International Transit ACC Airport Checked Bags, No Visa
Nov 20, 2018, 5:36 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Seattle/Charlotte
Programs: Alaska, AA
Posts: 110
International Transit ACC Airport Checked Bags, No Visa
Hi Flyertalk--
Was trying to find another thread referencing this but couldn't find it.
Flying On Royal Air Maroc from CMN--ACC landing at 2am and then a TAP Portugal flight from ACC--TMS at 4pm the same do. We need to check bags but don't want to get a Ghana visa for just part of a day to collect them. Have a US passport. Will Royal Air Maroc be able to check our bags all the way to Sao Tome (TMS)? Understand that baggage claim is after immigration at ACC, and don't believe we can get visa on arrival to grab the bags. Any insights here would be extremely helpful.
Thanks sincerely!
Jordan
Was trying to find another thread referencing this but couldn't find it.
Flying On Royal Air Maroc from CMN--ACC landing at 2am and then a TAP Portugal flight from ACC--TMS at 4pm the same do. We need to check bags but don't want to get a Ghana visa for just part of a day to collect them. Have a US passport. Will Royal Air Maroc be able to check our bags all the way to Sao Tome (TMS)? Understand that baggage claim is after immigration at ACC, and don't believe we can get visa on arrival to grab the bags. Any insights here would be extremely helpful.
Thanks sincerely!
Jordan
Last edited by schindlr88; Nov 20, 2018 at 10:57 pm
Nov 20, 2018, 7:05 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NRT / HND
Programs: AA EXP, NH Plat, Former UA 1K
Posts: 5,665
Well baggage claim certainly wouldn't be after customs, considering customs is the agency responsible for checking passenger baggage for contraband and taxable items. Customs also has nothing to do with visa issues, certainly you must mean immigration?
Just spoke with Royal Air Maroc and they told me to speak with the Ghanaian Embassy, but so far no luck there. Thanks for any insights!
Nov 21, 2018, 3:21 am
#4
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, UA, GE
Posts: 5,123
Here is a snip from a TIMATIC look up on transiting at ACC from the US going to TMS for normal US citizens ...
So it looks like you will need a Visa unless your bags are checked all the way through to TMS.
[Visa Information - Transit] Ghana (GH)
[Information For Normal Passports]
Visa required, except for Passengers with a Dual Citizenship
Identity Card issued by Ghana, or:
TWOV (Transit Without Visa):
Visa required, except for Passengers with a confirmed onward
ticket for a flight to a third country within 48 hours. They
must stay in the international transit area of the airport and
have documents required for the next destination.
[Information For Normal Passports]
Visa required, except for Passengers with a Dual Citizenship
Identity Card issued by Ghana, or:
TWOV (Transit Without Visa):
Visa required, except for Passengers with a confirmed onward
ticket for a flight to a third country within 48 hours. They
must stay in the international transit area of the airport and
have documents required for the next destination.
Nov 21, 2018, 5:40 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Seattle/Charlotte
Programs: Alaska, AA
Posts: 110
Thanks so much!
Nov 22, 2018, 2:30 am
#7
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Exile
Posts: 15,656
You actually won't even need the transit visa if you only want to collect bags but remain airside the rest of the time - just ask the staff at the transit desk and they will be happy to arrange an escort for you through immigration to pick up and re-check. The transit visa is if you want to visit town for up to 48 hours or if you are continuing journey over land.
Don't pay attention to the Embassy sites because there is a constant battle between Ministry of Foreign Affairs (who collect revenue for visas issued at Embassies) and Ministry of Interior (who collect revenue for visas issued at Port of Entry) where each tries to play down the ability to obtain visas from the other.
The official word can be found at :
Welcome to Ghana Immigration Service
A person, seeking entry clearance to enter Ghana in transit and is not a prohibited Immigrant may be admitted for a period not exceeding 48 hours. The Immigration officer at the point of entry must satisfied that.
- The visitor has a valid visa and is assured of entry into the destination country.
- The visitor is exempted from sustaining himself in the transit and destination countries.
- The visitor may not decide to terminate his journey in the transit country.