The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has dismissed claims circulating on social media that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has blacklisted Ghana from its tourist electronic visa (e-visa) programme, describing the reports as false and misleading.
In a press statement issued on Thursday, August 6, the Ministry explained that Saudi Arabia’s tourist e-visa programme is governed solely by the Kingdom’s sovereign visa policy, with the eligibility criteria determined exclusively by Saudi authorities.
According to the Ministry, Saudi Arabia currently grants tourist e-visas to nationals of 66 countries, made up largely of G20 countries, North American nations, European Union member states and selected high-income Asian economies.
The Ministry stressed that Ghana’s exclusion from the e-visa programme is not an isolated case, noting that most African countries are also not part of the scheme. It said only South Africa, Mauritius and Seychelles currently qualify among African nations, while countries such as Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya and Morocco are similarly excluded.
It further emphasized that decisions regarding Saudi Arabia’s immigration, border security and digital visa systems fall entirely within the jurisdiction of the Saudi government, adding that Ghana has no authority to determine which countries are included in the programme.
The Ministry clarified that Ghana’s absence from the tourist e-visa list does not mean Ghanaians are barred from entering Saudi Arabia or have been blacklisted. Ghanaian citizens can continue to travel to the Kingdom by applying through the standard visa process at the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Accra or an authorized VFS Tasheer Service Centre.
It also noted that Ghanaian passport holders with a valid and previously used commercial or tourist visa issued by the United States, the United Kingdom or a Schengen country may, subject to Saudi regulations, qualify for a visa on arrival or an electronic visa if they travel on a Saudi national carrier such as Saudia or Flynas.
The Ministry reassured the public that established channels for travel to Saudi Arabia for tourism, business, family visits and Umrah remain fully operational, and urged prospective travellers to rely only on official sources for visa information while disregarding misinformation circulating on social media.
By: Bernard Mensah
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