The United States authorities have given in detail reasons for including Ghana on a list of additional 36 countries banned from travelling to the US.

A report by the Washington Post citing an internal memo signed by the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio and sent to US diplomats on Saturday June 14, 2025 said the governments of the countries on the list have 60 days to meet Department of State requirements.

Two weeks prior to that, President Donald Trump had signed an order which restricts the nationals of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen from entering the US.

Nationals from another seven countries – Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela – will face partial travel restrictions.

The 36 countries are: Angola; Antigua and Barbuda; Benin; Bhutan; Burkina Faso; Cabo Verde; Cambodia; Cameroon; Côte d’Ivoire; Democratic Republic of Congo; Djibouti; Dominica; Ethiopia; Egypt; Gabon; Gambia; Nigeria; Ghana; Kyrgyzstan; Liberia; Malawi; Mauritania; Niger; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Sao Tome and Principe; Senegal; South Sudan; Syria; Tanzania; Tonga; Tuvalu; Uganda; Vanuatu; Zambia; and Zimbabwe.

But today June 26, 2025, Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has revealed that Ghana’s inclusion on the US visa restriction list stems from significant visa overstays by Ghanaians on student visas.

Addressing the press, the Minister said 21% of Ghanaians on US student visas failed to return after their studies, while 7% of those on tourist visas overstayed their permitted duration.

According to him, these figures contributed to Ghana being blacklisted alongside 35 other countries over various compliance issues, including terrorism, harbouring criminals, and high visa overstay rates.

Ablakwa confirmed that official communication had been received from US authorities, and efforts were ongoing to have Ghana removed from the list.

“Just as we deport foreigners who breach our visa terms and our laws, the US is also within its rights to enforce its immigration laws,” he said.

He also disclosed that 56 out of 188 Ghanaians on a US deportation list have already been repatriated and have been reintegrated.

The Minister urged Ghanaians residing in the US to regularize their status to avoid deportation or legal consequences.

Despite the development, the Minister gave the assurance that Ghana-US relations remain strong.

By Emmanuel K Dogbevi & Fred Duhoe