How to book hotel to support visa application when you don’t have invitation letter

Travel isn’t limited to people who have friends or relatives abroad. Visa Officers do not expect every visa applicant to know someone in the country they intend visiting.

People travel for various reasons. What you have read, heard or seen about a country might have influenced your decision to visit and you don’t need to know someone before embarking on this journey.

Almost all tourists who visit Ghana don’t have friends or relatives here. They lodge in hotels. That’s exactly what you will also do when in their country. Hotels are everywhere to welcome and serve tourists.

Most times people think that only people with invitation letters can apply for visas to travel. NO! Such people have these letters because they either know someone in the country they are visiting or someone has accepted to host them. If you don’t have anyone to host you, you are only left with a choice of living in a hotel.

But making hotel reservation to support your visa application can be very tricky. The little mistake could have your application refused or have the hotel charge you fees you haven’t budgeted for. Jetsanza.com has put together how you can make hotel reservation to support visa application.

You can start making your hotel booking through the search box below while being guided by the rest of the article. This booking platform by Booking.com provides a nice reservation confirmation that you can include in your visa application.

Booking.com

Apply well enough in advance

If you are applying for a visa with a hotel booking, do not wait to apply few weeks or days to your trip. It’s advisable to put in your application two to three months in advance. In this case, the hotel won’t put pressure on you to confirm your reservation. Know that you are not supposed to pay for your reservation until visa is issued. Hotels put pressure on you to pay if your check-in date is closer. One reason you have to put in your application early.

Check the hotel’s cancellation policy

Because you don’t have to make payment for your reservation until you have been issued a visa, you have to check the hotel’s cancellation policy if your visa application is likely to be processed before the end of the free cancellation period. Hotels charge a fee, usually first night, or even full reservation if you don’t cancel your booking before a specified date.

Know your dates

You might have already made a flight reservation as part of your visa application. Check on the ticket to make sure that the arrival date corresponds with the hotel’s check-in date. You are likely to key in your departure date as check-in date. Though you could be arriving same day, reconfirm from your flight reservation to make sure your arrival date is exactly as your check-in date at the hotel. Some embassies will request that you make changes while others will refuse your visa application right away for the mismatch.

You are encouraged to make booking for the full days of your stay. While in the country, you can reduce your nights in a particular hotel for another if you are not okay with their services or facility.

Consider the rate

Booking any rate at all shows that you have different intentions for your trip and nothing shows that you will stay in the hotel. It’s fine if your financial status matches the selected hotel. Select hotel within your budget. While searching for hotels, filter the results to show rates from LOW TO HIGH. Book what reasonably matches your financial status. Students are encouraged to stay in hostels when on a very low budget.

Note your selection

A male visa applicant was denied visa because he booked a female dormitory. Crosscheck your selection to make sure you are reserving the right room.

Proximity and accessibility

As a traveler visiting a country you haven’t been to before, you are expected to have researched a lot about it. If you are traveling to see specific tourist attractions or attend an event, you are to book a hotel or hostel closer to these places. If it’s expensive to stay closer, check if the tourists sites or event venue is accessible from the chosen hotel.

Secure your booking

You are not supposed to pay for your booking since your trip is not yet confirmed until visa is issued. You only have to secure you booking with a Visa or Mastercard. This serves as guarantee that if you don’t cancel your booking before the specified cancellation period, they will have means to charge you. Because you are applying early and have taken note of their cancellation policy, you won’t hesitate to provide your card details to secure your booking.

Book and Apply

After taken note of the above, go ahead and make your reservation. Provide correct contact details including email address so as not to miss important correspondence from the hotel. Print the reservation and include in your application. Make sure your name appears on the confirmation. When completing the visa forms, your address in the country you are visiting is the address of the hotel. Provide the hotel’s contact details as your contact details abroad.

What next?

If your visa application comes out successful, revisit your hotel reservation to see if you are still traveling on selected dates, make necessary changes if any. Remember to travel with a copy of the booking confirmation as authorities at various airports may want to see it. You may also need it to locate the hotel.

If your application is denied, cancel your hotel booking immediately to avoid charges.

Start making your hotel bookings with the search box below and feel free to contact us if you have difficulties.

Booking.com

(Written by Akesse Sanza. He’s a Travel Blogger, Travel & Tourism Consultant. Akesse has traveled to many countries including the UK, the Netherlands, South Africa and others by just making hotel reservations. This write-up is from his personal experience and others shared by travelers. Note that having a hotel reservation does
not guarantee a positive outcome of a visa application. You still have to meet other requirements)

Bank Statement For Visa Application: How much balance is enough?

