US Announces New Travel Requirement International Air Passengers, Discloses Start Date

• A new CDC order signed on October 22, 2026, introduces a mandatory health declaration for every passenger boarding a US-bound flight
• The measure is linked to an active Ebola outbreak and covers travellers from countries including the UK, France, Canada, and Australia
• Nigeria has separately placed 44 people connected to a confirmed Ebola case on a no-fly list

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Every person boarding an international flight to the United States will be required to complete a health declaration form, under an order issued by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on 22 October 2026.

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The rule, which kicks in at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on 3 November 2026, is the latest measure introduced in response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The Bundibugyo strain of the virus has prompted a series of travel restrictions since May 2026, when Washington first moved to limit entry for travellers with recent connections to the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan.

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The new requirement, however, casts a far wider net. It applies to all international passengers, regardless of nationality or travel history — including those simply transiting through a US airport on their way elsewhere.

Travellers departing from countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Australia, and Switzerland are equally bound by the rule.

The form, officially titled "Passenger Disclosure and Attestation to the United States of America," asks each traveller to confirm they have not been physically present in the DRC at any point during the 21 days before their flight.

US authorities have specified that passing through a Congolese airport, even without disembarking, counts as presence in the country. Flying over the DRC without landing does not trigger the requirement.

The attestation can be completed on paper or digitally, and airlines are being encouraged to incorporate it into their online check-in processes. For passengers under 18, a parent or authorised adult may complete the form on their behalf.

Airlines carry considerable responsibility under the directive. Any carrier that allows a passenger to board without a completed and signed form will be in breach of the CDC order.

Carriers must also retain copies of all submitted forms for at least 42 days after each flight arrives in the United States.

Travellers who have been in the DRC within the 21-day window — including American citizens — remain barred from boarding commercial flights to the US under existing restrictions. The attestation is intended to enforce this consistently across all passengers rather than relying solely on itinerary checks.

The measure is set to remain in force until 18 December 2026, though the CDC retains authority to extend, amend, or lift it depending on how the outbreak develops.

Limited exemptions may be granted for emergency medical evacuations and certain humanitarian cases. The health declaration will function alongside existing US entry requirements such as the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) or a valid visa.

In Nigeria, aviation and aerospace development minister Festus Keyamo has placed 44 individuals linked to a confirmed Ebola case in the country on a no-fly list, restricting their movement for 21 days.

Nigeria records new Ebola case

Earlier, YEN.com.gh wrote about Nigeria’s first confirmed Ebola case in Abuja, the 44 contacts identified by health authorities and the response underway.

Public concern has centred on how long the patient was in the country before detection and unanswered questions about her travel history.

The debate has renewed scrutiny of Nigeria’s border surveillance and public health preparedness.

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Source: YEN.com.gh