Ghana Citizenship Services in the United Kingdom

Dual citizenship, the Ghana Card, and birth registration for the Ghanaian community in the UK — handled through the Ghana High Commission at 13 Belgrave Square, London.

Few diaspora communities have as much day-to-day need for citizenship services as Ghanaians in Britain. Tens of thousands of Ghanaians have naturalised as British citizens over the decades, a large second and third generation has been born in the UK, and families routinely move between the two countries for work, study and retirement. This guide covers the three services the London mission is most asked about: registering dual citizenship, getting the Ghana Card, and registering UK births.

Dual Citizenship: Keeping Ghanaian Citizenship After Becoming British

Both countries permit dual nationality. The United Kingdom places no restriction on naturalised British citizens keeping another nationality, and Ghana’s Dual Citizenship Regulation Act 2002 (Act 91) allows Ghanaians who acquire another citizenship — including British citizenship — to retain their Ghanaian citizenship. What Act 91 requires is that you formalise the position by applying for a dual citizenship certificate.

For Ghanaians in the UK, the application can be made through the High Commission in London (or directly to the Ministry of the Interior in Accra). You will typically need:

• Your Ghana passport (current or expired) and/or Ghanaian birth certificate;
• Your British passport or certificate of naturalisation;
• The completed dual citizenship application form;
• Passport photographs and the prescribed fee.

Certificates are processed in Ghana and typically take 3–6 months to issue, so apply well before you need to prove dual status — for example before buying property, taking up an appointment in Ghana, or travelling on two passports. Fees are set centrally but collected by the mission; confirm the current amount and payment method with the High Commission before submitting. One constitutional caveat worth knowing: under Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, dual citizens cannot hold certain public offices in Ghana, such as President, Speaker of Parliament or Chief Justice.

A related question the mission hears often from British-born people of Ghanaian descent: if one of your parents was a Ghanaian citizen when you were born, you generally have a claim to Ghanaian citizenship by descent. The route to documenting this usually runs through your parent’s records and birth registration rather than the dual citizenship process — ask the consular section which route applies to your family’s circumstances.

Ghana Card Registration in London

The Ghana Card, issued by the National Identification Authority (NIA), is now the backbone of identification in Ghana — required for SIM registration, banking, government services and, critically for the diaspora, passport applications. Ghanaians in the UK can register at the High Commission in London, where NIA-linked registration sessions capture your biometrics (fingerprints and photograph).

Bring evidence of Ghanaian citizenship: a Ghana passport or Ghanaian birth certificate is the core document, supported by proof of your UK address and photographs. Demand in London is heavy — the UK community is one of the largest in the diaspora — so treat Ghana Card registration like a passport appointment: book ahead through the mission’s current channel, and if you are travelling from northern England, Scotland or Northern Ireland, try to combine it with any other consular business in a single trip. Ask the mission about current turnaround times for card production, as cards are processed through the NIA in Accra.

Registering a Birth in the UK

A child born in the United Kingdom to at least one Ghanaian parent is a Ghanaian citizen by descent. Registering the birth with the High Commission creates the Ghanaian paper trail that the child will need for a first Ghana passport, for the Ghana Card later in life, and for inheritance or property matters in Ghana. Note that birth in the UK does not by itself confer British citizenship — that depends on the parents’ status — so consular birth registration matters even for families settled in Britain long-term.

To register, you will normally need:

• The child’s full UK birth certificate (the long version naming the parents, issued by the register office in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland);
• Both parents’ passports, with at least one showing Ghanaian citizenship;
• The parents’ marriage certificate, if applicable;
• The completed registration form, photographs of the child, and the fee.

There is no strict deadline, but registering early is strongly recommended — it is much easier while the UK documents are fresh and both parents are available to attend. Once registered, the mission can advise on applying for the child’s first Ghana passport.

Practical Notes for UK Applicants

• Name consistency: make sure the name on your British naturalisation certificate, Ghanaian birth certificate and passports match. Deed poll changes made in the UK should be disclosed and documented, or applications can stall in Accra.
• Certified copies: where the mission asks for certified copies of UK documents, a UK solicitor or notary can certify them — see our notarial services guide.
• Fees: citizenship-related fees vary by service and are revised periodically. Confirm current amounts with the London mission rather than relying on third-party sites — including this one.

Official Sources

• Ghana High Commission London – forms, appointments and current requirements
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ghana
• National Identification Authority – Ghana Card
• Ghana Immigration Service
• Ghana e-Visa Portal

Last updated: 2026-08-04. Requirements and fees are set by the Ghanaian authorities and the London mission and change from time to time — always confirm before applying.