Under the new system, actual passport processing times and delivery deadlines would take fifteen working days for standard applications and five working days for express applications.

The online passport applicant must essentially have all supporting documents available and log on to www.passports.mfa.gov.gh or www.passport.mfa.gov.gh and select a mode of payment, fill and submit the form online and proceed to the Accra Passport Application Centre to capture their bio-data on a chosen appointment date.

Previous challenges

The premise of the Passport Office at Ridge has in the past been stampeded by desperate passport applicants who mass up there as a result in delays of having their passports issued.

Some have been victims of fraud since they employ the services of middle men popularly known as ‘goro boys’ who end up duping them under the pretext of facilitating the acquisition of their passports.

Launch

At the launch of the online system in Accra Tuesday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ms Hannah Tetteh, explained that with the new system three partner financial institutions – Ecobank, Zenith and GCB Bank – would provide the requisite support for the project as well as receive payments from applicants through payment at the bank branches.

The minister said the new policy was a culmination of the process by the government to reform the delivery of travel documents for Ghanaians and also fulfil the country’s obligation within the International Civil Aviation Organisation conventions.