CDC requires Ebola declaration for all US-bound travelers starting November 3

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a new health requirement for international air travel to the United States. Starting November 3, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, every passenger boarding a flight to the United States must complete a signed declaration confirming they have not been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the previous 21 days.

The rule applies to all travelers regardless of nationality, including U.S. citizens, permanent residents with Green Cards, foreign visitors, and airline crew members. It also covers passengers who only connect through a U.S. airport on the way to another destination, even if they never leave the aircraft or pass through immigration controls.

“This is the second-largest outbreak of Ebola in history. So this is very serious.”

Travelers must submit the statement on paper or digitally before boarding. Airlines are responsible for collecting the forms and retaining them for at least 42 days after each flight arrives in the United States. Passengers should check with their airline about how to obtain, complete, and deliver the document to avoid problems during boarding.

The CDC said the measure aims to reduce the risk of Ebola reaching the United States through international travel. The agency explained that 21 days corresponds to the maximum incubation period considered for the disease.

Major U.S. airline groups are asking the CDC to delay the requirement. Airlines for America, representing carriers such as American, Delta, Southwest, United, and JetBlue, said in an October 26 letter that the rule is too broad and introduced too quickly. The group requested a more proportionate response focused on affected areas and travelers recently there, and asked for the November 3 start date to be postponed.

An infectious disease physician and CEO of Wellness Equity Alliance told Fox News Digital that the step is in the right direction because Ebola must be taken seriously. He described the current outbreak as the second-largest in history and said it is very serious.

The International Air Transport Association, representing more than 300 airlines worldwide, also commented on the requirement.