AFAIK the rules changed January 1. You might have slipped in before the rules became set in concrete--sometimes embassies have their own reasons for implementing new rules slowly, e.g., the Harrare Ethiopian embassy which was for a while the only place to get Ethiopian visas outside one's country of origin before they finally capitulated and stopped selling visas there. Or it might still be possible to purchase Ghana visas as you did, though the rules expressly forbid this.

In any case, a complete and informative post. Thanks.

Mark

Yes, the rules did change - but there are always exceptions to the rules.
I managed to get my Ghana visa - valid for 3 months - here in Freetown, Sierra Leone this week, after negotiating with the Ambassador and explaining that I am a bona fide tourist. It cost 50 dollars, or 225,000 Leones.

David, were you travelling on a South African passport? I'm curious if that helped you obtain the visa, as most Europeans are being refused.

Also, I wonder if those embassies that receive fewer tourists are more lax....i.e. the Ghana embassy in Ouga, Bamako, Cotonou, Lome etc is used to seeing lots of travellers turning up and asking for visas, so nowdays refuse. But I don't imagine anywhere near the same number of travellers goto the Ghana embassy in Monrovia/Freetown/Conakry etc, so they're more willing to bend the rules.

Just thinking out loud!

Hello,

My contribute

Fom Portugal to Pointe-Noire, all the visa on the way.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1159718...VistosCarimbos

Regards

Yes, it was with my South African passport.

I am now in Bamako - and am told that Europeans are getting their visas here too...

I am in Morocco....waited ages for a form to complete for a Mauritanian visa in Rabat.......back next day....Be here at 3......went early to beat the rush.....they opened at 4...Got it.....but noticed not for the date I wanted.In the light of recent events...best not state dates...but just say my zero looked too much like a 6.....wouldn't change/alter...or let me start again...and warned deffo don't try to blag it at the border...!Friendly enough.....and my sloppy handwriting my own fault........Working out fine as I'm having fun avoiding Xmas and exploring at my leisure.......but just a warning to those for whom it is important.....Having the form thrust in your face...hot...queue...biro needing shaking....pressing on a wall.....best take it easy....print very clearly...or discover some interesting places as I am...!!

Hi

We made the same trip (now we re going uo the east coast), starting in May 2011 and there where some big changes! We where always looking in forums, and surprised with so many "bad" news. (we hold portuguese EU passport).

Here are the major news

Burkina - doing it in the border costs now 150€ p person! It was 25€. If you do it in Bamako I heard it s half price

Gana - in Ouagadogo (Burkina) they only give us if we where residents in Burkina. New rules they said. We got it because I had a flight already bought (for 15 days working n Europe) from Accra, so I printed it, got a interview with their consul, and attached a verbal note from my Consul in Burkina.

Nigeria - It took us 15 days on Accra to do it, again with a verbal note from our embassie explainig our project

Congo DRC - we were there before elections so maybe it was a special time. It took us 15 days, and we only manage after our Embassedor in RDC gave directly a letter of invitation in the Foreing Affairs in Kinhasa. All the travellers we met there where refused.

Angola - They stop giving transit visas like before in Congo and Nigeria. Once again we were lucky, had our embassies helping a lot (in Angola e Congo) and the advantage of beijng portuguese with many friend in Angola. But it s the hardest visa in west Africa these days.

Probably many changed already! Crazy paperwork.
Usualy the best its to do it at home, or try is to get a letter from your embassie explainig what you re doing. We heard many embassies - english, japaneses, deutch, don t do it. On that we re lucky beijng from a small latin country!

Cheers

Carlos

Not 2 late trip (all visa stories detailed in "tips")