Picture the scene. A long vacation is over, the bags are packed, and the gate agent at Rome, Lisbon or Tokyo shakes their head. There is a form you have not signed, and without it the airline is not allowed to let you on the plane.
From tonight, that scenario becomes possible for every traveler flying into the United States from abroad. A new federal health order means a missing signature can now keep Americans out of their own country’s flights.
What the New Rule Says
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed the order on October 22, 2026. It applies to flights departing for the United States from any foreign country at or after 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on November 3, 2026.
Every passenger must sign a statement, known as an attestation, confirming they have not been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during the 21 days before boarding. That means every passenger, regardless of nationality, age or where the journey began.
The rule is blunt about the consequences. Passengers who do not sign an attestation will not be allowed to board.
Why It Is Happening Now
The order is a response to an Ebola outbreak in the DRC, first declared in May 2026 and caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus. Uganda’s Daily Monitor, citing the Africa CDC, reports the outbreak has killed about 4,700 people in Africa.
The 21-day window is not arbitrary. It matches the maximum incubation period for Ebola, the longest stretch between exposure and the first symptoms.
It is important to keep perspective. The CDC said in its October 22 outbreak update that no Ebola cases linked to this outbreak had been reported in the United States. The new form is a screening measure, not a sign that flights are dangerous.
Where Things Could Go Wrong
The real risk for travelers is confusion. The CDC has left each airline to decide how passengers submit the attestation. Some will use paper forms at the gate, others will build it into online check-in or their apps, and the process may look different on the outbound and return legs of the same trip.
That matters for anyone flying a codeshare, connecting between two carriers, or traveling with a spouse who usually handles the paperwork. Each passenger must sign their own attestation.
The rule also catches people who never set foot outside an airport. Presence in the DRC includes transiting through the country on a connecting flight, even if the passenger never left the plane or the transit area. Air Serbia, for one, has warned its passengers of exactly this.
Travelers who have been in the DRC face a hard stop. They must stay outside the United States for 21 days after leaving, and may return from day 22.
Even the airlines are uneasy. Major US and foreign carriers have urged the CDC to reconsider the requirements, so expect last-minute changes and some inconsistency at airports in the first weeks.
How Long It Will Last
The order runs until the CDC changes or cancels it, or until December 18, 2026, whichever comes first. That puts it squarely across Thanksgiving and the start of the holiday travel season, when lines are longest and gate staff are most stretched.
What Travelers Should Do
The good news is that, for most people, this is a quick signature. The bad news is that a quick signature is easy to miss when tired, jet-lagged or rushing for a connection.
- Check your airline’s app or website 48 hours before any return flight to the US and look for the attestation step during check-in.
- If online check-in does not show it, arrive at the airport early and ask at the desk rather than at the gate.
- Make sure every person in your party signs their own form.
- Review the full routing of any itinerary through Africa, including connections, before booking.
- Keep a note of where you have been over the past three weeks in case staff ask questions.
Sources: CDC attestation order and technical guidance; Federal Register notice of the amended order; Daily Monitor on outbreak deaths; Air Serbia passenger notice; Times Live on airline objections; Your Mileage May Vary on CDC case reporting.
Amanda O’Brien is the creator and editor of The Boutique Adventurer. She has visited 80 countries and is a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers as well as the IFTWTA. She is passionate about wine had has just completed Level 3 of the WSET. Born in Australia, she lives in London.