A new boarding requirement now applies to people flying to or connecting through the United States from another country. Beginning at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on November 3, 2026, travelers must attest that they have not been present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the 21 days before boarding.
The requirement applies even to people who have never visited the DRC. It is a universal screening step for international flights bound for the United States, not a form limited to travelers departing Africa. Airlines must confirm completion shortly before boarding and must refuse boarding when the attestation is missing, unless the U.S. government has issued a rare exemption.
The rule responds to an Ebola outbreak, but the CDC says the overall risk to the American public and travelers remains low. The practical issue for most passengers is simple: expect an extra declaration in the airline check-in or gate process, answer it truthfully and do not wait until the boarding door is about to close.
The new rule at a glance
- Effective time: 11:59 p.m. EST on November 3, 2026 — 10:59 p.m. Central Standard Time.
- Covered travel: flights departing a foreign country for the United States, including itineraries that only connect through a U.S. airport.
- Required statement: the traveler has not been present in the DRC during the 21 days before boarding.
- DRC airport connections count as presence even when the traveler stayed on the aircraft or did not leave the airport.
- Accepted formats: paper, authenticated digital signature, an airline electronic checkbox or another compliant process.
- Boarding consequence: an airline must not board a person who fails to complete the attestation unless a U.S. government exemption applies.
The trigger is the departure time from the foreign country, not the scheduled arrival time in the United States. Domestic U.S. flights are not the target of this order, although a traveler may encounter the form before the international segment that reaches the United States.
Who must complete the attestation
The CDC order applies to all people intending to board a flight from any foreign country to the United States. Nationality and immigration status do not remove the requirement. U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents, visitors and passengers connecting through the United States are all within the boarding process.
The amended order also covers people traveling on commercial, private, general-aviation and cargo aircraft. Crew members are included, including employees repositioning on a flight rather than operating it. Flights that merely pass over U.S. territory without landing are outside the order.
A parent or another authorized person may complete the attestation for someone under 18. An authorized representative may also act for a person who cannot complete it because of age or a physical or mental impairment. Airlines may create one electronic workflow for a representative to attest separately for each person in a traveling party.
What the attestation asks
The key statement is that the traveler was not present in the DRC during the 21 days before boarding a flight to the United States. Airlines must present the required language and the associated disclosure and privacy information. They may reformat the material for an app, website, kiosk or other electronic system, but they cannot replace the substance with a looser question.
A traveler may encounter the declaration during online check-in, at an airport counter, at a kiosk or at the gate. The airline can collect a physical signature, authenticated digital signature or an electronic confirmation. CDC guidance also allows a verbal attestation when the traveler or representative has reviewed the language and an airline agent records the response in a unique electronic record.
Willfully giving false or misleading information can lead to federal criminal penalties. A traveler who cannot truthfully make the statement should not check the box or sign the form simply to preserve an itinerary. Contact the airline and appropriate U.S. authorities before traveling.
What counts as being present in the DRC
Presence is broader than a hotel stay or a visit outside an airport. CDC says it includes transit through a DRC airport, even when a passenger did not disembark or remained inside the terminal. A short connection can therefore affect eligibility for a U.S.-bound flight during the following 21 days.
Review every segment in the relevant period, including separate tickets, positioning flights and connections that may not appear on the current reservation. If an employer or travel agency arranged the trip, confirm the actual airport history instead of relying only on the city listed on a calendar.
What happens after recent DRC travel
Travelers who have been in the DRC within the previous 21 days cannot truthfully complete the standard attestation and generally will not be allowed to board a flight with a U.S. destination. This restriction includes U.S. citizens and U.S. nationals. CDC advises affected travelers to remain outside the DRC for at least 21 days after leaving before boarding for the United States.
Exemptions are rare. CDC describes possible humanitarian or important government considerations and says that, when an exemption is issued, the agency coordinates with the airline and federal partners. A traveler should not assume that an urgent ticket, U.S. passport, permanent-resident card or family emergency automatically creates an exemption.
