Travelers are routinely stopped at police checkpoints throughout Ghana. Automobiles and passengers may be searched. Foreign nationals are expected to carry documentation of their status, such as a passport and visa. Service provided by a number of regional air carriers, including Ghana Airways, is reported to be unreliable. The airlines are known to alter scheduled stops, cancel or postpone flights on short notice, and regularly overbook flights.
Currency exchange is available at most banks and at licensed foreign exchange bureaus.
Currency transactions with private citizens are illegal. The Government of Ghana maintains strict regulations on the import and export of gold, diamonds and other precious natural resources. Attempts to evade regulations are punishable by prison terms. To get the deposit refunded, visitors must apply to the Customs and Excise Office in central Accra 48 hours before departure. While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law.