Acting on public-health guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a Federal Register notice on 21 May 2026 funneling all commercial passenger flights carrying travelers who have recently been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda or South Sudan to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD). The rule, issued by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), applies to anyone who departed from or was present in those countries within 21 days of arrival and took effect for flights leaving after 23:59 EDT on 20 May. At Washington Dulles, CBP officers and CDC quarantine staff conduct temperature checks, detailed exposure questionnaires and, where indicated, on-site medical evaluations before travelers are allowed to proceed to connecting flights or enter the United States. Cargo-only flights and U.S. government aircraft are exempt, but private charters with passengers must also land at IAD. The Secretary of Homeland Security may add or remove designated airports in future Federal Register notices; industry sources expect Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to be added once additional screening staff are trained. For multinational companies, the one-airport rule complicates routing for employees based in Central and East Africa or transiting the region for oil, mining, NGO or infrastructure projects. Employers should confirm airline compliance, build extra time into itineraries for medical screening, and update travel-risk policies to cover potential overnight stays in the Washington DC area if onward connections are missed. Travelers who attempt to route through Canada, Mexico or Europe to bypass IAD may still be flagged by U.S. Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) vetting and redirected in flight. The arrival restrictions will remain in place until DHS publishes a modification or cancellation notice. Because the CDC’s parallel order suspending entry of certain non-citizens is limited to 30 days, mobility managers should monitor whether DHS extends the funneling requirement beyond the initial public-health window. Companies with high volumes of Africa-U.S. traffic should consider enrolling affected staff in U.S. Global Entry to expedite post-screening admission and reduce connection risk.
Source: Federal Register
