year’s edition was collected in July and August, and the main sources of information were the International Air Transport Association and official websites from the countries in question.

Ghana, in its ranking, trails behind Benin, Seychelles, and The Gambia, in ascending order.

The four can be classified under the visa-open country, which has a liberal or relaxed visa policy for visitors, meaning that visitors either do not need a visa to enter its territory or can obtain a visa upon arrival.

The aforementioned are amongst 48 African countries that offer visa-free travel to nationals of at least one other African country, at least 5 other African countries or all African countries.

On the contrary, Ghana offers visa-free travel, visa on arrival which is based on certain conditions and requires a visa before departure.

Per the report, 29 countries now offer a visa on arrival in the nationals of at least one other African country, 24 countries offer a visa on arrival in the nationals of 5 or more countries and 14 countries offer a visa on arrival to 35 or more African countries.

Egypt, South Sudan, Eritrea, Sudan, Equatorial Guinea and Libya are amongst countries that require visitors to obtain a visa before they travel. Visitors might obtain the visa from an embassy, a consulate, or another source.

The first Africa Visa Openness Index was first published in 2016.

Analysing how countries’ policies are evolving as regards the freedom of movement across Africa, the index noted that Africans travel more easily within Africa today than they did in 2016.

“For 27% of all intra-Africa travel, citizens of African countries can now travel visa-free (up from 20% in 2016), while in a further 27% of travel scenarios, a visa can be obtained on arrival (up from 25% in 2016). The number of intra-Africa travel that still requires a visa ahead of departure was 47% of the total in 2022, a marked improvement from 55% in 2016.”

The growth is in spite of the stiff freedom to travel during the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Index emphasized that making it possible for more people to travel visa-free, with an e-visa, or with a visa on arrival, would make the continent significantly more open.

Source: The Independent Ghana