BahrainTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents
AsiaLast checked 20 Jul 2026Medium confidenceHow we rate a record
Bahrain treats these medications differently. Of the 7 we track, 4 come in on paperwork with a supply cap and 3 need only your prescription.
Serious penalties: All narcotics are listed as prohibited import goods by Bahrain Customs by default; entering with a controlled medicine beyond the 7-day allowance, or without a prescription plus home-country certificate plus Bahraini-authority certificate, has no lawful basis and risks prosecution under Law 15/2007 (penalties up to death/life imprisonment for trafficking-type offences, imprisonment and fines for simple possession).
By medication
Brand names first, generic in brackets. Each line resolves the drug class rule below, plus anything Bahrain records specifically for that medication.
- Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Restrictedmax 7 days' supply
Article 26(c) of Law 15/2007 has two limbs and they do different things. A patient treated abroad may bring in up to one week's treatment on a prescription certified by the authorities of the country of treatment: that is self-executing, with the documents shown at the border and no Bahraini application. The following sentence then bars bringing in Group One or Two substances that are NOT available in Bahraini pharmacies except on a lawful prescription and "after coordination with the competent department". Which medicines that catches is not published, and no form, fee or lead time for the coordination step exists. Bahrain Customs separately lists all narcotics as prohibited imports without mentioning the Article 26 carve-out at all. Same three-document pattern as narcotic class.
- Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate)Restrictedmax 7 days' supply
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Dexamphetamine (dexamfetamine)Restrictedmax 7 days' supply
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Strattera (atomoxetine)Prescription
Atomoxetine, guanfacine and viloxazine are not internationally scheduled; carry with a normal prescription in original packaging.
- Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts)Restrictedmax 7 days' supply
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Intuniv (guanfacine)Prescription
The same rule as Strattera above.
- Qelbree (viloxazine)Prescription
The same rule as Strattera above.
Rules by drug class
Narcotic (opioids)
Restricted- Quantity
- 7 days. 7 days inbound per INCB submission and Law 15/2007 Art. 26(c); distinct from Art. 19's 1-week domestic prescribing cap (which coincides numerically) and Art. 26(b)'s 5-dose outbound allowance for Bahrainis travelling for treatment.
- Permit
- Not published. Article 26(c) of Law 15/2007 has two limbs and they do different things. A patient treated abroad may bring in up to one week's treatment on a prescription certified by the authorities of the country of treatment: that is self-executing, with the documents shown at the border and no Bahraini application. The following sentence then bars bringing in Group One or Two substances that are NOT available in Bahraini pharmacies except on a lawful prescription and "after coordination with the competent department". Which medicines that catches is not published, and no form, fee or lead time for the coordination step exists. Bahrain Customs separately lists all narcotics as prohibited imports without mentioning the Article 26 carve-out at all.
- Documents
- prescription, home authority certificate, import permit
Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)
Restricted- Quantity
- 7 days. Same 7-day inbound figure as narcotic class; Art. 19's separate domestic prescribing cap for psychotropics is 2 months, not to be confused with the traveller figure.
- Permit
- Not published. Article 26(c) of Law 15/2007 has two limbs and they do different things. A patient treated abroad may bring in up to one week's treatment on a prescription certified by the authorities of the country of treatment: that is self-executing, with the documents shown at the border and no Bahraini application. The following sentence then bars bringing in Group One or Two substances that are NOT available in Bahraini pharmacies except on a lawful prescription and "after coordination with the competent department". Which medicines that catches is not published, and no form, fee or lead time for the coordination step exists. Bahrain Customs separately lists all narcotics as prohibited imports without mentioning the Article 26 carve-out at all.
- Documents
- prescription, home authority certificate, import permit
Not internationally controlled
PrescriptionAtomoxetine, guanfacine and viloxazine are not internationally scheduled; carry with a normal prescription in original packaging.
If a country asks for a certificate from your own health authority
Australia does not issue export certificates for personal medication. There is no Australian office that endorses a traveller's certificate the way a Schengen country's health authority endorses an Article 75 certificate. The Office of Drug Control licenses commercial exporters, and the TGA regulates products rather than certifying individual travellers, so neither will stamp your paperwork.
What to do instead: ask your prescriber for a signed letter on practice letterhead giving your name and passport number, each medicine by generic and brand name, strength, daily dose, total quantity and the dates it covers, plus the prescriber's registration number and contact details. Have it dated close to departure, and carry the original dispensing labels.
Then contact the destination's authority in writing before you book, say plainly that Australia does not issue the certificate they ask for, and ask what they will accept in its place. Keep the reply. A written answer from the authority is the strongest document you can carry, and it is the only thing that closes this gap.
Responsible authority
National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA)
Al Khair Tower 2, Building 612, Road 1011, Block 410, Sanabis; Tel: 17113222; e-mail: cunp@nhra.bh
Sources
The source behind everything above, so you can check it yourself rather than take our word for it. Always confirm the current rule with the source before you travel.
Your trip pack
A doctor's letter for Bahrain, filled in with your medications and your stops, ready to sign.
The rules above are free and stay free. The pack is the paperwork that goes with them: a checklist for each stop in travel order, a printable PDF, and the letter to take to your GP.
Build your trip packThis page organises publicly available government information and links. It is not legal or medical advice. Rules change and enforcement varies, so always confirm with the official sources above or the Bahrain embassy or consulate before travelling.