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Getting married in Ghana

Ivandro1

Ok..so basically you presented your marriage certificate at the social security not the registry office

hkann

I got married in the registry office in Ghana and then sent the certificate - or a notified copy, I can't remember, to the UK to social security, to register for a pension as a married person

Guest4958357

How is the procedure?

hkann

The procedure for what?

Guest4958357

What are they that you said as necessary document,I'm from Indonesia want to marry Ghanaian,is it needed document from embassy? That would be difficult if yes,because in my country there is no Ghana embassy and also in Ghana there is no Indonesia embassy

hkann

They just accepted my passport with the visa in it so am not sure if you need any other documents.
I suggest you go to the Registry Office in the Registrar General's Department and find out.

Guest4958357

Necessary paperwork?what are they?is paperwork from the embassy too?

hkann

As I said the only paperwork was my passport. They will give you the information you need at the Registry Office

Licelot

Hello, I have a question.

Once you get married you can apply for a resident permit inside of Ghana or you need to go to your country and re-enter?

Thank you in advance!

hkann

Once you are married you can change your visitors visa to a resident's permit. This is a sort of dependent's visa as you are not allowed to work. The first one is usually for a year and after that you can get them for multiple years. You do it in Ghana, you don't need to leave the country

psperrie2012

Please stop texting
This person as pasted away

Regards

Licelot

Thank you for your answer, but If I want also a work permit, what should I do?

Licelot

Hello, What do you mean?

hkann

If you want to work then you need a work permit. You will need to find an employer who is willing to pay the fees or if your spouse is employing you s/he will have to pay for a work permit

Licelot

So, the resident permit and work permit are two separate processes, right?

hkann

Yes.
Look on Ghana Immigration Service website to find all the details and fees for visas and permits

Henry Aggrey

@trina1018 So how long do u want to stay there whiles you are someone favorite

obianujuoluchukwu9

@hkann so is possible for two foreigners to wed in Ghana

hkann

Yes, as long as you have the correct paperwork and have been here the correct amount of time

Guest4958357

In order to get my Residence Permit for Ghana based on marriage with a Ghanaian (valid for one year, but I was told that the next permit will be valid for three years) I needed to show to the officer of the Immigration Service (in my case in Kumasi):


A Police Report (in my case a so called "VOG" issued by the Ministry of Justice in The Netherlands) to prove I have no criminal record in The Netherlands.


A "Non-Citizen Card" for Ghana, which they made for me at a state run office in Kumasi. Needed for that is your passport and filling in a form. The rest is done by them (like taking your picture and taking your finger prints). It costs about Euro 100.--. The card is valid for one year (so each year you have to have it renewed). The card is made right away (the whole process only took about half an hour or so).


Two copies of our Marriage Certificate.


Two passport photos.


Two copies of my passport.


It took three months for the Immigration Service to issue my Residence Permit. I had to leave my passport with them when I applied, but they give you written proof of your application which you can show when an official wants to see your passport during that time.


An important note/warning:


When I just arrived in Ghana in September 2022, I went to the office of the Immigration Service in Konongo, the town where we are living. There I was told that if I would marry, I could only get a Residence Permit based on marriage with a Ghanaian after more than a year, counting from the date of marriage. I was told that the only way to get a Residence Permit for the duration of a year in the mean time was to fake that I worked for a Ghanaian company. Such a permit costs US Dollar 1000.-- for one year. The Officer I talked to said he could arrange for such a faked contract through a friend when I would pay an additional US Dollar 200.--. Of course, I 'politely' refused because I know better than to get myself involved in schemes like that (getting involved in schemes like that can very easily make you vulnerable for future extorsion).


The way things eventually went, made it clear to me that one is not obliged to get one's visa extensions and Residence Permits at the office of the Immigration Service in the city/town where one actually resides (likely because there are no residence registers on city/town level in Ghana).


I would advise anyone who wants to acquire a Residence Permit to get the help of a Ghana based lawyer. I am fortunate to have a family member who is a Ghanaian lawyer, practicing in Kumasi. He took care of my two visa extensions and my Residence Permit for me. This all went very smooth.

hkann

You were lucky you weren't taken in by the false information. As a spouse you are entitled to a resident's permit and can apply for it during the 3 months entry visa. Usually the first one is only for a year but after that you can get multiple years. When I came in 2010 there were no Non-Citizen IDs but now they are a must for everything from the residents permit to a bank account, driving licence and SIM card. The first one is the 120 dollars and then renewal is 60 dollars.

It is always better to do everything legally and follow the rules as there will always be someone who says they can provide something at a price but the right way may take more time but it is cheaper and it is legal.

Guest4958357


I very much agree with your advice to do everything legally. For me I am sure it will give you peace of mind.


I would think that the assistance of a genuine Ghana based lawyer will surely help you to make sure that you do everything legally.

hkann

Agree, but personally have done everything myself with my husband and have never had a lawyer.

Guest4958357

Good for you!


Looking at your profile you surely have a lot of experience as an expat. On top of that you have the knowledge of your Ghanaian husband.


But most of us do not have that huge amount of experience/knowledge. That is why I advise the help of a Ghana based lawyer when it comes to Residence Permits (or any other serious legal issues for that matter).


But I am fully aware that my advice creates a risk in itself. For any reader: Make sure that the lawyer you think you found is a genuine Ghanaian lawyer. Ask and check (by contacting his/her law firm) for which law firm he/she is working. Be critical. If it doesn't feel 100 % right, than probably it isn't.


Having worked as a Legal Advisor for 40 years (after getting my Law Degree at the University of Amsterdam in 1992) I offer to try to check if someone that presents him/herself as a genuine Ghana based lawyer, is really what he/she claims to be. But note that I wrote I will try. I can't, and never will guarantee that somebody who claims to be a genuine Ghana based lawyer is really one.