Applicants Engaging In Fake Documents For Visa Must Stop--Ministry Warns

In their desperate attempts to secure visas and access consular services, some Ghanaian applicants continue to indulge in the forgery of documents.

The compilation of fake documents continue to be a major factor in the denial of applicants' visas.

It is against this background that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has expressed concerns over the increasing number of Ghanaians submitting forged documents to access consular services and other assistance from foreign missions in Ghana or their national authorities outside Ghana.

The Ministry in a statement complained that these forged documents are issued by agencies of the Government of Ghana, adding that such activities have a negative impact on Ghana’s image and undermine the credibility of public institutions.

“It has come to the attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of the Republic of Ghana that an increasing number of Ghanaian nationals seeking to access consular services and other assistance from foreign missions in Ghana or their national authorities outside Ghana have been submitting forged documents, supposedly issued by agencies of the Government of Ghana.

The Ministry wishes to remind the general public that such activities are criminal. They tarnish the good name of Ghana and undermine the credibility of our public institutions while hampering their ability to render services to those with genuine needs,” the statement said.

The Ministry asked persons who require attestation or other forms of legal validation of documents for submission to foreign missions to other authorities to “obtain such services or documents directly from the relevant issuing agency.”

This is not the first time the Ministry is issuing such a caution.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayokor Botchwey earlier asked Ghanaians to desist from every fraudulent activity that will undermine the integrity of the Ghanaian passport.

The Minister gave this caution while raising concerns about the use of the forged document for application, adding that, persons found engaging in such an activity will be dealt with in accordance with the law.

She made this notice at the official opening of the Koforidua passport office in 2019.

During the launch, she stated that the action taken is in line with President Akufo-Addo's promise of extending passport services to Ghanaians in all parts of the country.

---CitinewsRoom