US Ebola Travel Ban 2026: Uganda, Congo & South Sudan

What exactly is banned?

The CDC order is narrow but absolute in scope. It targets recent travel history to three specific countries, not the nationality of the traveller. The table below summarises what is and is not affected.

The single most important point to understand is that this ban is based on travel history, not passport. A Nigerian citizen who spent a week in Kampala in May 2026 is banned from entering the US for 21 days after leaving Uganda. A Ugandan citizen who has lived in Germany for the past five years and has not set foot in East Africa is not banned at all. If you are unsure how the ban interacts with the broader picture of US entry restrictions, our overview of the US visa freeze affecting 75 countries explains how these health-based and policy-based measures stack up.

The Ebola outbreak - current status

The current outbreak is the most severe Ebola event in Central and East Africa since the 2018-2020 epidemic in the eastern DRC. Health authorities have confirmed it is caused by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus variant, one of the less common but still highly lethal strains of the virus.

• The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus variant, named after the Ugandan district where it was first identified in 2007.
• At least 131 deaths have been confirmed across the three affected countries, with case counts still rising daily.
• The epicentre is in eastern DR Congo, centred on the city of Bunia in Ituri province, a densely populated and mobile border region.
• The virus has spread across the border into western Uganda, prompting Kampala to activate national response protocols.
• South Sudan is classified as an at-risk country given porous borders and significant cross-border movement of people and traders.
• The Africa CDC declared a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) on May 18, 2026, the same day the US ban was issued.
• An American physician, Dr Peter Stafford, who had been treating patients in Bunia, was medically evacuated to Germany after exposure.
• Ebola carries a case fatality rate of roughly 25 to 35 percent in this outbreak, depending on speed of treatment and access to care.
• This is the first major Ebola outbreak in the region since the 2018-2020 epidemic, which killed more than 2,200 people.

Who is affected - by visa type

The suspension of consular services and the entry ban affect different visa categories in different ways. Below is a breakdown of what each group of applicants and visa holders should expect.

B1/B2 visitor visas:

• All B1/B2 interviews in Kampala, Kinshasa and Juba are cancelled until further notice.
• Existing visa holders who have been in an affected country in the last 21 days cannot board flights to the US.
• Tourists and business travellers should postpone all non-essential trips to the US until the ban lifts.

F-1 student visas:

• Students with September 2026 program starts face the most acute risk if consular sections do not reopen in time.
• Continuing students already in the US are not affected unless they travel home and try to return.
• If you hold an F-1 visa, the separate policy changes covered in our guide to the end of F-1 Duration of Status may also affect your long-term plans.

H-1B and other work visas:

• Workers with approved petitions awaiting visa stamping in an affected country cannot complete consular processing.
• Employers should explore third-country visa appointments where the worker is legally permitted to apply.
• Workers already in the US in valid status are not affected and should avoid international travel through the region.

Immigrant visas and green cards:

• Immigrant visa interviews, including family-sponsored and employment-based categories, are suspended at all three posts.
• Approved immigrant visa holders who have been in an affected country within 21 days cannot enter to activate their status.
• Visa validity periods continue to run, so applicants should monitor expiry dates closely and request extensions where needed.

Family petitions:

• Pending I-130 and I-140 petitions remain valid - the petition itself does not expire because of the embassy closure.
• Only the final visa interview stage is paused; petition approval and National Visa Center processing continue.
• Nigerian applicants with family in the region can review country-specific guidance on our Nigeria immigration page.

What if my visa appointment was cancelled?

If your interview at one of the three affected embassies has been cancelled, the worst thing you can do is panic or flood the consular section with calls. Follow this sequence instead.

1. Do not call the embassy. Phone lines are reserved for genuine emergencies and consular staff cannot give appointment dates that do not yet exist.
2. Monitor the official embassy websites - ug.usembassy.gov for Uganda, cd.usembassy.gov for the DRC, and ss.usembassy.gov for South Sudan - for resumption announcements.
3. If your travel is genuinely urgent (medical emergency, death of a relative, or a time-sensitive immigrant visa), email the consular section directly and clearly state the emergency.
4. Consider applying at an alternate embassy such as Nairobi, Addis Ababa or Brazzaville - but remember you must not have been in an affected country in the prior 21 days, and you must be lawfully present in the country where you apply.
5. Keep your petition documents safe. An approved petition stays valid even though the interview is delayed; you will simply be rescheduled once services resume.

