Millions of international travellers heading to the United States will soon face a new mandatory requirement before boarding their flights, with federal authorities warning that providing false information could carry serious criminal consequences.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has introduced the measure in response to an ongoing public health emergency overseas.
The rule takes effect at 11:59pm Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, and applies to flights departing foreign countries for the United States from that point onwards.
Importantly, the requirement does not just apply to foreign visitors. American citizens returning home, permanent residents and airline crew members will also be affected.
Travellers who fail to complete the required declaration could be prevented from boarding their flight.
What is the new mandatory form for US international flights?
The new requirement is an Ebola-related declaration introduced by the CDC following an outbreak centred in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Every person boarding an international flight to the United States must confirm that they have not been physically present in the DRC during the previous 21 days.
The declaration is officially known as a traveller attestation, which is a signed statement confirming that the information provided is truthful.
The requirement applies regardless of whether the passenger is travelling from Europe, Asia, Africa or elsewhere in the world.
It also covers people whose flights connect through the United States on their way to another destination.
According to the CDC, the measure is designed to reduce the possibility of Ebola being introduced into the country through international air travel.
What information do passengers need to provide?
Travellers must complete a declaration confirming that they have not visited or passed through the Democratic Republic of the Congo within 21 days of boarding their flight.
Crucially, the CDC considers someone to have been present in the country even if they only passed through an airport there.
This includes passengers who remained inside the airport terminal or did not leave their aircraft during a connecting stop.
Passengers must select the appropriate declaration, provide their printed name, sign the document and include the date.
Parents or authorised representatives can complete the form on behalf of children under 18 or people unable to sign independently.
Airlines can collect the declaration on paper or electronically, including through an authenticated digital process.
The completed declaration must be checked before boarding, and airlines are required to retain copies for at least 42 days.
What happens if someone visited the DRC recently?
Under the new rules, travellers who have been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the previous 21 days generally cannot board a flight destined for the United States.
The CDC explains that the day a person leaves the country counts as day zero.
The following day becomes day one, and travellers must remain outside the DRC for 21 full calendar days before they can board a flight to the United States on day 22.
This applies even if the individual has no symptoms of Ebola.
Limited exemptions may be granted by the US government for humanitarian or other important considerations, but these are expected to be rare.
Could passengers face prison for getting the form wrong?
The CDC has issued a warning that knowingly providing false or misleading information on the declaration may result in criminal fines or imprisonment.
Under federal law, specifically 18 U.S.C. § 1001, deliberately making false statements to the government can carry criminal consequences.
However, the distinction between an innocent mistake and deliberately providing false information is important.
The CDC's warning concerns wilfully false or misleading declarations, rather than suggesting that every accidental error automatically results in prosecution.
Travellers who refuse to complete the form will generally be denied boarding unless they have an authorised exemption.
Passengers should therefore carefully check their travel history, including any connecting flights, before signing.
Why has the CDC introduced the requirement?
The new measure follows a major Ebola outbreak affecting several countries, with the Democratic Republic of the Congo reporting the overwhelming majority of cases.
According to CDC figures dated October 28, 2026, there had been 10,305 confirmed cases and 4,996 confirmed deaths across affected countries.
The outbreak has involved the Bundibugyo virus, a type of Ebola virus for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
Ebola is a serious infectious disease that can cause fever, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in severe cases, bleeding and organ failure.
The virus spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person or contaminated materials. It is not generally spread through ordinary airborne transmission.
Health officials say the new declaration is a precautionary measure intended to reduce the risk of infected travellers entering the United States.
The CDC has emphasised that the overall risk to the American public and international travellers remains low.
How long will the new travel requirement remain in place?
According to the CDC's published order, the measure is scheduled to remain in effect until December 18, 2026.
However, authorities may modify, extend or withdraw the requirement depending on the development of the outbreak and the public health situation.
Passengers travelling to the United States over the coming weeks should check official CDC guidance and information from their airline before departure.
The declaration does not replace existing passport, visa or other entry requirements.
For most passengers who have not travelled through the DRC recently, the new procedure should involve completing a short statement before boarding.
Nevertheless, anyone preparing for an international journey to the United States should be aware of the rule before arriving at the airport to avoid unexpected delays or being refused boarding.
