Ghana, Nigeria and Bhutan lead steep visa fees for EU travellers
As the EU prepares to charge foreign visitors €20 for entry, European passport holders face soaring visa costs reaching up to €297 abroad.
Ghana, Nigeria and Bhutan charge European citizens the highest tourist visa fees in the world, according to a review of global immigration portals. Ghana demands the steepest flat fee, with its e-visa priced at €227.48. Nigeria follows, charging between €175 and €297 depending on the specific EU member state issuing the passport.
Other nations have adopted pricing structures that push costs even higher. Bhutan charges a €35 entry visa alongside a Sustainable Development Fee of €87.60 per person, per night. For a week-long stay, this fee alone adds over €600 to a trip.
Japan has emerged as a notable new entrant to the upper end of the market, having increased its tourist visa fee five-fold earlier this month from €16.16 to €81.28. The United States, by comparison, charges €35.25 for its equivalent travel authorisation. Cameroon and Saudi Arabia also rank among the most expensive, charging €153 and €92.07 respectively.
These disparate fees highlight a fragmented global landscape for travel authorisation just as Europe moves to standardise its own entry requirements. The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is now scheduled to launch in early 2027, following a reported delay from late 2026.
Under ETIAS, citizens from dozens of visa-exempt nations—including the US, UK, Canada and Australia—will pay €20 to visit 30 European countries. The authorisation is valid for three years or until the passport expires. It permits stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
While the €20 ETIAS fee is modest compared to the €227.48 Ghana charges Europeans, the shift formalises a paid-entry model for Europe. For travel operators and airlines, the varying global fees mean building itineraries requires navigating a complex pricing matrix. Countries like Algeria and Namibia, charging up to €110 and €85.96 respectively, further illustrate how entry levies directly alter the final cost of international travel.
