US orders inbound travellers to certify non-presence in DRC in latest Ebola control measure
The United States' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a new order requiring air travellers arriving in the United States from abroad to certify that they have not been present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during the previous 21 days.
The order takes effect at 11:59 PM ET on 3 November 2026, and will remain in effect through 18 December 2026, unless modified or rescinded earlier.
This update follows prior Ebola-related travel restrictions affecting travellers from the DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan, according to Erickson Immigration Group.
The CDC states that the requirement applies to all persons travelling by air to the United States from a foreign country, passengers, airline crew members and individuals on cargo flights. The order applies even if the United States is only a transit point rather than the final destination.
Airlines and aircraft operators must also comply with the new order and must verify that all covered travellers complete the attestation, retain copies of the attestation for at least 42 days after departure, provide the attestations to the US government upon request, and refuse boarding to travellers who do not comply.
