Consumer Protection: Refund of VISA Application Fees

Foreign Embassies in Ghana are becoming richer as numbers of Ghanaians striving to escape economic hardships swell.

VISA application refusals are now an economic venture for foreign embassies in the country. Consumers and in this case VISA applicants are not getting the service they paid for and monies paid are not refunded as a way of blatantly infringing on their consumer rights. This is clearly unfair as well as exploitative.

Arrogance has set in. Not having a girlfriend is enough grounds for refusing to grant a VISA application. Human rights do not mean anything to some embassies as they shall soon be taking blood samples for their self-serving records.

If the argument for such actions are based on reciprocity, then Ghana Missions abroad must refund VISA Fees to refused applicants.

The Ghana Immigration Service did a good job by ceasing the stamping of passports at the Kotoka International Airport.

Consumer Alert is urging all refused applicants to join a forum on the issue with representation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after which consistent and persistent demonstrations must be held at key embassies until they succumb.

Foreign Embassies in Ghana must take VISA Application Fees only after an assessment that qualifies the applicant for a VISA such that those that pay are the only ones to be granted VISAs.

Remember: NO VISA, NO FEES! NO VISA, NO REFUSAL STAMP!