Your first 90 days after moving to Ghana

What the first 90 days really feel like

The flight lands, the warm air hits you on the airbridge at Kotoka, and for a week or two everything feels like a holiday. Then the admin starts. As a Kasoa-based team who meet diaspora clients at the airport most weeks and drive them around in those first bewildering days, we can tell you the people who settle well are the ones who treat the first three months as a project with an order to it, not a scramble.

The order matters because the systems here are linked. You need a Ghana Card for a bank account. You often need a bank account and proof of address for other things. A local phone number sits underneath all of it. Tackle them in the wrong sequence and you waste days doubling back. Tackle them in the right sequence and the whole thing is manageable.

This guide is the sequence we walk clients through. It is general orientation from people who do this regularly, not legal or financial advice, and rules and fees change, so confirm the current position with the relevant office before you act. If you have not seen it yet, our moving back to Ghana checklist covers the before-you-fly stage that comes before day one.

Ghana Card and registration first

The Ghana Card, issued by the National Identification Authority, is the document that unlocks nearly everything else. Banks ask for it. Telcos link your SIM to it. Land and property processes reference it. If you were born in Ghana or hold Ghanaian citizenship you are entitled to one, and diaspora returnees should make this the very first errand.

Registration involves attending a designated NIA centre, providing supporting documents and biometrics, and waiting for the card to be produced. The exact documents accepted, the fee for premium or expedited service, and the current turnaround all change from time to time, so check the NIA's own guidance rather than relying on what a cousin did two years ago. Bring more supporting paper than you think you need, including anything that proves your Ghanaian nationality.

If you are still working out your status, whether that is dual citizenship or the right of abode, sort the identity question first, because it sits under the bank, the SIM and much of what follows. Speak to the NIA and, where citizenship is involved, a lawyer, rather than relying on second-hand accounts.

A practical tip from doing this often: go early in the morning, bring water and something to read, and be patient with the queue. Take clear photocopies of every document as well as the originals. If the centre near you is overwhelmed, another one across town may be quieter, and a driver who knows the city can save you a wasted trip. The card is worth the effort; without it, half of your other errands stall.

A local SIM and mobile money

Get a Ghanaian SIM in your first days. The main networks are MTN, Telecel (formerly Vodafone) and AirtelTigo, and coverage is strong across Accra, Tema, Kasoa and the main corridors. Registration is tied to your ID, so this is another reason the Ghana Card comes first, though a passport can often start the process.

The bigger prize is mobile money. In Ghana, MTN MoMo and its rivals are not a novelty; they are how ordinary life is paid for. You will send money to a plumber, split a bill, top up electricity and pay a market trader from your phone. Set up a mobile money wallet properly, guard your PIN, and never share a one-time code with anyone who calls claiming to be from the network. Fraud here usually works by social engineering, not hacking.

For how the cash-and-code system actually works day to day, read our guide to money in Ghana, the cedi and mobile money. Getting comfortable with MoMo in week one removes an astonishing amount of friction from everything else.

Opening a bank account without frustration

Banking is where patient people win. Ghana has plenty of banks, and opening an account as a returnee is entirely normal, but expect paperwork: your Ghana Card or passport, proof of address, sometimes a reference, and forms filled in person. Start the process early and do not assume it finishes in a single visit.

Think about what you actually need the account for. If your income arrives from abroad, ask specifically about foreign-currency accounts and the cost of receiving international transfers, and compare that against dedicated remittance services. Our guide to sending money to Ghana lays out the options so you are not caught out by fees or poor exchange rates.

Fees, minimum balances and available products change, so ask the bank directly and read the terms rather than trusting a summary. A qualified accountant is worth a conversation if your affairs straddle two countries.

Housing and the rent-advance shock

The single biggest surprise for most returnees is how rent is paid. It is common for landlords to ask for a large advance covering many months, sometimes a year or two, in one payment. The law on how far in advance rent may lawfully be demanded is a live issue, and practice often differs from the strict rule, so know your rights and be ready for the reality on the ground.

Do not wire a large advance for a place you have only seen in photos. This is where diaspora buyers get burned. View in person or send someone you genuinely trust, meet the actual landlord or a properly mandated agent, and be wary of anyone rushing you. If a deal feels pressured, walk away. Our Ghana safety guide covers the everyday caution that serves you well here.

Consider renting somewhere modest for a few months while you learn the neighbourhoods before you commit to a long lease or, later, to buying land and building. Areas around Accra, Tema, Kasoa, Kumasi and the coast each have very different rhythms and costs. East Legon, Spintex, Oyarifa, Tema Community 25 and the fast-growing corridor out towards Kasoa all feel different in traffic, price and character, and the only way to know which suits you is to spend time in a few.

