Anyone flying to or through the United States faces a new mandatory declaration before boarding, and lying on the form could carry serious consequences, including criminal fines and imprisonment.
Starting at 11:59 p.m. EST on Nov. 3, 2026, passengers departing from any foreign country on flights bound for the US must sign a declaration confirming they have not visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) within the previous 21 days.
The sweeping requirement, introduced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), comes as health authorities struggle to contain a deadly Ebola outbreak that has claimed thousands of lives in the Central African nation.
According to the CDC’s latest figures, 10,467 infections and 5,103 deaths had been confirmed in the DRC as of October 31, with the outbreak spreading faster than previous Ebola emergencies in the country.
The disease, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, has also reached neighboring countries, prompting American authorities to tighten travel restrictions in an effort to prevent infected travelers from entering the United States.
A warning for international travelers
Under the new rules, every person boarding an international flight to America must confirm they have not been physically present in the DRC during the preceding 21 days, including American citizens and permanent residents.
But the requirement goes further than simply asking where someone has vacationed.
Even travelers who passed through a Congolese airport without leaving the terminal or aircraft are considered to have visited the country.
Anyone who has been there must wait until Day 22 after leaving before they can board a flight to the US, “provided they meet all other travel requirements,” unless they have received a government exemption.
And the CDC is warning travelers against attempting to get around the restrictions by providing false information.
“Willfully providing false or misleading information may lead to criminal fines and imprisonment,” the agency states on its official website.
Airlines must enforce the rules
The responsibility does not fall entirely on passengers. Airlines and aircraft operators must ensure that everyone has completed the declaration before allowing them to board.
Those who refuse or fail to provide the required confirmation will be denied boarding unless they qualify for an official exemption.
Airlines must also retain each passenger’s declaration for at least 42 days after arrival and make it available to US authorities upon request.
The requirement applies even to travelers connecting through the United States on their way to another destination, as well as flight crews.
Although the restrictions are extensive, the CDC describes them as a “public health measure intended to reduce the risk of Ebola being introduced into the United States through air travel.”
You can find the declaration form here.
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