Ablakwa Storms Over 20 Embassies to Assess Conditions Of Visa Applicants

• The Foreign Affairs Minister conducted an unannounced working tour of over 20 embassies and visa application centres to assess conditions for Ghanaian applicants
• The minister held direct conversations with Ghanaian citizens about their experiences and found mixed results across diplomatic missions
• Heads of Missions face fresh pressure as the minister prepares to engage them directly on his findings in the coming days

Ghana's Foreign Minister has conducted a working visit to more than 20 embassies and visa application centres to inspect the treatment and conditions facing Ghanaian nationals seeking foreign visas.

The minister undertook the tour on the day of the announcement, describing it as an opportunity to observe conditions first-hand and speak directly with citizens about their experiences navigating the visa application process.

The visit follows directives the minister issued during his first month in office, when he called on diplomatic missions in Ghana to protect the dignity of visa applicants, reduce lengthy appointment waiting times and provide adequate shelter to prevent applicants from being exposed to harsh weather conditions.

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Acknowledging that some missions had responded positively to those earlier calls, the minister said others had not done enough.

He indicated in a statement that he would be meeting with Heads of Missions in the days ahead to discuss his findings and agree on concrete improvements.

The minister was careful to draw a clear distinction between diplomatic sovereignty and basic welfare obligations, stating that he had no intention of interfering with any mission's right to determine visa eligibility.

His focus, he said, remained squarely on ensuring that the physical conditions and treatment of applicants met a standard consistent with human dignity.

Engagement With Heads of Missions Expected

The upcoming meetings with Heads of Missions are expected to form the centrepiece of the minister's response to his observations.

He framed the visits not as a confrontational exercise but as a collaborative effort to bring about measurable improvements for Ghanaians going through the visa application process.

No timeline was given for when specific changes would be implemented or which missions were considered to be falling short of expectations.

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UK announces age limits for Child Student visa applicants

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the UK had outlined the precise age requirements young international students must meet before applying for a Child Student visa.

Applicants must be at least 4 years old and no older than 17 when submitting their application.

Source: YEN.com.gh