Read the tenancy paperwork before you hand over money, get a proper receipt for any advance, and confirm who actually owns or is mandated to let the property. If anything about the ownership is unclear, pause and take advice from a lawyer. The advance you pay is large, and getting it back from the wrong person is very hard.

Driving, transport and getting around

Traffic in Accra is real, the roads reward defensive driving, and the informal transport system takes a little learning. In your first weeks you may lean on ride-hailing apps, trotros and a hired driver while you find your feet. There is no shame in that; even confident drivers ease into Accra traffic.

On licences, if you hold a foreign licence, confirm with the DVLA how long you may use it and what the process is to obtain or convert to a Ghanaian one. Do not guess, and do not pay a middleman promising a licence without a test; that route causes problems later. Go through the DVLA properly.

For the wider picture of trotros, taxis, ride-hailing and intercity travel, our guide to getting around Ghana is a good primer. Many returnees eventually buy a car, but renting or using a driver first lets you learn the roads and the real running costs before you commit.

If you do plan to import a car, look into the duties and the age rules well before you ship anything, because the cost at the port can be a genuine shock and the process rewards preparation. Speak to a clearing agent you trust and confirm the current position with customs rather than assuming. Whatever you drive, keep your documents in the car, know that police checkpoints are routine and usually straightforward, and give yourself far more time than the map suggests during Accra's morning and evening rush.

Healthcare: sort it before you need it

Register with a clinic or hospital before you are unwell, not during an emergency. Accra and the larger towns have a mix of public facilities and private hospitals and clinics; standards and waiting times vary widely. Have a plan for both routine care and something more serious.

Look into the National Health Insurance Scheme and weigh it against private health insurance, especially if you have ongoing conditions or want faster access to private facilities. Bring a supply of any regular medication and a letter from your doctor, and check with a Ghanaian pharmacist or physician whether your usual brands are available here or whether you need an equivalent. This is a medical decision; talk to a doctor and your insurer, not a blog.

Keep your vaccinations current and hold on to your yellow fever certificate, which our yellow fever guide explains. Malaria is a genuine, year-round consideration; get proper medical advice on prevention rather than relying on hearsay.

Money, budgeting and the cost of settling

Your first months usually cost more than your steady state. There are one-off outlays: the rent advance, furnishing a place, a phone, deposits, maybe a car. Build a cushion for this rather than assuming month one looks like month twelve. Prices also move, and imported goods can be dearer than newcomers expect.

Get a realistic feel for everyday costs before you commit to a lifestyle. Our cost of living in Ghana guide breaks down the categories that matter, and if you are planning for the long term, retiring in Ghana looks further ahead. Watch the exchange rate too; the cedi moves, and timing when you convert larger sums can matter.

Keep some funds accessible in a way that does not depend on one system working perfectly. Cards are not accepted everywhere, cash and mobile money still rule day to day, and ATMs occasionally run dry. A little redundancy in how you can pay saves a lot of stress in the early weeks.

Building a life, not just an admin file

The paperwork is only half of settling in. The returnees who thrive are the ones who build a community quickly. Ghana runs on relationships and on greetings; taking time to greet people properly, in person, opens doors that a rushed transaction never will. Learning even a handful of Twi or Ga phrases earns real warmth, and people are generous with a returnee who is clearly trying.

Reconnect with extended family, but set gentle boundaries early and kindly, especially around money and expectations, so relationships stay healthy. Many returnees find that being open-handed without a plan quickly becomes unsustainable, and that a calm, consistent approach is kinder in the long run than a burst of generosity followed by resentment. Find your anchors too: a church or mosque, a gym, a running group along the Airport City roads, an old-school network, a professional association. Diaspora and returnee groups are active on social media and generous with practical help.

Expect a wobble somewhere around week six to ten, when the novelty fades and the friction of a new system bites. That dip is normal and it passes. Keep perspective, celebrate the small wins, the first working month of utilities, the first market run where you knew the fair price, and remember why you came home in the first place.

How we help you land softly

You do not have to do the first weeks alone, and you certainly do not have to figure out Accra traffic on day one. As a Kasoa-based team, we meet diaspora clients at Kotoka every week, get them to their accommodation, and then act as their wheels and local knowledge while the essentials fall into place.

Many clients start with a short orientation or look-see trip: a few days with a driver-guide to view neighbourhoods, visit the bank and the NIA, and get a feel for where they want to be, before signing anything. It is a calm way to make big decisions with local eyes beside you.

Tell us your arrival date and a rough list of what you need to sort, and we will help you sequence it so those first ninety days feel like a fresh start rather than a fight with bureaucracy.

Questions people ask