United States to Require Ebola Declaration from 3 November 2026 as CDC Tightens International Travel Checks

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The United States will require a signed Ebola-related health declaration from all passengers on international flights departing for the country at or after 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on 3 November 2026. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the order on 22 October to reduce the risk of Ebola importation linked to the Bundibugyo virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). U.S. citizens, residents, foreign visitors and connecting passengers fall within its scope. Airlines must refuse boarding without a completed declaration unless a government exemption applies, adding a new requirement to international journeys worldwide.

CDC Order at a Glance

A Boarding Requirement That Reaches Across the Global Travel Market

The declaration applies regardless of nationality or departure country. That brings passengers leaving Canada, the UK, other European countries, Australia and African countries within the same framework. Travellers who have never visited the DRC must still complete the form.

U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals and lawful permanent residents, including Green Card holders, receive no automatic exemption. Passengers connecting through an American airport on their way elsewhere must also comply. Commercial flights, general aviation and private aircraft are covered, including departures from U.S. preclearance airports. The attestation requirement does not apply to land crossings or seaports, where separate entry rules remain relevant.

DRC Airport Connections Count Even Without Leaving the Aircraft

The declaration concerns physical presence in the DRC during the 21 days before boarding the flight to the United States. Presence includes entering or travelling through the country by air, land or sea.

Airport connections also count. A passenger who remains inside a Congolese terminal, or stays aboard an aircraft during a stop, is still considered present. An overflight without landing does not count. For travel businesses, this makes the itinerary relevant to eligibility. A booking from London, Paris or another international gateway cannot establish compliance by itself if the passenger recently travelled through the DRC before reaching that airport.

Day 22 Determines When Recent DRC Visitors Can Board

The wait follows calendar days. CDC treats the date a traveller leaves the DRC as Day 0. Day 1 is the first full calendar day spent outside the country. Boarding becomes possible on Day 22, subject to other travel requirements.

The sequence is:

• Day 0: depart the DRC.
• Days 1–21: remain outside the United States.
• Day 22: become eligible to board, provided all conditions are met.

CDC confirms that the restriction affects U.S. citizens and nationals. The 21-day period reflects Ebola’s maximum incubation period. Leaving through another country does not remove the requirement to complete the waiting period before travel.

Families Need Separate Forms for Every Passenger

The document is titled Passenger Disclosure and Attestation to the United States of America. Each passenger requires a separate attestation. One declaration cannot cover a family, tour group or shared booking.

A parent, legal guardian or another authorised person may sign for a traveller under 18. An authorised representative can also act for someone unable to complete the process because of physical or mental impairment. The form requires the passenger’s or representative’s name, signature and date. Both paper and digital formats are accepted. The person signing confirms the accuracy of the declaration and accepts the legal consequences of false information.

Airlines Must Build the Check into Departure Procedures

Airlines and aircraft operators must check that covered passengers have completed and signed the declaration before boarding. They must refuse anyone who fails to provide it unless a government exemption exists.

CDC recommends collecting the attestation during check-in or boarding at the last foreign airport before the United States. Digital systems can use authenticated signatures or electronic checkboxes supported by identity controls. The operator must be reasonably certain that the passenger or an authorised representative completed the process. Carriers may translate the document, but remain responsible for accuracy and compliance even when a third party supplies the translation or technology.

The 42-Day Retention Rule Requires Careful Handling

CDC’s technical instructions require airlines to retain attestations for at least 42 days after arrival in the United States. The signed order uses a different starting point: departure from the foreign country. Both documents require records to be available to the U.S. government on request.

Carriers should be ready to supply:

• Passenger names and Passenger Name Record booking references.
• Airline names, carrier codes and flight numbers.
• Departure and arrival airports, with travel dates and times.

CDC states that attestations should not be transmitted through the Advance Passenger Information System. Passengers may keep copies, although the airline bears the retention obligation.

False Statements Bring Criminal Exposure and Exemptions Remain Limited

The declaration is a legal statement. Knowingly and wilfully providing materially false information can lead to criminal fines, imprisonment or both under 18 U.S.C. § 1001. The CDC form also identifies denied boarding and possible restrictions on future boarding as consequences of non-compliance.

Exemptions require government authority. They include authorised transport of Ebola patients under CDC guidance and individual exemptions for humanitarian or other important government considerations, such as emergency medical evacuations. A passenger’s citizenship or commercial ticket does not create an exemption. Signing a form cannot make an otherwise ineligible itinerary permissible or remove other public health restrictions affecting admission.

Latest CDC Figures Explain the Health Response

CDC’s situation update dated 24 October reported 9,816 confirmed Ebola cases and 4,757 confirmed deaths in the DRC, using figures dated 22 October. These are country figures and remain subject to revision as investigations continue.

The agency reported no confirmed U.S. cases linked to the outbreak and assessed the overall risk to the American public and travellers as low. Ebola symptoms can begin two to 21 days after exposure. CDC identifies limited healthcare capacity, conflict and population movement among the challenges affecting containment. The declaration seeks to reduce importation risk by checking recent travel history before passengers board international services.

Uganda and South Sudan Remain Subject to Separate Measures

The declaration supplements existing Ebola-related restrictions. Non-U.S. citizens and non-U.S. nationals, including lawful permanent residents, who have been in Uganda or South Sudan during the preceding 21 days face temporary entry restrictions.

U.S. citizens and nationals with recent presence in those countries, but none in the DRC, must enter through designated airports for public health screening. CDC lists Washington Dulles, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta and New York JFK. Airport connections in Uganda or South Sudan can also trigger these measures, even without leaving the aircraft. For agencies managing regional itineraries, the relevant rules therefore depend on both recent travel history and citizenship.

Travel Businesses Face a New Check Before November Departures

The effect extends beyond the passenger form. Travel sellers arranging U.S. holidays, business trips and connecting itineraries face an additional compliance step that can determine whether a customer boards.

Booking preparation can address four points:

• Review the passenger’s recent itinerary, including airport connections.
• Identify every traveller who needs an individual declaration.
• Confirm the airline’s paper or digital submission process.
• Recheck the official rules before departure for amendments or extensions.

The order currently ends on 18 December 2026 unless changed earlier, with extensions possible. Travel communications therefore need to distinguish the implementation dates from any future continuation announced by the CDC.