Travel & Public Health
CDC Sets November 3 Start for DRC Travel Attestation
International passengers bound for the United States will face a new 21-day DRC presence declaration.
Who must attest
Beginning with flights departing foreign countries at or after 11:59 p.m. Eastern on November 3, every person boarding an international flight to or through the United States must attest that they were not present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the previous 21 days. CDC says the requirement applies to U.S. citizens, nationals and permanent residents as well as other travelers. An October 28 amendment clarifies that covered aircraft crew, including some repositioning crew, are included.
What presence means
CDC defines presence broadly: entering or traveling through the DRC by air, land or sea counts, including an airport connection even if the traveler did not leave the airport or aircraft. Day zero is the day a person leaves the DRC; day one is the first full calendar day outside the country. Under the agency's guidance, boarding may begin on day 22 if other requirements are met. A person who will not sign the attestation cannot board a covered flight.
Why the measure was adopted
The order responds to an Ebola outbreak in the DRC. CDC says the current risk to the U.S. public and travelers remains low and uses 21 days because that is the maximum incubation period the agency applies for Ebola disease. The measure is intended to reduce the chance that an exposed traveler enters the United States during that window. It is a boarding restriction based on travel history, not a finding that a person is infected.
Airline and traveler responsibilities
Airlines and aircraft operators must collect and retain the attestations and may provide them in paper or digital form. CDC may request records for compliance or a public-health investigation. Travelers should not assume that a ticket or visa overrides the order. Before leaving for the airport, anyone with recent DRC travel should review CDC's current instructions and contact the airline. Limited exemptions may be available for authorized medical transport or specific humanitarian and government circumstances.
Dates matter in a changing response
The underlying order was issued October 22, amended October 28 and reflected in updated CDC guidance on October 30. Those dates are separate from the November 3 effective time. Public-health measures can change as an outbreak develops, so travelers should recheck the official page shortly before departure. This report does not diagnose risk for an individual, replace medical advice or describe the restriction as already active on October 31.
Primary evidence
Reporting note: This independently composed article is based on the linked primary records. Publication and event dates are stated separately. Agency claims are identified as such; an allegation, charge or scheduled event is not presented as a finding, conviction or completed event. Readers should consult the official record for amendments and later action.