People who were in an outbreak-affected DRC province may face additional local departure requirements. U.S. citizens who need consular help can use the State Department’s published assistance channels. Travelers should work with the airline and government contacts before going to the airport because airport agents cannot create a federal exemption at the counter.
South Sudan and Uganda follow separate rules
The DRC attestation is only one part of the current public-health travel framework. CDC separately says that non-U.S. citizens and non-U.S. nationals — including lawful permanent residents — who were in South Sudan or Uganda within the previous 21 days are not allowed to enter the United States and should remain outside those countries for 21 days before travel.
U.S. citizens and U.S. nationals who were in South Sudan or Uganda, but not the DRC, may be routed through designated U.S. airports for public-health entry screening. These are distinct restrictions. Completing the DRC attestation does not cancel another rule that may apply because of travel in South Sudan or Uganda.
Because status, routing and outbreak conditions can change, check the CDC traveler page and the operating airline again before departure. A booking confirmation proves a seat was sold; it does not override a public-health boarding restriction.
How airlines will collect and retain the form
Airlines and other aircraft operators are responsible for collecting the attestation before boarding. They may use their own digital flow, a third-party system or the CDC fillable form, but the operator remains legally responsible for compliance. Staff may help with data entry without becoming the person making the statement.
The operator must retain each attestation for at least 42 days and produce it to the U.S. government if requested. CDC says the form should not be transmitted through the Advance Passenger Information System. The retained record can be connected with identifying flight information such as the traveler’s name, passenger record, carrier, flight number, airports and travel time.
Collection methods may therefore differ by airline. One carrier may place the question in online check-in, while another may confirm it at the gate. Follow the instructions from the carrier operating the U.S.-bound flight rather than assuming a form completed for an earlier codeshare segment covers the final boarding check.
How to avoid a last-minute boarding problem
- Review the past 21 days of travel, including airport connections, before beginning check-in.
- Open the operating airline’s app or website and complete any new health or travel declaration it presents.
- If no electronic form appears, arrive with enough time for a counter or gate process and follow the airline’s instructions.
- Keep the passport, itinerary and contact details for every traveler accessible, especially when an adult will attest for a child or dependent passenger.
- Do not download an unofficial form from an unsolicited email or message; use the airline, CDC page or another verified government source.
- If anyone in the party was in the DRC, South Sudan or Uganda during the relevant period, contact the airline before traveling to the airport.
Completing the declaration early does not eliminate ordinary document, visa, entry, check-in or transit requirements. It adds one public-health verification step to the existing international travel process.
A document organizer for international travel
The Travelon RFID Blocking Family Passport Wallet is a practical accessory for a family or group carrying multiple passports and paper confirmations. Travelon describes the zippered organizer as having space for travel documents, while retailer specifications list room for up to six passports, card slots, organizational pockets and a pen loop. The Amazon listing uses ASIN B0BTJCZW6L. Verify the exact color, model, seller and current listing before purchasing.
A wallet does not replace a secure digital backup or the airline’s electronic attestation record. Keep personal documents under direct control, remove unnecessary papers after the trip and avoid storing sensitive identification in checked baggage.
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The bottom line
The new U.S. flight attestation is broad: nearly everyone boarding an international flight that will land in or connect through the United States must confirm no DRC presence during the previous 21 days. For most travelers, it should be a short check-in step. For anyone with a recent DRC airport connection, it can determine whether boarding is permitted.
Answer truthfully, use the operating airline’s official process and allow extra time while carriers implement the rule. Travelers with recent DRC, South Sudan or Uganda history should review the separate restrictions and contact the airline or government authorities before arriving at the airport.
Sources
CDC: Information for Travelers Returning from Ebola-Affected Areas
CDC: Signed Attestation Order and Attachment A
U.S. Department of State: Additional Consular Information for Americans Regarding the Ebola Outbreak
Travelon: RFID Blocking Family Passport Zip Wallet
Amazon: Travelon RFID Blocking Family Passport Wallet (ASIN B0BTJCZW6L)