CHICAGO, November 4, 2026 – Maya looked at her laptop screen at 11:15 PM on a cold Tuesday night, reading the confirmation email from her airline company. Maya’s flight back to Chicago from London was scheduled to take place in less than nine hours, and there was an additional box that needed to be ticked when checking in online. No one at the airport seemed to be mentioning it, but the requirements for entering America were completely changed.
As per an amendment order in the CDC’s Federal Register, all persons boarding a plane bound for the United States from any other country are required to complete a mandatory health attestation. Effective starting at 11:59 p.m. EST on November 3, 2026, the regulation mandates the declaration that they were not present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) within the past 21 days.
And this matters because it applies across the board.
It doesn’t matter whether you have a U.S. passport, a green card, or a foreign tourist visa because there are only a few exceptions. The provision covers not just regular commercial flights but charter flights, cargo flights, and even general aviation aircraft. As a result of this amendment, it’ll now be mandatory for international transit passengers going to a second foreign destination from a U.S. hub, as well as flight crews, including those deadheading in their aircraft, to comply with the new rule.
In order to prevent the introduction and spread of the BVD, which is an unusual Ebola family infection, the CDC has introduced this new rule. This period of 21 days corresponds to the maximum incubation period for the disease. In accordance with the guidelines of the public health authorities, physical presence in the DRC will include transit passage. This means that even if you have only made a transit stop at an airport in the DRC during the 21 days, you cannot get on board the U.S.-bound flight until Day 22.
Here’s the rub for international travelers: missing this detail means staying on the ground.
Carriers have the legal responsibility under the “controlled free pratique” approach, which entails that carriers would not board any passenger who does not produce an attestation signed either on paper or digitally. The policy permits guardians or other persons authorized to make declarations on behalf of passengers aged below 18 years or who need assistance. In addition, air carriers are mandated to keep records of all signed attestations for a minimum of 42 days after the departure of the U.S.-bound aircraft for possible government verification.
Travelers entering the United States through land borders and ports of entry through maritime seaports are exempted from this particular order for international air travel. International travelers should allocate some additional time for completing this form at the time of check-in. The requirement is interim in nature and will expire after 45 days, i.e., on December 17, 2026, unless withdrawn earlier. The official requirements are detailed directly in the CDC Attestation Order and the amended notice published in the Federal Register.
The extent to which major international airports will handle all the additional documentation when it comes to traveling during the holiday season. For the time being, however, it is best to complete your airline’s online check-in ahead of time and determine if a DRC connection is affecting your eligibility for travel.
