Anyone flying to the US from 3 November 2026 must declare in writing that they have not been physically present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the 21 days before their flight. According to the Federal Foreign Office’s travel advice for the US, this also includes transit on board an aircraft. Without the declaration, the airline must refuse carriage. The official guidance cited here is current as of 11 November 2026.
The declaration is an additional requirement. It does not replace a passport, ESTA or a visa. When preparing for your trip, it is therefore essential to check both separately: your entry documents and the declaration required before boarding.
1. Check whether the declaration applies to you
If you are planning a flight to the US, you must submit the written declaration. In it, you confirm that you have not been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the 21 days before your flight. The Federal Foreign Office explicitly includes transit on board an aircraft.
The declaration is required regardless of whether you are travelling with ESTA or a visa. The Federal Foreign Office also advises that travellers who have been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda or South Sudan in the 21 days before starting their journey may not enter the US. This is separate from the declaration requirement: submitting a declaration does not override an existing entry restriction.
2. Check ESTA and visas separately
The declaration is neither an entry visa nor a travel authorisation. According to the Federal Foreign Office’s guidance, German nationals travel with a passport and valid ESTA authorisation or a visa. Whether ESTA is an option for your trip depends on the relevant eligibility requirements. You should therefore check the validity and suitability of your entry documents independently of the new declaration.
A valid ESTA or visa does not replace the written confirmation either: it must also be provided for you to be carried. Conversely, the declaration alone does not entitle you to enter the US.
3. Ask your airline before flying
The Federal Foreign Office does not specify a standard template or a central submission process. Depending on the airline, you may therefore be asked for the confirmation during booking, at online check-in or at the airport. The airline must confirm which procedure actually applies.
Ask the airline operating your flight – and, for connecting journeys, each airline involved if necessary – the following specific questions:
- Where and in what format should the declaration be submitted?
- Must it be provided before online check-in or only at the airport?
- Is a printout required, or is a digital declaration sufficient?
- Does the confirmation also apply to children and other people travelling with you, and who submits it on their behalf?
- What needs to be considered for a codeshare flight or a last-minute change to the itinerary?
Ask for confirmation of the procedure, for example by email or through the booking management system. Keep the response with your travel documents. This is a practical safeguard when planning; the current requirements of the US authorities and the airline remain decisive.
4. Check again just before departure
Entry and carriage requirements can change at short notice. Before flying, check the Federal Foreign Office’s current travel advice for the US and any messages from your airline. If your route changes or a new transit stop is added, ask again whether this affects the declaration or the procedure.
If you have been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo within the specified 21 days, do not submit a declaration that contradicts the facts. Contact your airline before travelling and clarify the implications with the relevant US authorities. For legally binding information on entry requirements, contact the relevant US diplomatic or consular missions.
At a glance
Since 3 November 2026, the Federal Foreign Office has required travellers to the US to provide a written declaration that they have not been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the preceding 21 days. Without the declaration, the airline must refuse carriage. ESTA or a visa remains a separate requirement; you should clarify the format and submission process for the declaration directly with the operating airline before departure.
Original reviewed by the editors · 11 November 2026
