The Foreign Affairs Ministry has announced a major increase in the fees associated with applying for a passport as of right now.
The cost of the 48-page booklet will now be GH¢644, while the 32-page booklet under the standard service will now cost GH¢500.
The fees have been modified for those who choose expedited service. The 48-page booklet will cost GH¢800 for the expedited service, and the 32-page booklet will now cost GH¢700.
Following the sector minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey’s December 2018 recommendation for a review to the Parliament’s Committee on Subsidiary Legislation, the decision was made to increase the application fees for passports.
The purpose of this action is to allow the ministry to make up for losses that were sustained during the passport booklet printing process.
Speaking to reporters, Minister Botchwey underlined that, considering the current state of the economy, Ghanaians must pay reasonable fees for passports. She underlined that the government had to subsidise each passport by GH¢300 because the previous fee of GH¢100 did not sufficiently cover the costs of production.
“It is time for Ghanaians to pay realistic prices for passports they acquire to travel beginning next year. The current situation is not sustainable for the state to continue subsidizing passports,” she stated
The ministry’s efforts to maintain financial sustainability while offering citizens’ essential services are reflected in the adjustment to passport application fees.