How To Obtain Student Residence Permit in Ghana

According to the Immigration Act, 2000 (ACT 573), section 13 “. A person who has been lawfully admitted entry into Ghana, may upon an application to the Director in the prescribed manner, be issued with a residence permit”. In line with this, international students are required by law to obtain a student residence permit to enable a smooth stay throughout the duration of their program in Ghana. Once in Ghana, international students are advised to visit the international student’s services office in their institution of study to apply for their residence permits. The Ghana Immigration Service is the agency of Government under the Ministry of the Interior that approves, and issues residence permits to students.

Requirements for Student Residence Permit

To apply for a student residence permit, you will be required to provide documentation for the process. Below is the list of required documents for the application.

1.     Application letter addressed to the Comptroller General of GIS

2.     Introductory letter from the school/institution of study

3.     A copy of the student’s admission letter

4.     Proof of payment of school fees

5.     Original copy of non-Citizen ID card

6.     2 passport size pictures

7.     Original Passport

As part of the application process, the applicant is required to complete a residence permit form and attach his/her passport bio-data page to it. This form is obtained free of charge at the Ghana Immigration Service office. The information provided on this form must be relevant, concise, and accurate for a successful application process.

See related article How to Obtain a Ghana Work and Residence Permit in 2021

Information required to complete residence permit form

1. Full name of the applicant
2. Previous name (Maiden name-if married)
3. Nationality
4. Place & date of birth
5. Passport Number
6. Place & date of issue of passport
7. Address in Ghana.
8. Postal Address
9. Residence address
10. Address overseas
11. Educational Qualifications
12. (If any)
13. Duration of present contract (Employment)
14. Commencement date of the contract
15. Expiry of contract
16. Duration of stay in Ghana
17. Date of first & latest arrival in Ghana
18. Proposed length of stay
19. Marital status
20. Name of spouse, occupation, and educational qualification
21. Name of children

Kindly note that applicants are required to complete every section of the form. Where the information does not apply to you, indicate “N/A” or “Non-Applicable”. It is not advisable to leave any of the sections blank or unanswered. The GIS effectively assesses the application on its own merit and takes an appropriate decision. Upon scrutiny, if the agency finds any issue in either the documentation presented or the information provided, the application may be queried. This can cause a delay in the application process.

How much does it cost to obtain a student residence permit in Ghana?

The cost for obtaining a student residence permit is given below;

Cost of Student Residence Permit for ECOWAS Nationals

1.     Residence permit fee – GHS150

2.     Non-Citizen ID – USD120.

NB: In 2023 Covid Test is no longer required.

Below are the list of ECOWAS states;

• Benin
• Burkina Faso
• Cape Verde
• Cote d’ivoire
• Gambia
• Guinea
• Guinea Bissau
• Liberia
• Mali
• Niger
• Nigeria
• Senegal
• Sierra Leone
• Togo

Cost of Student Residence Permit for Non-ECOWAS/ Other Nationals

1.     Residence permit fee – GHS200

2.     Non-Citizen ID – US$120

NB: In 2023 Covid Test is no longer required.

Renewal of Student Residence Permit

The student residence permit is renewable annually. The following documents are required for the renewal process.

1.     An official renewal letter addressed to the Comptroller General of GIS

2.     Original renewed non-Citizen ID card.

3.     2 recent passport size pictures (recent means taken not more than 6 months)

4.     Proof of payment of school fees.

Cost of renewal of Student residence permit

The cost of renewal of student residence permit is the same as the initial cost. The only difference with the other charges is the cost of the non-citizen ID card which is US$60 instead of US$120.

Conclusion

Students are advised to secure all the necessary documentation to apply and obtain their residence permit to avoid being fined for violation of law. Students who refuse to obtain their residence permit will be penalized by the Ghana Immigration Service.