Jetsanza.com puts together this piece as part of its effort to make travelling easy, safe and affordable by providing the needed guidance to assist travellers do away with Visa Contractors/Connection men and the associated problems.

Bank Statement is considered an important document when it comes to visa application though some countries do not place much emphasis on it.

Many are always left asking, how much balance is OKAY? Maintaining a good balance in bank accounts is one of the many funny things Ghanaians do all because of travel visas.

While some countries may require you to have a certain amount of money in your bank account, your circumstances may be used by other countries to determine if you have enough.

NOTE that this article treats all countries in general and separate articles for each country will be posted later on.

The amount of bank balance has to do with many factors, and your conscience should be able to tell you if you have enough funds in your account.

Your balance and your travel

The amount of money you intend to spend on your trip can tell if your bank balance is OKAY or NOT. If you plan spending GHS10,000, and you only have GHS15,000, this won’t be enough. Though some countries like South Africa won’t put this into consideration, generally, such a statement isn’t considered enough because your travel is taking almost all your savings.

In Ghana, where we find ourselves, one is expected to have enough money to pay for travel cost and have more left that he will return home to. Out there, they even travel on credit cards, monies that they are yet to make. Maybe we are just not lucky. The embassies decide for us how to use our finances when it comes to travelling.

So ask yourself: looking at my balance and travel cost, will the visa officer see it wise for me to spend such money on vacation? Your answer tells you that you have enough funds or not.

What’s your status?

If you are single with no dependents, then much would not be required from you. If you have other people to take care off, like your spouse, kids, and others, then you will still have to ask yourself if it makes sense to spend that much from your savings as someone with such responsibilities? If your answer is NO, then your balance isn’t okay.

Example: If you have three kids, and your spouse is unemployed, it makes no sense to spend GHS15,000 on a vacation while you have only GHS30,000. It’s only people with illegal intentions who will use the entire family savings for such a trip. You are not expected to have a specific amount, but once you consider your dependents and your entire savings, you should able to know if it’s the right time to embark on a vacation. The case is different from someone single, employed with no dependents. It’s enough for such a person.

Disposable Income

How much money is available to you monthly to be saved or spent? After deducting your rent, living cost, amount spent on dependents, how much money are you left with? What multiples of the money left are you spending on your trip? If after deducting all these and you are left with GHS 500, and you are spending GHS 15,000 on your trip, it means you are spending 30 months savings on your holiday. It’s advisable not to spend more than three months savings on vacation.

So no matter how much you have in your account, it’s your disposable income that is considered. If you have GHS200,000 and currently earn GHS200 monthly, you have no money. Nothing shows that you will return to Ghana to that GHS200 job.

Economic Situation

As the country’s financial troubles deepen, the more careful people are with their finances. So have a second thought about the current economic situation, take a look at your bank balance, then ask yourself if it’s wise to spend X amount of money from your balance for a trip.

Looking at the present economic status of Ghana, it’s not likely for a self-employed person with GHS20,000 to embark on a GHS10,000 vacation. That’s like collapsing whatever business you are doing just for a vacation. Only embassies who do not place so much emphasis on bank statements won’t have a problem with this. In the case of a salaried worker, this will be different.

Source of income

It’s not always about the balance in your account but also where the money is coming from. Though most embassies do not pay attention to transactions on a bank statement, the United Kingdom, for instance, may want to know where each cedi came from. So if you are in the habit of seeking for funds from friends to run your bank account, STOP. The moment you think of depositing funds that do not belong to you, it means you don’t have enough. You may want to consider a destination that won’t require much of your savings.

No matter how much money you have in your account, whether GHS 30,000 or GHS 3,000,000, make sure you have provided enough evidence of the source of those funds. It is better to explain why you don’t have money in your account at the time of making application and provide evidence of funds that would be available to you before your travel.

Fixed Deposits, Treasury Bills and other investments are documents that can be added to a bank statement as proof of your financial status.

Summary

AS said earlier on, bank statements requirement varies from country to country. But in general, once you ask yourself specific questions, your conscience should be able to tell you that you have enough or not.

QUESTION: How much am I able to save each month? Am I spending savings of too many months on this vacation?

ANSWER: YES means you don’t have enough. NOT REALLY means you have enough, NO means you have more than enough.

QUESTION: Considering my present job, my income, and money in my account now, will anyone doubt that I’ll return home?

ANSWER: YES means you don’t have enough, NO means you have enough.

QUESTION: I took money from friends to run my bank account. Looking at my income and the balance in the account now, will anyone believe that the funds are genuinely mine?

