Effective November 3, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Everyone boarding an international flight to the United States must complete a new CDC statement about whether they have been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during the previous 21 days. The requirement includes U.S. citizens, green-card holders, visitors and travelers connecting through the United States. The statement can be signed on paper or electronically; a passenger who does not provide it cannot board without a U.S.-government exemption.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued the order on October 22 during the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa. It applies to flights departing a foreign country for the United States at or after 11:59 p.m. EST on November 3. The United States need not be the passenger's final destination: anyone making an international connection through a U.S. airport is also covered.
What does the new CDC form ask?
Each passenger must truthfully confirm that they have not been physically present in the DRC during the past 21 days. Airport connections in the country count, even if the passenger never left the plane; merely flying over the country without landing does not. CDC counts the day of departure from the DRC as Day 0. Boarding can resume on Day 22 if other requirements are met.
The official passenger declaration can be signed on paper, while airlines may offer an authenticated electronic form or checkbox during check-in or boarding. Each passenger needs a separate declaration. Parents or authorized adults can sign for children under 18, and an authorized representative may act for a traveler who cannot sign because of disability or similar circumstances. The airline must retain the completed declaration for at least 42 days after arrival.
Can a passenger be denied boarding?
Yes. A passenger who does not complete the declaration must be denied boarding unless the U.S. government has granted an exemption. Someone who was in the DRC during the preceding 21 days generally cannot truthfully sign the required statement and should arrange to wait outside the country before traveling to the United States. The order provides for narrow exemptions, including certain humanitarian circumstances. A U.S. passport or green card is not an automatic exemption. Knowingly making a false statement can lead to criminal penalties.
The declaration is not a new visa application. It covers flights from foreign countries to the United States, including private aircraft, but not domestic U.S. flights, land border crossings or arrival by sea. Airlines collect the statement; check your carrier's departure instructions.
How is this different from the Ebola entry restrictions?
A separate CDC order already restricts entry for many noncitizens, including lawful permanent residents, who were in the DRC, Uganda or South Sudan in the preceding 21 days. The new declaration applies to everyone flying internationally to the United States and asks specifically about the DRC. U.S. citizens are excluded from the separate noncitizen entry suspension but must still complete this new attestation, and recent DRC travel can prevent boarding.
Different rules continue to apply after recent Uganda or South Sudan travel without a DRC visit: certain noncitizens may be barred from entry, while U.S. citizens and nationals may undergo designated-airport screening. The new form does not replace those measures.
Before you travel
Review your itinerary for the 21 days before your U.S.-bound flight, including airport connections, and complete the airline's declaration truthfully. If you traveled through the DRC, Uganda or South Sudan, check the latest CDC rules and contact the carrier before departing. Do not assume your passport, visa or green card overrides public-health boarding restrictions.