No More 5-Year US Visas for Ghanaians: Immigration Lawyer Akua Aboagye Speaks On 3-Month US Visas
- Ghanaians applying for US visas are now being issued 3-month, single-entry visas, down from the previous 5-year multiple-entry visas
- Immigration lawyer Akua Aboagye believes the change is more than just a matter of reciprocity and could be a hidden visa sanction
- The new visa policy has raised concerns, especially for students and frequent travellers who may now face the added burden
A seasoned Ghanaian-American immigration lawyer, Akua O. Aboagye, popularly known as AK Poku, has raised serious concerns about a new US visa policy affecting Ghana.
Source: Getty Images
According to Akua Aboagye, the recent downgrade in visa duration is more than just a routine policy shift, but could serve as a silent warning to Ghana from Washington, US.
Appearing on Asaase Radio’s Rush Hour with Elvis Crystal, Akua Aboagye explained that Ghanaians applying for non-immigrant US visas, such as tourist (B1/B2) or student (F1), are now being issued 3-month, single-entry visas, a stark contrast to the previously standard 5-year multiple-entry visas.
“This all started around July 8, when updates were made to the US visa reciprocity chart for Ghana,” she revealed.
Implications of the new visa conditions
Akua Aboagye, speaking to YEN.com.gh on the new US visa restrictions, explained that even though the visa may be valid for three months, once a Ghanaian traveller enters the US, the visa immediately expires.
According to her, this means that if a student returns home for a holiday, or a business traveller finishes one meeting and plans another, they must reapply for a new visa if they wish to return, no matter how legitimate their reasons are.
“This adds pressure and uncertainty, especially for students. You can't rely on just one visa for your entire programme anymore,” she said.
Is reciprocity the real reason? Akua Aboagye comments
While the US government refers to these changes as part of its visa reciprocity policy, Akua Aboagye stated that the data does not support that explanation.
The Ghanaian Embassy in Washington, D.C., already offers two visa options to Americans: a 90-day single-entry visa for $60, and a 6-month to 5-year, multiple-entry visa for $100.
Source: Instagram
According to her, if the US were following true reciprocity, it would also give Ghanaians a choice, not just restrict everyone to 3-month, single-entry visas.
“To me, this looks less like reciprocity and more like a hidden visa sanction,” she argued during the interview.
Ghana is not the only country impacted by the policy. The same downgrade has been confirmed for Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Cameroon.
While the US embassies in those countries have released public statements, the US mission in Ghana has remained silent, adding to the confusion for applicants.
Akua Aboagye discovered the changes by checking the US Department of State’s reciprocity chart, not through an official embassy update.
The immigration lawyer also urged Ghanaian officials to open diplomatic talks with their US counterparts to revisit the decision and negotiate improved terms.
In the interview, she further cited countries like Colombia, which enjoys 10-year multiple-entry visas, as an example of what strong bilateral engagement can achieve.
“These decisions are not permanent. With the right diplomacy, Ghana can restore longer visa validity for its citizens,” she said.
Watch the interview below.
Lady denied entry into the US
YEN.com.gh had earlier reported that AK Aboagye explained why a Nigerian hair vendor was sent back to her country from the US after attempting to sell products on a visitor visa.
The woman was detained at the US airport after Customs and Border Protection (CBP) discovered her business intentions through her Instagram account.
Aboagye stressed that a visitor visa (B1/B2) cannot be used for business purposes, and the L-1 visa is required for such endeavours.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
Oluwadara Adebisi (Human Interest Editor) Adebisi Oluwadara is a Human Interest Editor who joined YEN.com.gh in May 2025. He has over six years of experience in press release writing and journalism. He graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in Food Science and Technology. However, he was mentored in journalism and became a certified journalist after completing the Google News Initiative courses in Advanced Digital Reporting and Fighting Misinformation.
Akua O. Aboagye (Attorney at Law) Akua O. Aboagye, Esq., widely known as AK Poku, is a distinguished dual-licensed attorney admitted to practice in both Ghana and the United States. She is the founder and managing attorney of AK Poku Law, PLLC, a fast-growing and highly renowned immigration law firm based in Northern Virginia. With a reputation for deep legal expertise and a proven track record in complex cases, AK Poku Law provides strategic, results-driven immigration representation to clients across the U.S. and worldwide, handling all aspects of U.S. immigration law.
