US to require an Ebola travel attestation from every air passenger from 3 November 2026

Every person boarding a flight to the United States will have to sign an attestation that they have not been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the previous 21 days, under an order from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The requirement applies to flights that leave a foreign country for the United States at or after 11:59 p.m. EST on 3 November 2026.

The CDC issued the order on 22 October and amended it on 28 October. It covers passengers boarding an international flight into the United States or connecting through it, including US citizens, US nationals and lawful permanent residents, as well as crew travelling on the aircraft. Commercial, private and general aviation flights are included, as are pre-clearance airports.

Airlines must check that each passenger has completed the attestation before boarding and must refuse boarding to anyone without one, unless the traveller holds a US government exemption. The CDC says its FAQs recommend collecting the forms at check-in or at the gate of the last foreign departure airport.

The CDC says technical instructions and FAQs will be updated shortly, so the exact way each airline will collect the form is not yet set out. Travellers heading to or through the United States from 3 November should check with their airline how and when to complete the attestation before travelling to the airport.