The U.S. Embassy in Ghana processed about 38,000 Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV) applications in the first half of 2026, representing an increase of nearly 60 per cent compared with the same period last year.

The Charge d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Ghana, Rolf Olson, said the Embassy processed more than 14,000 additional visa applications compared with the first half of 2025, when approximately 24,000 applications were handled.

He said the increase contributed to thousands more Ghanaians securing U.S. visas, including those seeking to travel to the United States to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Mr Olson disclosed this last Thursday at his residence in Accra when he hosted journalists who covered the World Cup in the United States to share their experiences.

“The U.S. Embassy in Accra adjudicated over 14,000 more Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV) applications in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, a nearly 60 per cent increase from approximately 24,000 to 38,000 applications processed, resulting in thousands of more visa issuances,” he said.

According to him, the Embassy temporarily brought in about 30 additional consular personnel from U.S. embassies and consulates around the world to help deal with the surge in applications.

He explained that the additional staff helped reduce waiting times and allowed the Embassy to process more applications than would have been possible under its previous staffing levels.

“As a result, thousands of more Ghanaians were able to obtain U.S. visas than they would have under the previous staffing conditions, which is an investment in the people-to-people ties keeping our countries strong,” Mr Olson said.

Mr Olson also announced plans for an expansion of the U.S. Embassy's sports diplomacy activities in Ghana through an upcoming Sports Envoy Programme.

As part of the programme, two U.S. professional athletes and coaches, one of whom is Ghanaian-American Kofi Sarkodie, are expected to engage with Ghanaian coaches and young athletes.

The envoys will work with high school coaches and female student athletes and lead a two-day train-the-trainer programme for high school coaches in the Northern, Ashanti and Greater Accra regions.

Mr Olson said the programme would further strengthen people-to-people ties between Ghana and the United States while using sport as a platform for skills development and youth engagement.

The initiative forms part of broader efforts by the U.S. Embassy to deepen relations between the two countries through sports and other people-to-people exchanges, he noted.