Report by Victoria Anima Akomea- 02/04/2024
Passport application fees have surged, with the standard fee witnessing a staggering 400% increase. Effective immediately, the Foreign Affairs Ministry has announced revised fees for passport applications.Under the standard service, the fee for a 32-page booklet has been raised from GH¢100 to GH¢500, while the 48-page booklet will now cost GH¢644.
For those seeking expedited service, fees have also been adjusted. The expedited service for the 32-page booklet is now priced at GH¢700, with the 48-page booklet incurring a fee of GH¢800.
The decision to raise passport application fees comes after Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey proposed the need for a review to the Parliament’s Committee on Subsidiary Legislation in December last year. The objective behind this move is to enable the ministry to address losses incurred in the printing of passport booklets.
Minister Botchwey emphasized the necessity for Ghanaians to pay realistic prices for passports, given the prevailing financial constraints in the economy. She highlighted that the previous fee of GH¢100 per passport did not adequately cover the production costs, resulting in the government subsidizing each passport by GH¢300.
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 adjustment in passport application fees reflects the ministry’s efforts to ensure financial viability while providing essential services to citizens.
