US to Make Ebola Attestation Mandatory for Air Travellers From November 3

The United States will require all passengers travelling on flights bound for the country to submit a signed paper or digital declaration confirming they have not been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during the previous 21 days, starting November 3, 2026.

The measure, announced by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is aimed at preventing the introduction and spread of Ebola amid an ongoing outbreak in the DRC. The requirement will apply to flights arriving in the US even when the country is only a transit stop for passengers travelling onwards.

What Is the New Ebola Attestation Rule?

Under the new order, passengers must complete and sign an attestation stating that they have not been physically present in the DRC during the 21 days before boarding a flight to the US. This includes travellers who transited through a Congolese airport, even if they did not leave the aircraft or airport. Flights that pass over the US without landing are excluded. Airlines must collect the forms, retain them for at least 42 days and provide them to US authorities on request.

Airlines will be prohibited from boarding passengers who fail to complete and present the declaration. Travellers can submit the form in printed or digital format, while parents or authorised representatives may complete it for children under 18 and people unable to act on their own behalf. The CDC’s form warns that false or misleading statements could lead to criminal penalties. The agency is expected to brief major US and international airlines on implementing the new requirements.

Ebola Outbreak: What Travellers Need to Know

The new declaration adds to existing US travel restrictions introduced in response to the outbreak. The CDC has barred passengers who have been in the DRC during the preceding 21 days from boarding commercial flights to the US, with restrictions extended to US citizens in July. Separate restrictions also apply to certain foreign nationals who have recently been in Uganda or South Sudan. Travellers should check the latest CDC guidance before booking or boarding flights.

The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus, and the CDC says it is responding to cases in remote areas of the DRC. The agency reported that no cases linked to the outbreak had been confirmed in the US and assessed the risk to the American public and travellers as low. The new attestation requirement is intended as an additional public health safeguard alongside existing screening and travel measures.