How to Get Ghana CitizenshipKey facts
- Residence for naturalisation
- 5 years
- Language
- Required, no test
- Dual citizenship
- Accepted
- Civic test
- Required, no test specified
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
- Income condition
- Income or economic resources must be shown
- Dual citizenship in detail
- Accepted in both directionsNew citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship.Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship.
- Available routes
- Region
- Africa
- Law in force as of
- 1 January 2024
- Last checked
- Not yet checked by our team
The rule text in the sections below was coded for the law on 1 January 2024. A November 2026 search found no later change for this country, but this has not been verified.
Naturalisation (residence)
Residence in Ghana is the basis of this route, together with the other conditions below. Ghana allows authorities to refuse an application, even where conditions have been met.
- Residence
- 5 years
Person has been legally resident in Ghana for an aggregate period of at least 5 years over 7 years, including the 12 months preceding the date of application.
- Previous citizenship
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Language
- Required, no test or certificate specified
Person is able to speak and understand an indigenous Ghanaian language.
- Civic knowledge
- Required, no test specified
Person is assimilated into the Ghanaian way of life.
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
Person has good character, not sentenced in Ghana or elsewhere to imprisonment.
- Income or economic resources
- Income or economic resources must be shown
Person is capable of making a substantial contribution.
Marriage or civil partnership
Marriage to a citizen of Ghana is the basis of this route, together with the conditions below. Ghana allows authorities to refuse an application, even where conditions have been met.
Person is married to a citizen. If the application is by a man based on marriage to a woman who is a citizen, the authorities may request the applicant to show that the marriage was effected in good faith, and the applicant must reside permanently in Ghana.
Descent (citizen parent)
For a person with a parent who is a citizen of Ghana, the rules below set out how this route works. No authority decides this matter, since citizenship follows directly from the law of Ghana.
Descent (born in country)
Person is born in Ghana to a citizen.
Descent (born abroad)
Person is born abroad to a citizen.
Child of a new citizen
This route covers children of a person who becomes a citizen of Ghana, subject to the conditions below. Ghana requires an application, after which citizenship must be granted if conditions are fulfilled.
Person is the child of a person who is acquiring citizenship of Ghana by registration or naturalisation and an application is made by the parent.
Adoption
For people adopted by citizens of Ghana, the rules below set out what applies. No authority decides this matter, since citizenship follows directly from the law of Ghana.
Person is a child of not more than 16 years who is adopted by a citizen.
Other family members of citizens
This route covers certain family members not covered by the marriage or descent routes in Ghana. No authority decides this matter, since citizenship follows directly from the law of Ghana.
Person is born in or outside Ghana and one grandparent is a citizen.
Former citizens (reacquisition)
This route covers people who previously held citizenship of Ghana, subject to the conditions below. Ghana requires an application, after which citizenship must be granted if conditions are fulfilled.
Person lost citizenship under previous provisions prohibiting dual citizenship and applies for a certificate of citizenship.
Citizens of specific countries
For citizens of certain countries, the law of Ghana sets separate rules, shown below. Ghana allows authorities to refuse an application, even where conditions have been met.
Person is a citizen of any approved country and has been ordinarily resident for at least 5 years. Other conditions: can speak and understand an indigenous language of Ghana.
Stateless persons
Statelessness, or the risk of it, is the basis of this route in Ghana. No authority decides this matter, since citizenship follows directly from the law of Ghana.
Person is a child of not more than 7 years of age who is found in Ghana and whose parents are unknown.
Not available in Ghana: Birth in the country, Ethnic or cultural affinity, Residence during childhood, Very long residence, Refugees, Special achievements, Public or military service, Investment. Coded by GLOBALCIT for 1 January 2024 and updated with in-force changes.
Dual citizenship
Both groups can hold a second citizenship under the law of Ghana: new citizens, and citizens who naturalise abroad.
- New citizens
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Citizens who naturalise abroad
- Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship
Compare with neighbours
Under the law of Ghana, 5 years applies, in line with the usual requirement across Western Africa.
See how Ghana compares with every country in the residence ranking
| Country | Residence | Language | Dual citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|
 Benin | 5 years | Assimilation only | Accepted |
 Cabo Verde | 5 years | None | Accepted |
 Côte d'Ivoire | 5 years | None | New citizens only |
 Guinea | 5 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Senegal | 5 years | None | New citizens only |
 Togo | 5 years | Required, no test | Not accepted |
Official sources
This page was located by search and has not yet been checked by our team.
Naturalisation provisions: Nationality law: Art. 12.
Cite this page
TravelDecl. (n.d.). How to Get Ghana Citizenship. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/ghana/
<a href="https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/ghana/">How to Get Ghana Citizenship</a> (TravelDecl, retrieved 5 November 2026)
Sources and licence
Vink, van der Baaren, Bauböck, Džankić, Honohan, Manby (2025). GLOBALCIT Citizenship Law Dataset v3.1. Global Citizenship Observatory, https://hdl.handle.net/1814/73190. CC BY 4.0. Modified by TravelDecl.
Modified by TravelDecl: updated with changes after 1 January 2024.
GLOBALCIT codes the law as written. Fees, processing times, quotas and how officials apply the rules in practice are not in this dataset: check them with the official authority.
FAQ
How many years to become a Ghanaian citizen?
The residence period for ordinary naturalisation in Ghana is 5 years. Other legal conditions also apply.
Does Ghana allow dual citizenship?
Yes, in both directions: new citizens and citizens who naturalise abroad can hold another citizenship.
Do I need a language test for Ghanaian citizenship?
The law of Ghana mentions a language requirement without pointing to a specific exam.
Is there a civic knowledge test for Ghanaian citizenship?
Applicants are expected to have civic knowledge, though Ghana sets out no particular test.
Do I have to give up my current citizenship to get Ghanaian citizenship?
Ghana does not require you to give up your current citizenship for Ghanaian citizenship. The law of your current country may have its own rules on this.
Can I get Ghana citizenship by marriage?
Yes, Ghana provides a marriage route. Procedure: discretionary.
Can I get Ghana citizenship by descent?
Yes, the law of Ghana provides citizenship by descent from a citizen parent. Procedure: automatic.
Can I get Ghana citizenship by investment?
The data shows no investment route for Ghana.
Related pages
Also see: Ghana passport, visa-free access and entry rules. Latest law changes.
Corrections to this page are handled by Sarah Kim, Fact-Checker.