ANSWER: YES means your statement makes sense, NO means it doesn’t, and everyone will doubt funds are yours.

QUESTION: The way Ghana is HOT, does it make sense for me to spend X amount on holiday considering the money in my account?

ANSWER: YES means you have enough, NO means you don’t.

The above is on visa application in general, and some countries may consider other things well. Jetsanza.com will treat the individual countries in subsequent articles. I’ll also post on sponsored applicants as well.

If you are still not sure, contact me on Whatsapp +233249383939 for assessment (Paid service).

Yellow Fever – Is the certificate mightier than the vaccine?

Yellow Fever vaccination is one of the foremost things you would have to consider when making travel arrangements, as the World Health Organization (WHO) reports 30,000 deaths yearly due to this disease.

The introduction of the vaccine brought some form of relief to the traveller, however, since the introduction, authorities are making the everyday traveller assume possessing the International Certificate of Vaccination is synonymous to taking the vaccine. Majority of the health facilities and health desks in most African airports and borders only issue the vaccination certificate at a fee without actually administering the vaccine.

People exiting Ghana through Aflao, and do not possess International Certificate of Vaccination are issued copies without receiving the vaccine and sometimes are even made to pay specific amounts, devoid of the certificate. It has become a norm for passengers travelling from Ghana and have not taken the vaccine, to only purchase the certificate. Passengers arriving in Kenya without the certificate are issued copies at a fee without any form of vaccination against yellow fever.

As a person travelling, it is for your good and safety to regard yellow fever as dangerous as, either HIV-AIDS or Ebola. Acquiring and possessing the certificate just for immigration purposes will always put your life at risk, as the document is not a guarantee of good health nor a form of protection against the deadly yellow fever. Possessing the yellow fever vaccine certificate without actually taken the vaccine is like “operating with a fake document, there is always the possibility of you being caught!” (i.e. you are always open to acquiring the disease)

I am bothered, why authorities at various ports in Africa, are only interested in being shown the certificate or issuing the document, without putting in measures to check if a traveller has vaccinated against the disease.

Journeys are supposed to be enjoyed to the fullest, and it is always an excellent occasion to relieve some stress and also enjoy both natural and human-made scenes that come with it. So when a critical part of the process, such as this is ignored, then your guess is as good as mine.

Documents you should get right now if you have plans of travelling in future

“I don’t have a bank statement”. “My Business is not registered”. These are some of the statements we usually hear from persons who wish to take a trip abroad. Since travellers are to obtain visas to most of the countries in the world, it’s prudent that one possesses the basic documents that are needed for visa applications.

In this article, we will be taking a look at the documents that one needs to work on immediately he/she thinks of travelling in the future.

Birth Certificate

Birth Certificate is a must-have document if you have ever thought of making a visa application. Applicants of documents like Ghana Card and Passport are to present Birth Certificates to support their nationality as a Ghanaian.

How to apply for a Birth Certificate

Birth Certificates are issued by the Births and Deaths Registry and does not cost more than GHS100. The following details are needed when applying for a Birth Certificate:

Name of Child (The person who is applying for the certificate)
Date of birth
Place of birth (Exact place of birth; house or Hospital)
Name of Mother (Must include maiden’s name instead of the current name, if the name has changed)
Name of father
Father’s occupation
Informant (The person making the application on your behalf; one of your parents who is alive. If both are dead, then any other relative can be)

Birth Certificates of persons born in Accra usually takes approximately a week to be issued. The rest takes up to a month.

Children below the age of 1 can use the “Red” handwritten Birth Certificate issued to the child at Birth. That certificate is valid for all purposes including passport applications as long as the child is under a year. Parents can present it to the Birth and Death Registry when applying for a computer-printed certificate, popularly called “Biometric Certificate”.

If there is a mistake on an issued Birth Certificate, it can be corrected by swearing an Affidavit indicating the mistakes. Add the affidavit to the certificate and send to the registry for the necessary corrections.

NOTE: Change of names have nothing to do with Birth Certificates. Birth Certificates show the name given to a person at birth. If you intend changing your name, you don’t need a new Birth Certificate. You can go ahead and change your name but your birth certificate will remain valid since any document bearing your former name remains valid.

Passport

If you do not have a passport, then you don’t really mean it when you say you will be taking a trip abroad. Passport is needed for all international trips. There are visa-free countries, but there are no passport-free countries. Obtaining passports can sometimes be very stressful, and as such, it is advisable to obtain it well enough in advance to avoid any last-minute disappointments. Sometimes applicants are met with the excuses that there is a shortage of passport booklets.

