- Ecobank Ghana has ceased collecting U.S. visa fees and five other services to streamline its banking operations.
- Applicants must now use alternative payment channels including GTBank Ghana or the official online visa appointment website.
- The U.S. has centralized African visa processing into regional hubs like Lagos and Accra to improve security screening.
Ecobank Ghana told customers on August 18, 2026 that it is ending U.S. Visa Fee Collection and Foreign Draft Issuance, along with four other services. The notice said the bank was acting out of its "ongoing efforts to streamline our services" and told affected customers to seek "alternative solutions where available." No final cutoff date appeared in the notice.
The other services on the list are passport form sales, DVLA cash collections, offshore cheque clearing and safe custody services. The bank said its team can still help customers through 080003225 in Ghana. The help line stays open.
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Applicants who used branches to pay Machine Readable Visa (MRV) fees now have to switch channels. In Ghana, the official visa appointment site usvisaappt.com lets them pay by credit/debit card, and approved local banks such as GTBank Ghana remain options. In Nigeria, updated instructions direct applicants to GTBank or First Bank of Nigeria for cash payments and electronic funds transfers. The counter moved.
The Department of State realignment has already pushed routine visa work into regional hubs. On July 15, 2026, the department announced a major realignment of its visa operations across Africa, and the shift took effect on August 1, 2026. Routine services ended at 25 diplomatic posts, including the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria. Nigeria's routine processing now runs through the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos, while Ghana's stays concentrated in Accra. The map narrowed.
Residents of Abuja and other affected regions must now travel to those hubs for interviews and document review. The department tied the move to security. It said, "The Trump administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans. The Department of State is realigning visa operations in Africa to regional hubs. to strengthen national security by promoting more uniform screening, vetting, and adjudication standards." It was blunt.
A fee stack now sits on top of those changes. Four charges matter.
| Fee type | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Standard B1/B2 MRV fee | $185 | Active |
| Nonimmigrant Visa Expedited Appointment Pilot Program | $750 USD | Launched August 18, 2026, non-refundable and non-transferable |
| Visa Integrity Fee | $250 | Expected by Sept. 30, 2026 |
| Nigeria B1/B2 bond | Up to $15,000 | Active in selected cases |
The expedited appointment pilot adds speed for a higher price
The Nonimmigrant Visa Expedited Appointment Pilot Program launched on August 18, 2026 with a $750 USD fee. The charge is non-refundable and non-transferable. It sits above the standard $185 MRV fee and only secures an interview within 10 business days at select participating posts. It does not guarantee visa issuance. No promise comes with speed.
The fee picture also includes a $250 Visa Integrity Fee expected by Sept. 30, 2026, plus a Nigeria B1/B2 bond of up to $15,000 in selected cases. Those figures sit alongside the regular charge and the new expedited option. The bill can grow fast.
Ecobank gave no final date in its notice, but the operational shift is already in motion. Applicants now have to pay through other banks or the appointment site, then plan for travel to Lagos or another regional hub. There is no shortcut.
