Claim: Ghana has been removed from the US visa-waiver programme

Source: Social media (X)

Verdict: False

Researched by Gifty Danso 

Social media users on Facebook and X have shared a flyer with the logo of Accra-based United Television (UTV) claiming Ghana has been removed from the 2025 United States of America visa-waiver programme.

Using the Google reverse image search function, GhanaFact found the flyer was mostly shared among accounts affiliated to the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Persons amplifying the claim used captions such as: “We told Ablakwa not to send his Propaganda to the Diplomatic Communities. You see the Problem now ?”  

“Sad news hit Ghana as it is removed from 2025 visa waiver Programme, a benefit Ghanaians were enjoying until John Mahama came in to destroy it,” General Buhari, a known NPP activist captioned his post on X.

While the NPP policies updates page on Facebook also shared the flyer with a caption: “Ablakwa has sent his nonsense to the international community. He thinks he knows it all. See what he has caused Ghana.”


The claim was also reported by news portals, including the Daily Guide Network, from where Modern Ghana also republished.

This fact-check will verify whether Ghana has been removed from the US visa-waiver programme. 

Fact-Check

GhanaFact’s investigation shows that UTV published the viral flyer and later deleted it from its Facebook page, below is a screenshot of the initial post by UTV on Facebook.  

Our checks also show that popular blogger, Kwadwo Sheldon’s page on Instagram also shared a similar flyer that has also been deleted.

The US Visa Waiver Program (VWP), is administered by the country’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Department of State. It essentially permits citizens of designated countries to travel to the US for stays up to 90 days without a visa, even though there is a need for prior approval through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). 

In return, countries under the program must permit American nationals access to their countries for a similar period without a visa.

GhanaFact analyzed a list of beneficiary countries who are under the programme and found that Ghana has never been listed.

This list includes 42 nations from Europe, Asia, and parts of the Middle East. No African country has ever been a beneficiary. The latest country to make the list is Romania.

On January 10, 2025, the US announced that Romania had been added to its list of eligible countries under the Visa Waiver Program. 

Below is a list of countries that have benefited from the programme since 1986. 

Country VWP Travel Began Country VWP Travel Began Country VWP Travel Began
Andorra Oct. 1, 1991 Czech Republic Nov. 17, 2008 Ireland Apr. 1, 1995
Australia July 29, 1996 Estonia Nov. 17, 2008 Israel Sept. 29, 2023
Austria Oct. 1, 1991 Finland Oct. 1, 1991 Italy July 29, 1989
Belgium Oct. 1, 1991 France July 1, 1989 Japan Dec. 15, 1988
Brunei July 29, 1993 Germany July 15, 1989 Korea Nov. 17, 2008
Chile Mar. 31, 2014 Greece Apr. 5, 2010 Latvia Nov. 17, 2008
Croatia Dec. 1, 2021 Hungary Nov. 17, 2008 Liechtenstein Oct. 1, 1991
Denmark Oct. 1, 1991 Iceland Oct. 1, 1991 Lithuania Nov. 17, 2008
Luxembourg Oct. 1, 1991 Malta Dec. 30, 2008 Monaco Oct. 1, 1991
Netherlands July 29, 1989 New Zealand Oct. 1, 1991 Norway Oct. 1, 1991
Poland Nov. 11, 2019 Portugal Aug. 9, 1999 San Marino Oct. 1, 1991
Qatar Nov. 21, 2024 Singapore Aug. 9, 1999 Slovakia Nov. 17, 2008
Slovenia Sept. 30, 1997 Spain Oct. 1, 1991 Sweden July 15, 1989
Switzerland July 1, 1989 Taiwan Nov. 1, 2012 United Kingdom July 1, 1988
Romania To Be Announced

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

Additionally, the DHS indicates that only two countries, Argentina and Uruguay, have been removed from the program. 

Country VWP Travel Began VWP Travel Termination
Argentina July 8, 1996 Feb. 21, 2002
Uruguay Aug. 9, 1999 Apr. 15, 2003

Verdict

Therefore, publications by news portals and social media users, suggesting Ghana was removed from the 2025 Visa Waiver Programme, are false. The UTV flyer was misleading.