ACCRA, Feb 25 (AGCNewsNet) – Ghana has closed its Premium Passport Application Centers in Accra and Kumasi, redirecting all applicants to standard regional passport offices as part of broader immigration service reforms.

The closure, which took effect on February 20, 2026, was announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and later publicly disclosed on February 23.

The decision affects both new applicants and those with pending applications at the now-closed premium facilities, which previously offered expedited processing services for higher fees and were particularly popular among business travelers and urgent document applicants.

The Ministry stated that passport services remain operational nationwide through regional passport application centres. Applicants who had already submitted biometric data will retain their records in the national passport system.

Authorities advised affected applicants to continue processing their applications through their respective regional offices and to track application status via the official passport portal. Those with urgent travel requirements were asked to contact the Passport Office Client Service Unit for assistance.

The closure is part of Ghana’s ongoing Passport Reforms Programme, which aims to decentralize and digitize passport services across the country. Recent reforms have introduced 24-hour expedited processing options at selected centres and a nationwide doorstep passport delivery system. Authorities also reduced standard passport application fees by 30%.

The reforms aim to reduce congestion in major cities while improving service efficiency and accessibility across Ghana.

The development reflects a broader regional trend toward digitalization of immigration services. In neighbouring Nigeria, the Nigeria Immigration Service has implemented contactless passport renewal systems across multiple international locations and introduced centralized passport personalization facilities capable of producing thousands of passports daily.

Officials say these measures across West Africa demonstrate a shift toward faster, more secure, and more technology-driven immigration and travel document services.

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