All travelers arriving or connecting in the United States must present a declaration certifying that they have not been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the 21 days prior to the flight. The measure, established by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), will take effect for flights departing on or after November 3, 2026 and will be a mandatory requirement for boarding.
Avianca reported this Saturday, October 31, about the entry into force of a new health requirement for passengers traveling to United States territory. The provision, issued by the CDC and addressed to all airlines, seeks to reinforce preventive public health protocols in the United States against the Ebola virus.
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The new provision also applies to those who have connections in the United States. Photo:Avianca
According to the information released by the airline, The new declaration must be presented by all passengers whose flights to the United States, including those who have a connection in that country, They leave starting at 11:59 pm, Eastern Time in the United States, on November 3.
The document requires each traveler to certify that they have not been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the 21 days prior to boarding their flight to the United States. The restriction also includes those who have transited through an airport in that country, even if they did not remain outside the airport facilities.
The declaration must be completed individually by each passenger, so it will not be enough for one member of a family or travel group to present the document on behalf of the others. Each person must have their own proof to comply with the requirements of the US authorities.
The declaration will be mandatory to address
One of the central aspects of the new provision is that completing the declaration will not be an optional procedure or a recommendation from the health authorities. As explained Avianca, its presentation will be a mandatory condition for passengers to board their flights.
The airline stated that Travelers must present the corresponding receipt at the time of boarding. Those who carry out the procedure online will have to show proof that they completed the digital form.
For its part, Those who prefer to fill out the document physically must bring the declaration duly completed and signed. This format can be downloaded directly from the official portal of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Passengers destined for the US stopping there must present a declaration. Photo:iStock
The company warned that passengers who do not present the new declaration during the boarding process will not be able to board their flight. For this reason, recommended completing the procedure in advance to avoid inconveniences at the airport and possible delays in travel plans.
The measure applies both to those whose final destination is the United States and to those who use that territory as a connection point to another country. Consequently, Travelers should check if their itineraries include a stopover in the United States, as they will also be subject to the new requirement.
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How should the declaration be completed?
Avianca indicated that passengers have two alternatives to comply with the requirement established by the CDC: complete a digital declaration or submit the form in physical format.
The first option is to fill out the document online before arriving at the airport. The airline recommended using this alternative well in advance and reminded that the form must be completed individually.that is, each passenger must carry out their own registration.
Travelers going to the United States must present a new health declaration. Photo:CDC / Archive
Once the digital procedure is completed, The traveler must keep and present proof of completion during boarding.
The second alternative consists of Download the form available on the official CDC portal, complete the requested information and sign the document. In this case, the passenger will have to take the physical declaration to the airport and deliver or show it when requested during the boarding process.
In both cases, the objective is that each traveler can prove that they complied with the declaration required by the US authorities.
The airline insisted the importance of not leaving this procedure until the last minute, taking into account that the absence of the document will prevent boarding the plane, even if the passenger has a reservation and the other requirements necessary to make the trip.
The measure responds to preventive protocols against Ebola
The new requirement is part of the preventive public health protocols established by the United States against the Ebola virus. For this, The CDC determined that passengers must declare if they were in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the 21 days before their flight.
The requirement expressly includes transits through airports in that country, so It is not limited to those who have remained in its territory or made visits during that period.
Avianca pointed out that The new guidelines were issued for all airlines and that, therefore, passengers must comply with the provision regardless of the company with which they plan to travel.
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Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Photo:AFP
The entry into effect is defined for flights departing on or after 11:59 pm US Eastern Time on November 3, 2026. This means that travelers with itineraries scheduled from that moment on must have the declaration before appearing for boarding.
For official details of the provision, lPassengers can consult the portal of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Preventionwhere the corresponding order is published.
EDWIN CAICEDO
Environment and Health Journalist
@CaicedoUcros
