The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued an Order, published on October 22, 2026, that will require every passenger boarding an international flight to the United States on or after 11:59 p.m. EST on November 3 to sign an attestation declaring that they have not been present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) within the previous 21 days. Airlines must collect and retain the signed form for 42 days and deny boarding to any traveler who refuses to comply. U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents are not exempt—anyone who has recently been in the DRC must wait 21 days after departure from the country before entering or transiting the United States. The emergency measure is intended to reduce the risk that Ebola or other hemorrhagic fevers circulating in parts of central Africa could be imported by air travelers. CDC officials note that the 21-day window corresponds to the maximum incubation period for Ebola, meaning that travelers who develop symptoms will do so outside the United States. The Order applies only to air travel; land and sea arrivals are not covered at this time. For carriers, the rule imposes new operational responsibilities in the middle of the busy holiday travel season. Airlines must update their digital and paper check-in systems, train gate agents to verify compliance, and be prepared to furnish copies of attestations to the U.S. government on demand. Failure to collect or retain the forms could expose carriers to civil penalties. Multinational employers should alert business travelers and assignees who work or transit through the DRC that trips to the United States will now require a three-week buffer period spent outside that country. Companies with global mobility programs should also review travel-risk protocols. Employees who must reach the United States urgently after time in the DRC may need to route through third-country hubs and remain there until the 21-day period elapses—an arrangement that could trigger additional immigration or tax considerations. Organizations that employ flight crews serving African routes must ensure crew scheduling complies with the attestation rule, as crew members are not exempt. Although the Order is framed as a short-term health measure, CDC has not announced a sunset date. The agency will evaluate epidemiological data from the DRC and may extend, modify, or rescind the requirement. Mobility managers should monitor CDC updates and be prepared for similar destination-specific health attestations to arise in the future as global public-health threats evolve.
