Q COSTA RICA — All travelers flying to the United States or transiting through the country must submit a declaration confirming that they have not been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo within the 21 days before their flight.
The requirement, issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), applies to flights departing on or after November 3, 2026. Passengers must complete the declaration to board.
The CDC’s directive to airlines is intended to strengthen public health measures related to Ebola.
The declaration is mandatory, not optional or merely advisory.
Avianca Costa Rica, the flag carrier of Costa Rica, which operates under the Avianca brand and was founded in 1945 as LACSA, says passengers must present proof of completion at boarding. Those who submit the digital form should show their confirmation.
Passengers using the paper form must bring it completed and signed. The form is available on the CDC’s official website.
Travelers with a U.S. government exemption are excluded.
What travelers should know
The effective time is based on when a flight departs, not simply the date printed on a ticket. A flight leaving before 11:59 p.m. EST on November 3 is outside the order’s stated start time; one departing at or after that time is covered. Travelers should check with their airline for the form and the process it will use, since carriers may handle submission during online check-in or at the airport.
Analysis: a small paperwork change with a hard cutoff
For most travelers who have not recently been in the DRC, the immediate change is an additional step before boarding. The practical complication is the strict cutoff: passengers who arrive at the airport without completing the declaration could face delays or miss their flight, even if they otherwise have valid travel documents.
The policy also gives airlines a direct role in enforcing a U.S. public-health order before departure. That makes checking the carrier’s instructions especially important for people with connecting itineraries, since the rule covers flights connecting through the United States as well as those ending there.
Because the order is temporary as written, travelers with later departures should verify its status closer to their travel date.