Register for a Ghana Card in Ghana
Every Ghanaian living in Ghana can register, from birth. At a district office a first card is free if you are under 25, and GH₵30 if you are older.
Who can register
- Ghanaian citizens of any age who live in Ghana.
- Ghanaian citizens of any age who live abroad. Register from abroad.
- Foreign nationals who live in Ghana legally and permanently. Get a non-citizen card.
What to bring
One of these, to show you are Ghanaian:
- a birth certificate from the Births and Deaths Registry of Ghana
- a valid Ghana passport
- a certificate of naturalisation or registration as a citizen
- an Oath of Identity form, if someone is vouching for you
And the digital address code of the place where you live.
Other government cards to bring if you have them
These do not decide whether you can register. They let the authority link your records.
- SSNIT card
- Tax Identification Number
- driver's licence
- voter ID card
- NHIS card
Who can vouch for you
If you have none of the documents above, a relative aged 18 or over who already holds a Ghana Card can vouch for you. If no relative can, two cardholders aged 18 or over can do so before a Commissioner for Oaths. The people who may vouch are:
- a practising or retired teacher, including heads of schools
- a gazetted chief
- a practising or retired magistrate or judge
- a licensed professional, such as a doctor, nurse, lawyer, accountant, engineer or architect
- a serving or retired civil or public servant
- a serving or retired clergyman, an imam or a catechist
- a serving or retired member of the security services
- a current or past Member of Parliament, or member of an Assembly or Unit Committee
What happens at the centre
A registration officer checks your documents, then:
- Interviews you and helps you fill in the application form.
- Enters the details from your form in the National Identity Register.
- Takes your ten fingerprints, a scan of your irises, your photograph and your signature.
- Prints your details for you to check and sign or thumbprint. If anything is wrong, say so now. Corrections after this point are charged for.
- Prints your Ghana Card and hands it to you.
At a Premium Centre a first card is GH₵410, paid at a CalBank branch, with the CalBank app, or by dialling *771#. All fees.
Questions
What is the Ghana Card?
The national identity card. The authority issues it to Ghanaian citizens in Ghana and abroad, and to foreign nationals who live in Ghana legally and permanently.
How long does it take to get the card?
If you are 15 or over, the card is printed and given to you on the day, where there is power and a network connection. Where there is not, the officer tells you when and where to collect it.
Can I register without any of the documents?
Yes. A relative aged 18 or over who holds a Ghana Card can vouch for you. Without a relative, two cardholders aged 18 or over can vouch for you before a Commissioner for Oaths.
Can someone register for me?
No. Every applicant must come in person.