The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has issued a final directive for the return of Diplomatic and Service Passports issued under the previous administration. Holders of these passports must surrender them by 17 March 2025.
This follows an earlier announcement made on 15 January 2025, in line with a directive from the Office of the President. The government aims to review and retrieve all passports that are no longer valid under the current administration’s policies.
Unreturned Passports
Despite multiple notices, a total of 404 Diplomatic Passports and 387 Service Passports remain unreturned. The Ministry is urging individuals in possession of these documents to comply promptly.
Individuals Required to Return Passports
The Ministry has identified the following groups required to surrender their Diplomatic and Service Passports:
Former Ministers and their spouses
Former Members of Parliament from all political parties
Former Council of State members and their spouses
Retired Justices of the Superior and Lower Courts
Former Regional Ministers, MMDCEs, board chairs, and members of state institutions
Officials associated with the National Cathedral Project
Former political ambassadors and their dependents
Businesspersons and entrepreneurs
Former government functionaries
Any individual holding an official passport but no longer serving the state
Compliance and Consequences
All affected individuals must return their passports to the Legal and Treaties Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.
Failure to comply by the 17 March 2025 deadline will result in the immediate cancellation of these passports. They will be placed on the Stop-Watch List, making them subject to seizure at all Ghanaian entry and exit points.
For further inquiries, affected individuals are advised to contact the Ministry directly.
Issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration
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