COLOMBIA · TRAVEL
Key Facts
- The country Colombia, whose airports in Bogotá, Medellín, Cartagena and Cali serve US routes.
- Power Index Colombia ranks 6th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 51.9 points (October 2026 edition).
- What happened A signed Ebola form is required on US-bound flights leaving from 11:59 p.m. Eastern on 3 November.
- Who it covers All travelers on flights from any foreign country, US citizens and Colombians alike, plus crew.
- What you sign That you were not in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the 21 days before boarding.
- How long The order lasts until 18 December 2026, unless the agency ends it or changes it earlier.
- Prediction markets Polymarket gives a 2.5% chance of an Ebola pandemic in 2026 (1 November, 4:11 a.m. ET).
From 11:59 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday 3 November 2026, every passenger flying from Colombia to the United States must sign an Ebola form. The same rule applies to flights from every other foreign country, and Colombia is not singled out.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a health agency, ordered it over a growing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Our Colombia and United States relations explainer gives the wider background on travel between the two countries.
What the Ebola Form Requires
Brian Christine, who leads public health at the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), signed an amended order on Wednesday 28 October 2026. It applies to flights leaving at or after 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday 3 November, the same clock time as in Colombia.
Each passenger must sign a statement that they were not in DR Congo during the 21 days before boarding. The form can be on paper or digital, and airlines must refuse boarding without it.
Who Must Sign the Ebola Form
The Ebola form covers every person on an aircraft arriving in the United States from any foreign country, including passengers and crew. It makes no exception for US citizens and does not single out Colombia, but people with a US government exemption are excused.
Travelers who only change planes in the United States on the way to a third country must sign too. A parent or another authorized adult can sign for a child under 18, and an airline employee may help with the data entry.
How the 21 Days Are Counted
The day a person leaves DR Congo is day 0, and the 21 days run on calendar days. A traveler who was in the country can board a US-bound flight on day 22.
Presence in DR Congo includes a stop at any Congolese airport, even if the person never left the plane. A flight that only passes over the country without landing does not count.
Why Washington Acts Now
The CDC’s order says the outbreak keeps growing and that response teams are still too small to contain it. As of 28 October 2026 the agency counts 10,305 confirmed cases and 4,996 deaths, almost all of them (10,274 cases) in DR Congo.
Ebola can take up to 21 days to show symptoms, so a traveler can fly while looking healthy. The CDC judged that airport screening alone would not be enough, and it reports no confirmed US case from this outbreak.
Penalties and Airline Duties
Airlines must check that every form is complete and signed, keep a copy for at least 42 days and refuse boarding to anyone without one. An airline that fails to confirm the forms can be refused permission to enter a US port and let its passengers off.
A passenger who skips the form or lies on it can be delayed, refused boarding now or on future trips, and face federal criminal penalties. Fines under the cited federal law run up to US$100,000 for individuals and US$200,000 for organizations, with up to one year in prison.
What Prediction Markets Say
On Polymarket, a crypto-based market, bettors give an Ebola pandemic in 2026 a 2.5% chance, with about US$809,600 traded (1 November, 4:11 a.m. ET). The question covers the whole year and says nothing about airline rules.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
These are bets, not polls. They show how worried traders are about the outbreak, not what the CDC will decide.
What It Means for You
If you fly from Colombia to the United States on or after 3 November, expect a short extra step at check-in. Ask your airline early how it collects the Ebola form, because airlines choose how to present it.
Allow a little more time at the counter in the first days. Our Bogotá city guide and Colombia security explainer help with the rest of your trip planning.
What Comes Next
The order ends on Friday 18 December 2026 unless the CDC ends it sooner or extends it. Any change will depend on case counts, how far the outbreak spreads and how well it is contained, the order says.
The CDC also expects the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the US airport security agency, may add its own enforcement steps. Our reports on the Congo outbreak and on travel rules in the Republic of Congo follow the numbers.
What Is Not Known
The order does not say how each airline will present the Ebola form, so screens may differ by carrier. It is not clear whether the order will be extended beyond 18 December.
The order names no case linked to Colombia and treats Colombia like every other departure country. It is also unknown whether the TSA will add checks at US airports.
More: Colombia news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need the Ebola form if I fly from Colombia to the United States?
Yes, if your flight leaves at or after 11:59 p.m. Eastern on 3 November 2026, you must sign the Ebola form. The rule applies to US citizens and foreigners alike.
What do I have to declare on the form?
You state that you were not in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the 21 days before boarding. Stopping at a Congolese airport counts as being there.
What happens if I do not sign the form?
The airline must refuse to board you without the Ebola form. Lying on it can bring federal criminal penalties.
How long does the rule last?
The order runs to 18 December 2026, unless the CDC ends it earlier or extends it. The agency will decide based on the outbreak numbers.
Sources: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Notice and Amended Order, Requirement for Attestation by All Persons Arriving in the United States by Aircraft (signed 28 October 2026), 28 October 2026; CDC Port Health, Order: Requirement for Attestation by All Persons Traveling by Air to the United States, 30 October 2026; CDC, Ebola outbreak situation summary (cases as of 28 October 2026), 30 October 2026; CDC, Ebola information page and travel health notices, 1 November 2026.
Our companion piece is linked here: How Avianca handles the form. It covers the same story from a second angle.
Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error