Ghana Passport Online Application: Guidelines, Processing Times, Fees, Duration and Tracking

Ghana Passport: Manual Application Guidelines, Forms and Fees

Passport Application: Documents Required For Obtaining A Ghanaian Passport

Ghana Passport Application Fees Increased

Bank Statement

It baffles Travel Consultants and Travel Agents when they meet clients who have the funds to embark on a trip but do not have a bank statement. They begin to wonder where these clients keep their money. If you have plans of travelling to a country that requires that you obtain a visa, open a bank account and start keeping your monies at the bank. It doesn’t make sense to have the money needed to take a vacation while you don’t have a bank statement to make the visa application. There is no way you can convince the consular that you can afford the trip.

If you wait for the eleventh hour before opening a bank account or lodging all your money at the bank, the bank statement won’t look real.

Bank Statement For Visa Application: How much balance is enough?

Dangers of using fake bank statements in visa applications

“My bank statement is genuine, why was my visa application refused”; Question from reader

Payslips

Employees are to include payslips in visa applications. Some employers do not give issue payslips to their employees. If you have plans of travelling or making a visa application in future, begin to request for payslips from your employer.

Business Registration

For self-employed persons, this is a major document when it comes to visa applications. Most people do not see the need to register their businesses unless there is a need for the Business Registration documents. If you own a business and have travel plans, even if you don’t have such plans, make provision to register your business immediately. Jetsanza.com takes you through the Business Registration procedures in Ghana.

Get A TIN

One cannot register for a business name without applying for the Tax Identification Number (TIN). A TIN number is needed so that companies and businesses can pay their mandatory taxes to the state. One can secure their TIN numbers in a Bank, Ghana Revenue Authority offices, or at the Registrar General’s Department.

Register Your Business At The Registrar General’s Department

Depending on who owns the business, or how many people own it, a business can be registered as Sole Proprietorship or Limited Liability.

Just as the name implies, Sole Proprietorship is where the business is owned by one person. To register a solely-owned business, applicants complete and sign Form A, which is obtained at the Registrar General Dept. This form requires the provision of details such as; business name, the general nature of the business, the principal activity of the business, the date of commencement of business, the business location information, Information on Sole proprietor (surname, first name, middle name, date of birth, gender, occupation, marital status), the residential addresses of the sole proprietor and the TIN number.

Have everything documented

Words alone may not be enough to support certain claims you make in your visa application. You have to support all your claims with relevant documents. Get all your properties documented in your name. If you are married and for some reason, you don’t have a marriage certificate, get it done. Yellow Fever Vaccination certificate takes 10 years to expire, get one. Do you have the Health Records of your children below 6 years? Do you have Birth Certificates of your Children? If a deceased person(s) will play a role in your travel, do you have their Death Certificate? If your name has changed, make sure you have all the appropriate documentation to support the change.

Get everything in place so that you can grab any opportunity or cheap travel deal that pops up.

What you do, your marital status, your purpose of travel, determine what documents you will need to put up a successful visa application. The following articles guide you further:

Salaried employee? These are the relevant documents needed to support your visa application

Self-employed? These are the relevant documents needed to support your visa application

If you have questions, leave them on my travel forum.

Self-employed? These are the relevant documents needed to support your visa application

Akesse Sanza roasts Luwak Coffee Beans in Bali, Indonesia

The outcome of visa applications are mostly dependant on the economic ties of the visa applicants. Most at times, self-employed applicants get confused as to how to prove their employment and finances when making visa applications.

It is impossible to include documents on your finances and not adding those of your employment, and the vice versa. Once you have indicated in the application that are working, you are expected to support with documents and present bank statements to confirm that you are earning money from your job.

How then do self-employed applicants prove their employment and finances? Let’s group them under these two sub-headings; Employment and Finances.

Employment

Proving your employment goes beyond telling the consular what you do. Visa applicants who are self-employed are to support their claim with business registration documents and show that the business is running.

Business Registration Documents

Business Registration Certificate is the first document expected from a self-employed visa applicant. This document shows your business name and its activities. It is tough to convince a consular that you are self-employed without this document. Most business owners are not aware of the importance of registering their businesses despite making good monies. They see the need to register their businesses when it’s time for a visa application.

While all businesses should be registered, some can present other documents to show that they are self-employed without a business registration certificate. Cocoa farmers can present their Passbooks in place of a Business Registration Certificate. Freelance Journalists can present their journalism certificates.

Embassies are concerned about your business documents because they have to be sure of your claim of being self-employed and also assess if your funds were acquired legitimately. So it’s not just about the money you have, but how you got it.