Transit travelers - are you affected?

One of the most common misunderstandings about the ban is the assumption that a short layover does not count. It does. The CDC order treats any physical presence in an affected country - including airport transit - as triggering the 21-day bar. If you connect through Entebbe, Kinshasa or Juba on your way to the US, you will be refused boarding.

• Lagos to Entebbe connections - a popular routing for West African travellers - now disqualify the passenger from US entry.
• Nairobi to Juba routes used by South Sudanese and East African travellers trigger the ban.
• Kigali to Kinshasa connections, common for travellers heading into Central Africa, are affected.
• Addis Ababa to Kampala segments on Ethiopian Airlines itineraries also count as presence in Uganda.

The practical advice is simple: when booking travel to the US, avoid any itinerary that routes through Uganda, the DRC or South Sudan. Choose direct connections or hubs such as Nairobi, Doha, Dubai or Istanbul instead. If you have already booked an affected routing, contact your airline to rebook before you fly.

Impact on neighbouring countries

The ban itself names only three countries, but the regional impact is wider. Travellers from neighbouring states should understand where they stand.

• Kenya is not on the banned list and the US Embassy in Nairobi remains fully operational. Kenya has, however, stepped up screening at land borders and at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
• Rwanda is not banned, but its proximity to the DRC and shared border crossings mean travellers should be prepared for enhanced health checks and possible future restrictions.
• Tanzania remains outside the ban and continues normal operations, though authorities have increased surveillance along the western border region.
• Ethiopia is not affected and Addis Ababa remains a viable alternate consular post, but Ethiopian Airlines passengers should avoid connections through affected airports.

The situation is fluid. If case counts cross borders, additional countries could be added to the order at short notice. Travellers from the wider East and Central Africa region should monitor official sources closely.

How long will the ban last?

The CDC order was issued for an initial period of 30 days, running through approximately June 17, 2026. It is renewable, and based on past practice it almost certainly will be renewed at least once.

For context, the Uganda-related travel restrictions imposed during the 2022 Sudan ebolavirus outbreak lasted roughly three months. Given the larger geographic spread of the current outbreak across three countries, a realistic expectation is that the ban will remain in force for two to three months, and possibly longer if cases continue to climb.

The ban will be lifted when one or more of the following conditions are met: a 42-day period passes with no new confirmed cases (twice the maximum incubation period); the World Health Organization or the Africa CDC formally declares the outbreak over; or the CDC independently determines that the risk of importation has fallen to an acceptable level. Until then, applicants should plan around a multi-month disruption rather than hoping for an imminent reopening.

Alternatives while the ban is active

If your US plans are on hold, this is a good moment to consider whether another destination fits your goals. The Ebola travel ban applies only to entry into the United States - it has no bearing on your eligibility to study, work or settle elsewhere.

• The United Kingdom offers Skilled Worker and Student routes with relatively predictable processing timelines.
• Canada runs Express Entry and study permit pathways that are unaffected by the US health order.
• Germany has expanded its Opportunity Card and skilled worker visas for qualified professionals.
• The UAE and Dubai offer fast employment and golden visa routes with quick consular processing.

It bears repeating: the US ban does not affect your eligibility for any of these countries. For a structured comparison of where your skills are most in demand, see our analysis of the best countries to work abroad in 2026. And if you were a Diversity Visa selectee whose interview has been paused, our DV-2026 lottery guide explains how delayed interviews interact with the program's hard fiscal-year deadline.

Timeline of events

• March-April 2026 - Initial cluster of viral haemorrhagic fever cases detected in and around Bunia in eastern DR Congo.
• Early May 2026 - Laboratory testing confirms the outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus variant; case counts begin to rise.
• Mid-May 2026 - First confirmed cases reported across the border in western Uganda; South Sudan placed on heightened alert.
• May 18, 2026 - The Africa CDC declares a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security; the CDC issues its Title 42 entry order.
• May 18, 2026 - US embassies in Kampala, Kinshasa and Juba suspend all visa services with immediate effect.
• May 20, 2026 - American physician Dr Peter Stafford is medically evacuated from the DRC to Germany following exposure.
• May 22, 2026 - Confirmed deaths reach at least 131; the entry ban and consular suspension remain fully in force.