CDC orders US-bound air passengers to attest no DRC presence from November 3
From November 3, 2026, every passenger on a flight to the United States must sign a declaration that they have not been in the DRC in the previous 21 days.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an order on October 22, 2026 requiring every air passenger bound for the United States to sign a declaration that they have not been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in the 21 days before boarding. The rule applies to flights departing at or after 11:59 p.m. EST on November 3, 2026, whatever the passenger's nationality or point of departure.
What's changed
The order was signed by Admiral Brian Christine, Assistant Secretary for Health, under the Public Health Service Act. It responds to the Bundibugyo virus outbreak in the DRC, which the order puts at 9,455 confirmed cases and 4,561 deaths across eight provinces as of October 18, 2026.
Airlines and other aircraft operators must check that each passenger has a completed, signed declaration before boarding, refuse boarding to any passenger without one, and keep each declaration for at least 42 days. An aircraft cannot unload passengers at a US airport until the airline confirms that every passenger on board has signed.
Under the order, presence in the DRC includes connecting through a DRC airport without leaving the plane. Overflights do not count. The departure day is day 0, and a traveller may board on day 22.
Who's affected
The requirement covers all passengers on commercial, private and general aviation flights to the United States, including those only connecting through a US airport. CDC states that it applies to US citizens, US nationals and lawful permanent residents. A parent or other authorized person may sign for a passenger under 18.
Two groups are exempt: aircraft carrying Ebola patients with US government authorization, and individuals CDC exempts on humanitarian or other government grounds, such as medical evacuations. Arrivals by land or sea are not covered.
A false declaration may be prosecuted under 18 U.S.C. § 1001. Under the penalty provisions the order cites, airlines that fail to comply face fines of up to $100,000 for individuals and $200,000 for organizations, imprisonment of up to one year, or both.
The order adds to the existing CDC entry suspension and leaves it unchanged. That suspension bars non-citizens who were in the DRC, Uganda or South Sudan in the previous 21 days. CDC guidance already states that anyone who was in the DRC in that period, including US citizens, cannot board a flight to the United States.
When it takes effect
The order takes effect at 11:59 p.m. EST on November 3, 2026, and runs until December 18, 2026, unless it is withdrawn or changed before then. CDC states the order will be published in the Federal Register. As of October 25, 2026, the declaration form is available in English only, and airlines are responsible for the accuracy of any translations.
Sources
Primary government sources
- CDC — Order: Requirement for Attestation for All Airline or Other Aircraft Passengers Arriving in the United States (October 22, 2026)
- CDC / HHS — Signed Notice and Order with Attachment A, Passenger Disclosure and Attestation (October 22, 2026)
- CDC — Ebola: Information for travelers returning to the United States (updated October 22, 2026)