A New Pre-Boarding Step
Since 3 November 2026, anyone flying to the United States from abroad must complete a health declaration before boarding. The form asks passengers to confirm they have not been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the past 21 days. The requirement applies to every international air arrival, regardless of departure city, citizenship, or visa status - US citizens, foreign nationals, green card holders, and airline crew all fall under the same rule.
Airlines collect the declarations and are responsible for verifying that each passenger has completed one at or shortly before boarding. Carriers can use electronic or paper forms, and one adult may complete separate declarations for multiple family members. Passengers who refuse or fail to complete the form will be denied boarding.
The measure does not apply to people entering the United States by land or sea, nor to flights arriving from US territories such as Puerto Rico.
The Outbreak Behind the Rule
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention introduced the declaration in response to a worsening Ebola outbreak in Central Africa. As of 20 October 2026, the World Health Organisation counted 9,704 confirmed cases and 4,687 deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with cases also reported in Kenya and Nigeria.
The 21-day window in the declaration matches the maximum incubation period for Ebola - the longest span between exposure and the appearance of symptoms. That timing means an infected person could board a flight while still feeling well and develop illness only after arrival.
The CDC assesses the risk to American travellers as low, but the measure is designed to limit the chance of imported cases. No vaccine or treatment for this strain of Ebola currently exists, and organisations including Médecins Sans Frontières are working to contain transmission in affected regions.
What Happens if You Have Been to the DRC
Travellers who have actually visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo face a stricter set of rules. Anyone who has been in the country within the previous 21 days is prohibited from boarding any flight to the United States, including American citizens. The restriction applies even to passengers who connected through a Congolese airport without leaving the aircraft.
Those travellers must remain outside the United States for a full three weeks and may return on the twenty-second day after departure from the DRC.
Separate restrictions cover Uganda and South Sudan, owing to their proximity to the outbreak zone. US citizens who have recently visited either country may enter only through Washington Dulles, Atlanta, or New York's JFK, where they undergo a public health screening. Non-US citizens, including green card holders, generally must wait 21 days after leaving Uganda or South Sudan before they can enter the United States.
How Long the Rule Will Last
The CDC order is scheduled to expire on 18 December 2026, though officials may extend it or lift it earlier depending on conditions in the outbreak area. Airlines must retain the signed declarations for at least 42 days and make them available to federal authorities upon request.
The CDC has not detailed a routine process for independently verifying every passenger's travel history. However, knowingly providing false information on the declaration can result in criminal fines or imprisonment under federal law.
For travellers who have not been near the affected region, the practical effect is modest - an extra form at check-in. For those who have, the consequences are considerably more significant, amounting to a temporary ban on air travel to the United States until the incubation period has passed.