Proof that business is running

Registering companies is one of the funny things that Ghanaians do because of visa applications, and the embassies are aware of this. So owning a business registration certificate doesn’t mean you have a running business.

If your business is running, you are excepted to have documents of business transactions. Applicants who are not self-employed but claim to be, do not get anything to show that their business is in operation. Businesses that are running have invoices, receipts, contracts, bill of lading, Tax receipts, Tax Clearance Certificate, etc. depending on the nature of the business. Include any other document of business transactions that show your business is running.

Some self-employed applicants have problems showing their businesses are running because of how they are run. Groceries shop, barbering shops, hairdressing salons and many others (in Ghana) do not give receipts to their customers. It becomes trouble for these people to prove that their businesses are running.

If you intend taking trips abroad in future, then have your business structured in a way that you can easily show in your visa applications that you have a running business. Issue receipts to your clients and keep the duplicates, accept bank transfer and cheque payments as the narrations on your bank statement can confirm that indeed a business transaction took place. Accept receipts for purchases you make for your business, keep records of advertising contracts, ship and receive shipments in your name or that of your business, and have an online presence.

Tax Clearance Certificates are only needed when travelling for business or the visa application is centred on the business.

Finances

The only way to show that your business makes money is by adding your Bank Statements to the application. A bank statement is required to enable the embassy to decide if you make money from your business and if you have enough funds to travel. A bank statement presented to an Embassy should only contain funds you have legitimately acquired. Inability to prove the source of the funds in your accounts would mean they were acquired illegally or don’t belong to you.

Depending on the reason for your trip, you can add your personal bank statements, business bank statement or both. You can always add statements from both accounts if you have them. Some self-employed people do not have a business account because of the accompanying charges. Once your business is a sole-proprietorship and a small one, it’s not a big deal if you don’t have a business account.

Any other savings and investments you have should be added to support your financial status.

Conclusion

Make sure that your application answers these three questions:

What document shows that I have a business?
What document shows that my business is running?
What shows that I make money from my business and that I have enough funds for my trip?

Ghana Passport Application Fees Increased

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has announced through a press statement that Parliament has approved an upward review of Ghanaian passport application fees.

The increase in the Ghanaian passport application fees is expected to make the passport application process more efficient.

The new fees, which take effect from February 1, 2020, see a hundred percent increment for standard processing of ordinary passports. Passport fees for regular processing for booklets with 32 pages has been increased from GHS50 to GHS100 while fees for the newly introduced booklets with 48 pages will cost GHS150.

The expedited service saw a fifty percent increase from GHS100 to GHS150 for booklets with 32 pages while fees for booklets with 48 pages will cost GHS200.

Attestation of legal documents is now GHS37.50 while Travel certificates has been increased to GHS37 cedis.

Ghanaian Passports are valid for ten years.

Ghana Passport Online Application: Guidelines, Processing Times, Fees, Duration and Tracking

Applying for Ghana Passport in Ghana
Applying for Ghana Passport in the UK
Applying for Ghana Passport in Berlin, Germany

Passport is a requirement for all international trips except where bilateral agreements permit the use of National ID cards. Jetsanza.com has prepared these simple guide to aid you through the passport application process.

The online applications are done through the Passport Application website https://passport.mfa.gov.gh/ and are only processed at the Accra Passport Application Center, Premium Passport Application Centers in Accra and Kumasi, Tema Passport Application Center and Koforidua Passport Application Center.

The online process involves scheduling an appointment to submit your documents and biometrics. You can opt for the Manual Forms if you wish to walk-in without booking an appointment.

Passport Application: Online Steps

1. Visit the Passport Application website at https://passport.mfa.gov.gh/ and Create a new user account.

2. Login with your chosen Username and Password and then click on Start New Application.

3. You are then required to Make Payment for processing fee before an application form will be issued to you to start the application.

4. Choose a bank, then choose an application type (standard or expedited), choose payment channel to make payment.

5. After a successful payment of the processing fee, the form is issued into your account to continue with your passport application. This form can be found at “My Applications”.

6. Complete all details on the form and sign the Declaration Form.

7. Book a date you will like to go to the Passport Application Center (PAC) for the verification of your documents and to take your biometric details (i.e. photograph and fingerprints).

8. Send the printed form to your Witness and Guarantors to sign their parts.

9. Visit the Passport Application Center with your application forms and additional documents for verification and to take your biometric details.

10. The date your passport will be ready for collection will be indicated on your receipt. Go to the Passport Application Center on the date indicated to you to collect your passport. The Premium PAC has the option for SMS alert and courier delivery.

