Effective May 18, 2026, U.S. health and security agencies introduced strict new measures aimed at preventing Ebola disease from entering the United States in the context of ongoing outbreaks in East and Central Africa. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Homeland Security, and other federal bodies have coordinated enhanced travel screening and entry restrictions. These steps reflect heightened concern about the potential cross-border spread of Ebola.
A key element of the policy is a categorical bar on entry for non-U.S. passport holders who have been in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or South Sudan in the previous 21 days. Individuals falling into this category are not eligible to enter the United States at this time. This 21-day window corresponds to the known incubation period for Ebola and is designed to minimize the risk of infectious travelers reaching U.S. territory.
In addition to direct entry restrictions, U.S. embassies in Juba, Kinshasa, and Kampala have temporarily paused all visa services. This suspension effectively prevents new visa applications from being processed in the affected countries, further reducing the likelihood of travel from outbreak zones. The combination of consular pauses and entry bars amounts to a comprehensive brake on non-U.S. citizen movement from these states into the United States.
The measures form part of a larger framework in which, as of January 1, 2026, the United States is fully or partially suspending entry and visa issuance for nationals of dozens of countries. However, the Ebola-related steps are specifically targeted at recent presence in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan within the 21-day timeframe. They represent a public health response layered onto broader immigration and security policies.
What this means for you
If you are a non-U.S. citizen who has been in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or South Sudan in the last 21 days, you should not expect to be allowed to enter the United States under current rules. Prospective travelers should carefully review their recent travel history and understand that even indirect itineraries involving these countries can trigger ineligibility. Planning routes that avoid these states and accounting for the 21-day period before attempting U.S. entry will be essential.
Travelers, airlines, and other carriers should anticipate enhanced screening questions and checks related to recent presence in the affected countries. Visa applicants connected to these locations will encounter suspended operations at U.S. missions in Juba, Kinshasa, and Kampala and should seek guidance on alternative consular posts if eligible. U.S. citizens returning from these areas should be prepared for health screening and possible additional public health measures, even though the categorical entry bar applies only to non-U.S. passports.
These Ebola-focused restrictions underscore how quickly border rules can change in response to disease outbreaks, particularly for travelers from or through specific regions. Anyone whose plans involve East or Central Africa should monitor official updates closely and build flexibility into their itineraries, recognizing that entry into the United States is now tied to detailed scrutiny of recent travel to Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan.