The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has announced a mass roll-out of passport reforms, effective today, Monday, April 28.
These reforms include a transition from biometric to chip-embedded passports, Introduction of a 24-hour passport processing service, Courier delivery of passports to applicants’ doorsteps, an electronic tracking (e-tracking) system, and a 30% reduction in passport application fees.
A passport acquisition period will not be more than 15 working days or five working days under expedited service after completion of the application process.
All new passports will be integrated with the National Identification Authority’s database to streamline applicant verification. The new chip-embedded passport has 175 security features compared to the old one, which has only 32 security features.
The Minister indicated that this move is part of the government’s broader agenda to boost passport security, eliminate intermediaries, and promote greater transparency. The newly upgraded chip-embedded passports, first launched on December 2, 2024, replace the current biometric passports.
They are designed to meet international standards while showcasing Ghana’s cultural identity through iconic Adinkra symbols.
Speaking at the launch event at the Passport Headquarters in Accra, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, described the initiative as a critical milestone in digitising public services and modernising Ghana’s passport system.
Each e-passport features a microchip that securely stores biometric and photographic data, along with advanced anti-fraud elements, including visible and hidden security markers, ensuring safer and more efficient travel.
It is the first time sector players within the sector put in concerted effort to provide extra security input that is to be detected at the front lines to the second and third lines, in strict compliance to the standards of the ICAO travel document framework.
“The incorporation of nanotechnology into the protective overlays on the bio page, adds an extra layer of security, thereby upgrading the overall security input in terms of features, from 32 to over 150 overt and covert security features in his new chip-embedded passport.
The integration of Micro Frequency Identification Chip that encodes and stores variable data of the bearer from the visual inspection, photo and machine-readable, crowns the holistic package of an international standard travel document with first-class document security approved by ICAO,” he stated.
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