Processing Fee

Standard: GHS50.00
Expedited: GHS100.00
Premium Passport Application Center: Additional GHS60 and other charges may apply for value-added services

Tracking Passport Application

The passport application status can be checked by logging in the Passport Application website. Then click on MY APPLICATIONS. Tap on the Applicant name and then click on STATUS to view the current state of the application.

Processing Times

Aside from the Premium PAC that has proven to process passports in two weeks for the expedited service, it is hard to know the exact processing times of the other application centres. It’s advisable to always apply well enough in advance before your intended use. Passports can delay weeks or months after the stated collection date.

Duration

Ghanaian Passports are valid for ten years from the date of issue. One can apply for a new one if the passport book gets full before the ten-year validity period.

Ghana Passport Application And Renewal in London & Dublin, Ireland, United Kingdom

Passport Application Requirement

One passport size photo
Proof of Ghanaian citizenship (Birth Certificate)
Documents to support Identity (originals only) such as School Certificate, Driver’s Licence, Employment/Student / Other I.D. Cards.
Previous Ghanaian passport issued to you (For renewals)
Processing fee
Police Report and an affidavit (For stolen and missing passports)
Deed polls and marriage/divorce certificate (for change of names)

Ghana Passport Processing Time in the UK

2-3 weeks

Ghana Passport Application Fee For London and Dublin

London

First Passport – £ 180.00
Renewal Passport – £ 180.00
Lost Passport – £ 250.00
Damaged Passport – £ 190.00

Dublin

First Passport – £ 200.00
Renewal Passport – £ 200.00
Lost Passport – £ 220.00
Damaged Passport – £ 300.00

Payment method for Ghana Passport Application in the UK

Postal Order/ Banker’s draft in Pounds Sterling issued to ‘Ghana High Commission’ (for London Office applications)
Postal Order/ Banker’s draft in Pounds Sterling issued to ‘The Honorary Consulate-General’ (for Glasgow Office applications)
Postal Order/ Banker’s draft in Euros issued to ‘Ghana Consulate’ (for Dublin Office applications)
Card payment at Counter (for London Office Counter applications)
Online Payment
Payment may be made by postal order/ banker’s draft by mail and at the counter. Cheques are not accepted. Blank Postal Orders/ Banker’s Drafts will not be accepted. Please do not post cash.

Application Process For Ghana Passport in the United Kingdom

Visit the website of the Ghana High Commission in the UK to read and accept the Terms and Conditions.
Select your country and choose which city you want to make the application in.
Select the desired date and complete the entire passport application form
Follow on-screen instructions to complete the application form, print and have guarantors sign their respective sections.
Honour your appointment with the required documents and payment for processing fees.

Ghana Passport Online Application and Renewal in Berlin, Germany

Passport Application Requirement

Evidence of citizenship and Evidence of Identity such as:
a. Birth Certificate
b. National Identity Card
c. Old Passport
d. Voter ID Card
e. Dual Citizenship/ Naturalization/ Registration Certificate
f. Proof of name change if by Affidavit or Gazette Publication
Police Report and Affivadit (For missing and stolen passports)
Old Passport (for renewals)
Completed application form signed by Applicant, Guarantors and Witness

Application process for passport in Berlin

Complete the Passport Application Form online on the Application Portal of the Ghana Mission in Berlin, Germany.
Read the on-screen instructions and hit on APPLY NOW.
Read the instructions and go-ahead to complete the application forms.
Once form is completed, book appointment and print out the forms.
Have guarantors and witness sign their sections
Pay the application fee into the account of the Ghana High Commission
Honour your appointment on the date chosen with the required documents, the signed form and proof of payment. Add a self-addressed DHL envelope if you want the passport mailed to you.

Ghana Passport Application Witnesses

Any of the following persons to whom the applicant is personally known qualifies to sign as a witness:

A Senior Clergyman/Woman
A commissioned officer of the Armed Forces (Captain and above); or persons of equivalent rank in the security services
A Senior Civil or Public Servant (Principal Executive Officer and above )
A Registered Medical Practioner
A Solicitor or Barrister
Head of recognised Educational Institution
Other recognised professionals registered with their respective regulating bodies

Application fees for Ghanaian Passport in Berlin

Biometric Passport (Application & Processing) – €200.00 (Express €350.00)
Lost/Missing/Damaged – €300.00 (Express €400.00)
Endorsement (When/Where Applicable) – €20

Payment Details for the Ghana Embassy in Berlin

Account Name: GHANA EMBASSY GENERAL ACCOUNT
Bank Name: Deutsche Bank Berlin
Address: Unter den Linden 13/15, 10117 Berlin
IBAN: DE82 100 7000 000 6356 4900
BIC: DEUTDEBBXXX

Indicate the purpose of payment and applicant’s full name

In cases of Bank Payment, the reference number of the application should be indicated.

