Guidance

Ghana: Knowledge Base profile

Published 18 August 2025

Version 2.0

About: Ghana

This document contains useful information about Ghana which will assist His Majesty’s Passport Office staff process passport applications.

Contacts

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Publication

Below is information on when this version of the document was published:

• version 2.0
• published for Home Office staff on 12 August 2025

Changes from last version of this document

This document has been updated with formatting changes.

Ghana: names

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about names in Ghana.

Names in Ghana consist of:

• up to 5 forenames
• a surname

A child’s surname can be completely different from the mother’s or father’s surname.

In some tribes, there may be male or female forms of a name depending on the day of the week a child is born. For example, in the Akan tribe:

Day	Male name	Female name
Sunday	Akwasi, Kwasi	Akosua
Monday	Kwadwo, Kojo	Adwoa, Adjoa
Tuesday	Kwabena	Abena
Wednesday	Kwaku	Akua
Thursday	Yaw	Yaa
Friday	Kofi	Afua/Afia
Saturday	Kwame	Ama

Change of name

Name changes are legal in Ghana.

To change a name in Ghana, a person must swear an affidavit before the Commission of Oaths in court. The name change must then be announced publicly in the Ghana Gazette.

Ghana: nationality

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about nationality in Ghana.

Dual nationality is recognised in Ghana.

To gain dual nationality, a person must apply for a dual citizenship identity card to be legally recognised as a dual national.

Ghana: legitimacy and parental responsibility

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about legitimacy and parental responsibility in Ghana.

Legitimacy

Since 7 January 1993, Ghana does not recognise a difference between legitimate and illegitimate births. This means that all births in Ghana are considered legitimate whether their parents are married or not.

Ghana recognised a difference between legitimate and illegitimate births until 7 January 1993. Before this date, a child was considered:

• legitimate:
  • if their parents were married at the time of their birth
  • from the time of their parent’s marriage if the marriage took place after the birth but before 7 January 1993
• illegitimate if the parents were not married

Children born before this date who were considered illegitimate were subsequently legitimated ‘by operation of law’. Therefore, illegitimate children born before this date are now considered legitimate.

Legitimation by operation of law is not accepted for nationality purposes.

Parental responsibility

Parents have parental responsibility in Ghana if they are named on the child’s birth certificate.

Ghana: adoption

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about adoption in Ghana.

Adoption is legal in Ghana.

Ghana: surrogacy

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about surrogacy in Ghana.

Surrogacy is legal in Ghana.

Ghana: gender recognition

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about gender recognition in Ghana.

Transgender citizens are recognised in Ghana.

Ghana: civil partnerships and marriage

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about civil partnerships and marriage in Ghana.

Civil partnerships and same sex marriages are not allowed in Ghana.

Ghana recognises civil, customary, ordinance, and Islamic marriages.

Customary and Islamic marriages can be polygamous.

Ghana: documents

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about documents from Ghana.

Birth certificates

Parents must register a birth with a local registrar within 12 months of the birth. Late registrations are allowed and incur a fee.

Births can be registered up until a person reaches 59 years old.

Birth certificates are issued following registration. Birth registrations are held centrally at the Ghana Registry of Births and Deaths.

A father cannot be named on a birth certificate unless he jointly registered the child’s birth with the mother, and he personally acknowledges the paternity of the child.

If an error is identified on the birth certificate, the certificate will be re-issued with the correct information. The re-issued certificates will usually contain margin notes.

Marriage certificates

For civil and Islamic marriages, a certificate of marriage is issued.

For customary marriages, a form of register of customary marriages is issued.

Any couple wanting to have an ordinance marriage must give notice to the district marriage registrar where the marriage is going to occur. The registrar publishes a notice of marriage and issues a certificate after 21 days if no objection is raised. The couple must get married within three months or that certificate becomes invalid.

Religious marriages must be conducted in a registered premises by an officiant who is licensed to conduct weddings. The wedding party must give notice of the wedding and sign the marriage register.

The marriage will not be legal if:

• the premises or the officiant is not licensed
• the wedding party do not give notice of the wedding
• the wedding party do not sign the register

Death certificates

Deaths in Ghana should be registered within 7 days. Late registration is allowed and will incur a fee. Certificates are usually issued within 14 Days.

Details are held in a central register.

Close relatives can get a copy of a death certificate but must be accompanied by an affidavit.

Identity documents

All residents of Ghana must have a residence permit or a non-Citizen Ghana identity card. Ghana nationals should also register for a:

• biometric National Card once they reach 6 years of age
• voter identity card when they reach 18 years of age