United States: CDC Signs Order Requiring DRC Travel Attestation on All US-Bound Flights From Nov. 3

Update to our earlier coverage of the US Ebola response: the CDC has now signed an amended order, setting the final rules and start time.

October 29, 2026 — Starting just before midnight Eastern on Tuesday, November 3, everyone boarding a US-bound flight abroad, crew included, will have to sign a statement that they have not been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in the previous 21 days. The CDC signed the amended order on October 28. Airline groups called the plan unworkable and asked the agency to reconsider.

What the amended order requires

• Who issued it: the US Department of Health and Human Services and the CDC. The amended order was signed October 28, 2026, in Washington by the Assistant Secretary for Health.
• When it starts: flights departing at or after 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on November 3, 2026.
• How long it lasts: until it is rescinded or changed, or until December 18, 2026, whichever comes first. The CDC says it may amend or extend the order as the outbreak changes.
• Who must sign: every person boarding an aircraft in a foreign country bound for the US. That includes passengers, flight crew and crew members on official duty, including those deadheading. A parent, guardian or other authorized person can sign for a child or for someone who cannot sign for themselves.
• What you attest: that you have not been in the DRC in the 21 days before boarding. The first full calendar day outside the DRC is Day 1, so a person who was there can board on Day 22. Changing planes at a DRC airport counts as being there, even if you never left the aircraft.
• Paper or digital: either is accepted.
• Airline duties: airlines must confirm to the US government that everyone on board has a signed attestation, refuse boarding to anyone without one, and keep each attestation for at least 42 days. A flight that does not comply will not be cleared to disembark passengers in the US.
• Exemptions: only flights the US government authorizes to carry Ebola patients, and individuals the CDC exempts for humanitarian or other important government reasons, such as medical evacuations.
• Penalties: the order cites criminal penalties of up to $100,000 for individuals and $200,000 for organizations, and/or up to one year in prison.
• Not covered: land crossings from Canada or Mexico, and arrivals by sea, according to news reports.

Airlines push back

Reuters reported on October 28 that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Airlines for America (A4A) urged the CDC to reconsider. IATA said it was unreasonable to expect every airline serving the US to set up attestation collection in under two weeks, and asked why sea and land travel were left out. A4A called the plan unworkable and asked for exemptions for crew members, the US military and jumpseat travelers. The CDC did not immediately respond to Reuters. As of this writing, the signed order contains no such crew exemption.

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What it means for airline travelers

• It applies to you even if you have never been near Africa. From November 3, expect every US-bound international flight, from Toronto to London to Cancún, to ask for the attestation. Watch for your carrier’s instructions on how to complete it before you get to the gate.
• Crew and deadheading staff are covered. The order names crew on official duty, including deadhead, so working and positioning crew will need to sign too. Check your company’s guidance.
• No attestation, no boarding. If you are flying standby, have it done before you list. A gate agent cannot board you without it, and you could lose a seat while you sort it out.
• Families: parents or guardians sign for children. Plan for that when the family travels on passes.
• Recently in or through the DRC? Count your days carefully. You cannot board a US-bound flight until Day 22, and a connection through Kinshasa or another DRC airport counts.
• Expect slower check-in for the first few days after November 3 while airlines roll out the process. Arrive early.
• The rules may change. The order expires December 18 unless extended, and the CDC can widen or narrow it. Check the CDC’s page before you travel.

Sources

• CDC / HHS — Notice and Amended Order: Requirement for Attestation (signed October 28, 2026)
• Federal Register — Vol. 91, No. 206, October 27, 2026
• Reuters via Yahoo News — Airline groups urge US CDC to reconsider Ebola declaration requirements
• Vive USA — Traveling to the United States? The US will require a new travel requirement starting November 3