Ghana visa in Lome.......not!

Hi All
I was just refused a visa for Ghana at the embassy in Lome. Knowing of the change in the visa rules I decided to try anyway because I met a couple in a similar situation who was successful in Bamako. I left my home country (South Africa) in April 2010, long before the visa rule changes on Jan 1, 2011, to travel overland around Africa.
First I had to sign in with the friendly security guard. Then I explained my situation to the friendly receptionist who directed me to a lady who was dealing with another person. I waited for about two minutes for her to finish. When she turned her tired, unsmiling face to me I should have known.

The exchange went like this:
Me: Good morning, do you speak English?
Her: No response, just a cold stare
Me: Bla, bla, bla about my purpose there and the reason why I couldn’t have gotten the visa in South Africa (still smiling)
Her: You must be a resident
Me (Assuming she meant a resident of Togo): I understand that sometimes………I stop talking because she turns and starts walking away
Me (Now knowing that she’s not a happy person and will not help, even if she could): Is there someone else I can………I stop talking because she turns around and gives me that look again accompanied by a NO!, turns around again and disappears through a door

That’s when I decided to leave. I knew it was a long shot and fully expected that I might be refused a visa, but I never expected to be treated with such loathing. I’ve run into a few travelers who complained about the unfriendliness of some of the Ghana people…….seems like they were right.
Fortunately it’s not important for me to go there…….keep the visa Ghana and keep on treating tourists with contempt, it’s good for your image!

This new ruling is so ridiculous

Makes me so mad, they're killing off their own tourism economy ...

I am running a conference there in September & going to try to find someone to talk to ...

Kira

I don’t know the reason why Ghana and several other African countries implemented this visa rule over the last year or so. I trust there’s a good reason that us mortals just don’t know about and might not even understand or agree with if it’s explained to us. So I don’t want to criticize them for the change in the rules…..for all we know it might even be as a result of pressure from our own governments in an attempt to curtail terrorism ……..ok, I’m shooting from the hip here so go easy on me 

However, I feel that if (for whatever reason) the authority to issue visas by the embassies in the neighbouring countries is revoked, the decision to make exceptions during the ‘changeover’ period should also be revoked and not left in the hands of some frustrated/confused/overworked/unhappy clerk. She should be under instructions to refer any such ‘unusual’ applications to a higher authority (At least for those applications that meet the criteria of falling in the ‘changeover’ period)

I still think she’s just unhappy in her job and should find something that better suits her crappy personality ……dusting displays in a wax museum or digging graves comes to mind 

Just my two cents…..

If the woman is who I met a few years ago in Lome, I can well understand your problem with her ... !!!

There was an article a few weeks ago in the Ghana press that the visa system was changing as they didn't want 'undesirables' such as paedophiles ... So that makes us all very dodgy!!!

Kira

makes me wonder if they will still honor my 60 month visa I got last year?

Should do as I re-entered on my 2yr one in January

Kira

I entered three weeks ago on my 60-month visa. No problem.

While we can rant about their visa procedures and rules all we want, we should remember that it is still far far easier for those of us in the west to get a visa to Ghana than for Ghanaians to get a visa to the west. The nightmare stories I've heard from Ghanaian friends makes all of our frustrations pale in comparison!

#6 you are so correct and they pay the non refundabel 131.00 just to be told no it is shuch a shame