Police Clearance Certificate In Ghana: How To Get Police Report In Ghana For Travelling Visa

In some cases, visa applicants and travellers are to produce a Police Clearance Certificate to certify that they have no criminal records in their country. This is mostly required by persons applying to stay in a country for a longer period or permanently.

If the application requires a Police Report, the embassy or office handling the application will notify the applicant to obtain one.

In Ghana, the Police Clearance Certificate, which is popularly known as Police Report, is issued by the Ghana Police Service.

How to get Police Clearance Certificate in Ghana

The Police Report is issued at the Police Headquarters in Accra, but application for it can be made at any of the regional headquarters of the Police Service in Ghana. It takes 10 working days for authorities to issue the report. Persons applying outside Accra may experience some delays as applications are not immediately sent to Accra for processing.

Cost of Police Clearance Certificate in Ghana

Residents: GHS120.00.

Non-residents: US$120.00.

The last arrival date in Ghana determines whether an applicant is considered resident or non-resident. If the last arrival date is beyond 3 months, one is considered resident and pays GHC120.

If the last arrival date is less than 3months at the time of application, the applicant is considered as a non-resident, so he/she has to pay $120 USD.

Police Clearance Certificate Requirement

Valid international travel passport, two red-background passport photographs (The Headquarters in Accra provides pictures as part of the fees).

Sample of Ghana Police Clearance Certificate

See featured image above.

Ghana Police Report Form

The police report form is completed during the application at the Police Headquarters. It is provided to applicants after payment of fees.

Validity of Ghana Police Clearance Certificate

Police Report is valid for six months from the date of issue. The certificate is not renewable. A new certificate has to be applied for in case of expiry.

Can someone apply on my behalf?

-No, if you are in Ghana because one needs to apply in person.

-Yes, if you are non-resident. In this case, it attracts a fee of $120 USD. Furthermore, the one applying on behalf of the non-resident applicant must provide his passport picture and personal details.

Yellow Fever Vaccination Card: Validity, Vaccination Centers, Replacement, Affected Countries

Yellow fever is a medical condition caused by species of mosquito commonly found in Africa and South America.

Because there is no specific treatment for the disease, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends getting a vaccine before travelling to or from certain areas.

Yellow Fever vaccination is one of the foremost things you would have to consider when making travel arrangements, as WHO reports 30,000 deaths yearly due to this disease.

The vaccine should be taken at least ten days before your intended travel date. In the rest of the article, Jetsanza.com discusses what Yellow Card is, where to get to one, and what to do if you misplace it.

Yellow Fever Vaccination Card

The Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate is a document issued to persons who have had the yellow fever vaccine administered in them. The card is called International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP), but popularly known as Yellow Card.

Sample of yellow fever vaccination card

See featured image above.

Yellow Fever Affected Countries

An International Yellow Fever Vaccination Card is a required travel document when travelling to or arriving from a yellow fever affected country.

Below are the Yellow Fever affected countries, according to WHO:

Affected Countries In Africa

Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, Togo and Uganda.

Affected Countries in South America

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.

Yellow fever vaccination card requirement

The only requirement, aside from taking the vaccine is a valid International Travel Passport.

How to get a yellow fever vaccination card in Ghana

The Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate can be obtained at any of the International Vaccination Centers in Ghana.

Yellow Fever Vaccination Centers in Ghana

Ashanti
Manhyia Hospital, Kumasi – Near Otumfour’s Palace

Brong-Ahafo
Regional Disease Control Unit – Near Ghana Broadcasting Cooperation, Sunyani

Central
Central Region Metro Health Directorate, Public Health Division, RCH Unit, Cape coast

Eastern
Regional Disease Control unit, Koforidua – Galloway (Opposite Jubilee Park)

Greater Accra

Adabraka Polyclinic
KIA (Departure and Arrival Hall)
Port Health Unit Office
Tema Port
Akai House Labone

Northern Tamale
Regional Health Directorate, Public Health Unit, RCH. Opposite Ghana water Company, Tamale

Upper East Bolgatanga
Regional Hospital, Bolga

Upper West Wa
Regional Hospital, Wa

Volta
Port Health Unit Office, Aflao Ground Crossing, Aflao

Regional Disease Control Unit. (Sch. Of Hygiene Premises), Ho

Western
Port Health Unit Office, Elubo Ground Crossing, Elubo

Port Health Unit Office, Takoradi Port, Takoradi

Regional Public Health Unit, Takoradi

Validity of yellow fever vaccination card

Yellow Fever vaccination is valid for ten years. As such, the vaccine is repeated every ten years.

