Right of Abode (ROA) status is a form of permanent residence and confers on the holder certain settled residence rights in Ghana. This includes the removal of restrictions on entry into and exit from Ghana and work authorisation. It grants the holder the right to reside permanently in Ghana. 

Right of Abode status is not open to all persons. It is only open to persons of African descent in the Diaspora.

A person of African descent is defined as a person whose immediate forebears have resided outside the African continent for at least 3 generations but whose origin, either by documentary proof or by ethnic characteristics is African.

The holder of Right of Abode status enjoys the following rights and benefits: 

• the right to live indefinitely in Ghana.
• the right to enter Ghana without a visa.
• the right to work or be employed without a work permit. 
• the holder is subject to the laws of Ghana.

In addition, a dependent of a ROA holder can apply for residence permit to join the ROA holder. A dependent permit is issued on such terms and conditions as may be specified in the permit. 

Your dependents do not qualify to be issued Right of Abode. They must qualify in their own right to qualify for the status. They can only be issued residence permits to remain with you in Ghana.

An application for a Right of Abode must be made to the Minister of the Interior through the Director of Immigration. The application must be made in person on the appropriate form with all supporting documents. The applicant will be subject to a verification process to determine whether they satisfy the eligibility requirements.

It is not possible to do so. You must satisfy a residence requirement to qualify. There is no direct route for a person to apply for ROA without attaining the required residence in Ghana. To qualify, you must have lived in Ghana for a total period of 7 years, two of which must be continuous residence immediately preceding the date of the application. 

An application for ROA just be made in-country. It cannot be made abroad. There is no online platform by which you can make the application. The application must be made on papers with all supporting documents at the immigration office in Accra, Ghana. You will also be subject to a personal verification process to assess your eligibility for the status.

ROA status is not citizenship. In other words, the status does not confer citizenship on the holder. Consequently, the rights and privileges that attach to citizenship do not apply to the holder of ROA status. 

Likewise, certain limitations on rights that attach to noncitizens equally apply to the holder of ROA status. For example, the holder of a ROA status cannot acquire an interest in land which exceeds 50 years at any one time. They cannot vote, hold public office or contest in an election. They can also be stripped of their status if they are found to be a threat to national security or found to have obtained their status illegally.

At best, the status of a ROA is in the same breath as indefinite residence status. They both grant the same rights and privileges which are:

• right to live indefinitely in Ghana
• right to enter Ghana without a visa
• right to work or be employed without a work permit
• subject to the laws of Ghana.

You may lose your ROA status if a High Court in Ghana, on application by the Attorney-General of Ghana, finds any of the following:

1. That your activity is inimical to State security
2. That your activity is prejudicial to public order, public health, morality, or public interest.
3. That you acquired your status by fraud or any other illegal or irregular means
4. That you no longer qualify for the status under the relevant laws.