COVID-19 Travel Advice
Community transmission of COVID-19 continues in many countries. You should be fully vaccinated by completing a COVID-19 vaccine series in your home country at least 14 days before travelling. Be aware that although you are better protected against serious illness if you are vaccinated, you may still be at risk of infection from the virus that causes COVID-19.
If you’re unvaccinated, you remain at increased risk of being infected with and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19 when travelling internationally. You should continue avoiding non-essential travel to all destinations.
Regardless of your vaccination status, stay informed of COVID-19 activity at your destination, which can vary significantly and change quickly from one country to another and within regions of the country.
Use personal protective measures (like wearing a mask, washing hands and maintaining physical distancing where possible) and follow any additional local public health measures while travelling.
Entry Rules in Response to Coronavirus
Passengers travelling to Ghana must undergo a COVID test 72hrs before departure, complete additional health declaration forms on arrival, undergo a further COVID test on arrival. The only exemption to the need to provide a pre arrival test is if you are returning to Ghana within one week of leaving
On 21 April 2020, the Government of Ghana introduced the mandatory digitisation of all COVID-19 tests for international air travel, with the implementation of the Trusted Travel Scheme. Passengers travelling to Ghana are now required to:
Take a Polymerise Chain Reaction (PCR) COVID test with one of the listed providers within 72 hours of departure. Visit https://africacdc.org/trusted-travel/ for a certified list of providers. You should not use the NHS testing service to get a test in order to facilitate your travel to another country.
We also recommend travelling with hard copy proof of this negative Polymerise Chain Reaction (PCR) COVID-19 test result. Children under the age of 5 are exempt. For passengers who have transited other countries before arriving in Ghana, the first country of departure will be the reference point.
The same arrangements apply to passengers aged 11+ departing from Ghana and you may not be allowed to board flights without uploading a certified Polymerise Chain Reaction (PCR) COVID test. Visit https://africacdc.org/trusted-travel/ for a certified list of providers in Ghana. We also recommend travelling with hard copy proof of this negative Polymerise Chain Reaction (PCR) COVID-19 test result, to present on departure.
Additional Forms and Checks Upon Arrival
On arrival to Ghana, passengers are also required by the Government of Ghana to:
Complete an online health declaration form pre-departure. All passengers may also be asked to complete hard copy self-declaration forms on the flight, confirming they are fit to travel and providing details to facilitate contact tracing. Wear a face-mask throughout their flight and upon landing in Accra. Undergo a temperature check on arrival.
Take a mandatory COVID-19 test at Kotoka International Airport. The test is an antigen fluorescent immunoassay test and it will be conducted before baggage is collected at a cost of $150 per passenger. Payment should be made online prior to boarding. Children under the age of five are exempt.
During busy periods when there may be a large number of passengers disembarking at the same time the testing area may become busy. Test results are normally ready within one hour, depending how busy the airport is. The pre departure area where test results are collected can also get busy. You can check your results online while you wait. Be prepared for additional time to move through and exit the airport.
Quarantine Requirements
All arriving passengers should be prepared to comply with Ghana’s COVID-19 Health Protocols. If you test positive for COVID-19 on arrival you will be taken to mandatory quarantine in a Government Health facility. Quarantine and / or medical costs can be expensive so it is important that all passengers arrive with adequate access to financial resources.
In these circumstances a PCR test is normally carried out on day two or three. That test result will normally be ready within 48 hours. The quarantine process is managed by Ghana Health Service.
The Government of Ghana also advise that all arrivals should have valid insurance. It is more important than ever to get travel insurance and check it provides sufficient cover. See the FCDO’s guidance on foreign travel insurance.
