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International Restrictions:
*Entry to Ghana: Kotoka International Airport is open. Commercial flights are operating to and from Ghana. Check with your travel company for the latest information. Land and sea borders remain closed. COVID-19 protocols at the airport may be subject to change as the new screening process evolves. See the guidance from the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority.
Passengers travelling to Ghana are required to undergo a COVID test 72hrs before departure; complete additional health declaration forms on arrival; and undergo a further COVID test on arrival:
*Coronavirus tests before departure: On 21 April 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:
1. 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.
2. Create an account at https://trustedtravel.panabios.org/ with the same email address and mobile telephone number you give your PCR test provider. Log on and select check-in; select UK and Ghana as your departure and destination countries; select lab tests (TT); select the matching lab test from the drop down options; click save; provide your flight and passport details as requested; click save to generate a Travel Code (TC); your TC code is then generated for you to copy or download.
3. If your provider is unable to upload your test certificate on your behalf you should enter your TT or BIOMARS code from your PCR certificate, or upload the certificate yourself.
4. Whilst the system remains new we also recommend travelling with hard copy proof of this negative Polymerise Chain Reaction (PCR) COVID-19 test result, to present on arrival.
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 to the UK, 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. Whilst the system remains new we also recommend travelling with hard copy proof of this negative Polymerise Chain Reaction (PCR) COVID-19 test result, to present on departure.
If the UK is your final destination, check-in staff will also confirm your UK passenger locator form has been completed and that all passengers aged 5+ have evidence of day 2 and 8 tests booked in UK
*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.
On arrival all passengers will be subject to 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 period 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. This may, depending on the test result of individuals or others on the flight, involve time in quarantine or 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. 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.
*Transiting Ghana: Transit passengers, except where they will remain in the airport throughout or those who were diverted to Accra for an emergency, will also be subject to mandatory COVID-19 testing as outlined above.
Internal Restrictions:
*Travel in Ghana: Domestic flights are permitted to fly – contact your local airline for details. Public transport systems are operating at full capacity. See theMinistry of Information website for full details on the restriction of movement, including a list of affected areas.
*Accommodation: Hotels and other rented accommodation are steadily re-opening, and implementing COVID-19 health and safety measures. Contact your chosen accommodation direct to confirm details.
*Public spaces and services: The Government of Ghana has eased some COVID-19 social restrictions but these can change at short notice. You should be aware that: • The Government of Ghana recommends takeaway service is used where possible and that people do not sit down to eat in restaurants; • Pubs, cinemas and nightclubs are closed; • Beaches are closed but some tourist sites remain open; • Weddings, concerts, parties theatrical performances and funerals are banned (private burials with no more than 25 attendees are allowed).
It is now a legal requirement to wear face masks, including when leaving or returning to your place of residence, and when travelling in vehicles with more than one occupant. Notices of ‘no mask, no entry’ are displayed at vantage points including offices, shops, markets, malls, banks and pharmacies. The Ghana Police Service have been issued with an extensive list of places they can effect arrest, that includes outdoor spaces such as car parks, markets and the street. Under local COVID-19 protocols people are strongly advised to wash their hands, use hand sanitiser and avoid shaking-hands with one another. People are being advised to continue to adhere to strict social distancing.