What if your Fellow fever vaccination card gets lost?

Because most centres are only interested in issuing the certificates rather than administering the vaccines, it has become easy to replace lost cards. The ideal way of replacing a lost card is sending a copy of your lost card to any of the centres for the information to be transferred into a new card.

Yellow fever vaccination card replacement

If it becomes necessary for you to replace your card because it has become too weak, visit any of the vaccination centres to have your card details transferred into a new card.

How to get a yellow fever vaccination card in Nigeria

Persons travelling from Nigeria can obtain a Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate online by following these steps:

Log on to http://www.yellowcardnigeria.com
Click on Register
Complete the form with your personal information and hit on the submit button.
Click on Payment button to generate the Remita Retrival Receipt (RRR) code.
Use the code to pay the sum of N2,000 online or at the bank.
Take the payment receipt along with your international passport to any Port Health Services Office to get vaccinated and obtain the yellow card.

Switzerland Travel Itinerary For Swiss Visa Application: Sample and things to consider

Persons visiting Switzerland as tourists are to include in their visa applications a probable travel plan on how they intend spending their days in the country.

You can prepare your itinerary by visiting several tourist websites that publish on Switzerland tours and attractions. I will share with you on Jetsanza.com the plausible plan I used for my Swiss visa application.

Before then, let’s take a look at how to prepare a Travel Itinerary.

Things to consider when preparing Travel Itinerary

Hotel

Choosing where to stay is the first thing to consider when planning an itinerary. You cannot be staying at a hotel which is 200KM apart from the tourist sites you intend visiting. Not possible to live in Accra and be visiting Kumasi daily. So make sure your quest for the cheapest hotel does not send you hundreds of kilometres away from the sites you want to visit. So choose a hotel where you can easily access all the attractions.

Call the internet a friend

The internet should be your friend when planning your travel. There are so many websites loaded with information on tourist sites and events happening during your period of visit. Read about the activities that take place at each site, entrance fees, opening times and reviews by previous visitors.

Distance between attractions

The embassy does not expect to see a perfect travel plan, and that is why it’s termed PLAUSIBLE. A little more research by you to come up with a more plausible itinerary would mean you are genuinely travelling for tourism purpose. Use Google to check the distance between attractions to confirm if it’s possible to visit two or more sites in a day, as mentioned in your itinerary. Also, consider the time you are likely to spend at each attraction so as not to push so many activities in a day.

Add References

You were guided by online resources to put together your travel plan. Credit all the websites you picked information from.

TIP: Always make sure each document you include in your visa application has your name on it if the document does not have your name written anywhere. Example is the travel plan. Write your name on as you see in the sample below. This will help Visa Officers trace them easily should it be blown away by fan or finds its way in someone’s documents.

Sample Plausible Itinerary For A Week Stay in Bern For Switzerland Visa Application

MY TRAVEL ITINERARY – AKESSE MOISE SANZA

In planning my itinerary for Bern, I visited several websites relating to Bern tourism, culture and the transport system. Some of the websites that I visited are:

http://www.myswitzerland.com

http://www.bern.com

Below is how I will spend my days in Bern:

DAY ONE

This is my day of arrival. I will check in into my hotel and take some rest. After that, I will take a walk around the hotel as I take note of restaurants and also get my travel card/bus pass for my entire stay.

DAY TWO

I will be visiting the Cathedral Tower to have views of the Old Town and also see where the River Aare flows.

DAY THREE

Zentrum Paul Klee is where I will be touring this day to see some of the works of the artist Paul Klee. I will also take the opportunity to see the Albert Einstein House, Art Museum and the Swiss Alpine Museum.

DAY FOUR

Since Bern is the seat of the Switzerland Government, I will be happy to see The Houses of Parliament (Bundeshaus). I will also take a walking tour of the city of Bern.

DAY FIVE

I will take a trip to the Bear Pits to see the bears and watch them eat carrots.

DAY SIX

This is a shopping day. I will be visiting some of the shops I noted In Bern and see what the city has to offer me. I have read about these shops: Confiserie Eichenberger, Kitchener, Loeb and Membrini Crystal.

I will also stay late in the night to enjoy nightlife in the city of Bern.

DAY SEVEN

I prepare for departure to my home country, Ghana.