Ghana Card for Non-Citizens and the Diaspora: What It Covers and How to Apply

Last Updated: August 2026

The Ghana Card for foreigners is the Non-Citizen Identity Card issued through the National Identification Authority’s Foreigner Identification Management System (FIMS), and it is designed for foreign nationals who are resident in Ghana for at least 90 cumulative days. The same system also supports Ghanaians living abroad and other eligible diaspora applicants, depending on their documentation and status.

For banking, travel, and day-to-day identity checks, the card matters because Ghana’s identification rules now center on the national identity system, especially in regulated financial services. In this article, I explain what the card covers, who can apply, the documents involved, and how to understand the practical limits for non-citizens and diaspora users.

What the card is

The Ghana Card is the national identity card used for identity verification in Ghana, while the non-citizen version is issued to foreign nationals through FIMS. The NIA describes FIMS as a biometric, ICAO-compliant, dual-interfaced smart card system for foreign nationals who are permanently resident or otherwise eligible under the residency rules.

For non-citizens, this card is not a general nationality document; it is an identity and verification instrument for access to services inside Ghana. For diaspora Ghanaians, the card is tied to proof of Ghanaian citizenship or acquired citizenship documents, depending on the registration pathway.

Who can apply

A foreign national can apply for a Non-Citizen Ghana Card if they are cumulatively resident in Ghana for at least 90 days. The NIA also lists exemptions for diplomats, employees of diplomatic or consular missions, employees of the United Nations or its agencies, and their spouses or dependants.

For Ghanaians living abroad, the NIA’s diaspora registration page shows that applicants may use an original Ghana birth certificate, a valid Ghana passport, or evidence of acquired citizenship such as naturalization or registration certificates. That means the diaspora route is not the same as the foreign national route, even though both may ultimately connect to the Ghana Card ecosystem.

What it covers

The most important use case is identity verification for regulated transactions, especially banking. The Bank of Ghana’s guidance says licensed and regulated financial institutions must use the Ghana Card as the sole identity document for financial transactions, with limited exceptions for some non-residents and diplomats.

The card also supports services tied to KYC and CDD processes, including account opening, customer verification, and certain mobile or internet banking onboarding checks. In addition, the NIA notes that the card serves as a gateway to e-government services for foreigners who are legally resident in Ghana.

Banking rules

For readers asking, “is the Ghana Card required for banking,” the practical answer is that the Bank of Ghana’s current guidance makes it the core identity document for financial transactions at regulated institutions. The guidance states that accountable institutions shall use only the Ghana Card to identify and verify all customers, including Ghanaian citizens living in Ghana and abroad, permanent residents, and ECOWAS nationals who are residents during onboarding.

The same guidance also says foreign directors, shareholders, and non-residents who are signatories to accounts must be identified with the Ghana Card during onboarding, while foreign non-residents in Ghana for less than 90 days may use a valid international passport for one-off transactions such as remittances, third-party deposits or withdrawals, and ATM/POS transactions. It also states that linking a Ghana Card to a bank account does not expire and forms part of ongoing KYC/CDD/EDD checks.

Banking use cases

If your article is being written for practical readers, the important point is that the bank may ask for the card or the underlying identity record, depending on the transaction type and residency category. The rules are not the same for a resident foreign national, a short-term visitor, and a diaspora Ghanaian.

Travel use

For travel, the Ghana Card’s role is narrower than its role in banking. The BBC’s reporting on Ghana’s travel framework notes that Ghana Card or ECOWAS Identity Card can be used for travel within West Africa in the contexts allowed by Ghanaian authorities and ECOWAS rules. That makes it relevant for regional movement, but not a replacement for every international travel document.

For foreign nationals, the non-citizen card mainly functions as an identity card in Ghana rather than a substitute for a passport. So the phrase “Ghana Card for travel” is best understood as a regional or identity-verification tool, not a standalone universal travel document.

How to apply

The application path starts with confirming whether you qualify under the residency and exemption rules. If you are a foreign national resident for at least 90 days, the NIA says you will need a valid passport, residence permit, certified or embassy-validated birth certificate, and an Oath of Identity obtained through the vouching process.

The NIA also states that the FIMS process includes a registration centre visit where your documents are verified, then you purchase the scratch card, complete the application form, undergo an interview, and provide biometric data such as fingerprints, portrait, iris, and signature. After verification and capture, you collect the card from the issuance desk.

Registration steps

1. Confirm eligibility under the 90-day residency rule or the diaspora route.
2. Prepare the required identity and residency documents.
3. Purchase the FIMS scratch card through the approved channel.
4. Complete the application form and interview process.
5. Provide biometric data and submit the documents for verification.
6. Collect the card once issuance is completed.

For the diaspora pathway, the NIA’s living-abroad registration page shows that applicants may be asked for a birth certificate, Ghana passport, or proof of acquired citizenship, together with an oath of identity from the vouching process. That route is therefore document-sensitive, and the exact file set depends on whether the applicant is a Ghanaian abroad or another eligible category.

Fees and validity

The NIA’s current fee schedule lists FIMS first issuance at the cedi equivalent of USD 120, annual renewal at the cedi equivalent of USD 78, card replacement at the cedi equivalent of USD 78, and update of records only as free. The NIA FIMS page also lists earlier published amounts of USD 120 for first issuance and USD 60 for annual renewal and replacement, so readers should rely on the latest official fee schedule displayed by the NIA at the time of application.

Because the official fee pages have changed over time, a careful article should state that the fee is set by the NIA and may be updated. For practical publishing, the safest phrasing is to show the current fee schedule while noting that the NIA controls the final amount.

Common questions

Can a foreigner get a Ghana card? Yes. The NIA says a foreign national who is cumulatively resident in Ghana for at least 90 days can apply for the Non-Citizen Identity Card, subject to the stated exemptions.

Is the Ghana card required for banking? For regulated financial institutions, the Bank of Ghana guidance uses the Ghana Card as the sole identity document for financial transactions, with limited exceptions for short-stay non-residents and diplomats.

How do I link my Ghana card to a bank account? The Bank of Ghana guidance says linking the Ghana Card to the bank account is part of ongoing KYC/CDD/EDD processes, and the bank uses the NIA verification framework to confirm the identity data. In practice, the bank verifies the card and updates the account record through its customer onboarding or periodic KYC workflow.

Final note

The Ghana Card for foreigners and diaspora users is mainly an identity and verification card, but it has real weight in banking, residency compliance, and some regional movement contexts. The most useful way to think about it is as a legal identity bridge between a person’s status and the services they can access in Ghana.

This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Consult a qualified professional for your specific situation.