Details on document verification in Ghana

Since 5 May 2000, Ghanaian documents are no longer legalized. As an alternative, the verification of formal authenticity and accuracy of content by trusted lawyers of the embassy was introduced as part of a so-called document verification procedure.

The German missions abroad act in administrative assistance, so that the requesting authorities are enabled to make a decision in their own proceedings by evaluating the investigation reports.

The request for document verification cannot be made by a private person or a lawyer. The communication of the missions abroad takes place exclusively with the requesting authorities, not with the applicants or e.g. their fiancées or German lawyers.

Additional documents can be submitted by the applicant to the embassy in person or via post after the German mission has received the request for assistance from the competent authority.

Duration

Due to a shortage of reliable lawyers the duration of the document verification is regularly more than 10 months from the day all documents are complete. Processing times however can be more than one year in some cases. The requesting authority receives an acknowledgement of receipt by e-mail and is informed if it is foreseeable that a longer processing time will be required. Because of the high workload, it is strongly requested to refrain from asking for the current status of the verification. Such requests cannot be answered.

Costs

The cost depends on the regions of Ghana in which inquiries have to be made. The expenses arise from the fact that the embassy cannot carry out the desired checks with its own staff, but must regularly rely on the enquiries of legal advisors. The requesting authority may in turn ask the applicant to reimburse the expenses and will therefore usually ask for a security deposit.

Zone 1: Greater Accra, Central und Eastern Region: 350 €

Zone 2: other Regions: 550 €

Documents

To start a document verification, the following documents from the applicant are needed:

• data protection declaration.
• the original of the document(s) to be verified, together with two copies of each (no translations)
• two recent passport pictures of the applicant (with first and last names on the back of the pictures)
• two filled out questionnaires containing the information of the applicant; if documents of more than one person are to be verified, each person must fill a questionnaire as well
• two copies of the biometric page of the passport of the person whose documents are being verified
• two copies of school reports (BECE/WASSCE), please do not send us the original
• copies of other biographically older documents, e.g. Voter's ID, baptismal certificate, weighing card, please do not send us the original
• drawings in English, also with a copy to the last place of residence of the applicant.

Drawings:

If the applicant has been living outside Ghana for more than 10 years, directions to the parents' house (father or mother) or - if deceased - to the head of the applicant's family are required. The directions to the last residence of the person whose documents are being verified should be similar as to the attached sample. Landmarks must be clearly indicated. All drawings must include the name, telephone number, and relationship or other relation of the contact person to the document holder. If it is not possible for the document holder to provide detailed directions, rough sketches or printouts of Google maps should be submitted, marking a known landmark near the house to be visited that can serve as a meeting place for the legal advisor and the contact person.

The embassy does not work with anyone who draws directions, and no embassy employee prepares directions at a fee!

lt is possible that further documents and details may need to be requested from the applicant during the course of the verification.

In Reference to Affidavits or Statutory Declarations on marital status:

Ghanaian civil status law does not recognize bachelor certificates. There are no legal provisions authorising a particular authority to issue such certificates, nor are there any registers enabling a Ghanaian authority to check the accuracy of their content. Although the certificates are usually

formally genuine, they do not have any effect under Ghanaian law for the aforementioned reasons.

The certificates usually presented are statements made by a witness before a certifying officer/notary/court. There is no evidentiary value. The Embassy will therefore no longer carry out verifications for these certificates. Instead, it is recommended that an Affidavit in lieu of an oath be taken in Germany.

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All Information in this leaflet is based on the findings and assessments of the Embassy at the time of writing. No guarantee can be given for the completeness and correctness, in particular due to changes that have occurred in the meantime.