The U.S. Embassy in Ghana processed about 38,000 Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV) applications in the first half of 2026, a nearly 60 per cent increase compared to approximately 24,000 during the same period in 2025.

Hosting journalists who covered the tournament in the US at his residence in Accra, U.S. Embassy Charge d'Affaires Rolf Olson stated: "The U.S. Embassy in Accra adjudicated over 14,000 more Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV) applications in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, a nearly 60 per cent increase from approximately 24,000 to 38,000 applications processed, resulting in thousands of more visa issuances."

To handle the surge, driven in part by travel for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Cantonments-based embassy temporarily brought in roughly 30 consular personnel from U.S. missions worldwide to lower waiting times.   

"As a result, thousands of more Ghanaians were able to obtain U.S. visas than they would have under the previous staffing conditions, which is an investment in the people-to-people ties keeping our countries strong," Olson said.

Sports Envoy Programme

Olson also announced an upcoming Sports Envoy Programme featuring two U.S. professional athletes and coaches, including Ghanaian-American Kofi Sarkodie.  

The envoys will work with female student-athletes and high school coaches, leading a two-day train-the-trainer initiative across the Northern, Ashanti, and Greater Accra regions.