BhutanTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents

Asia

Last checked 20 Jul 2026Medium confidenceHow we rate a record

Bhutan treats these medications differently. Of the 7 we track, 3 come in on paperwork with a supply cap, 1 has no published rule we could find and 3 need only your prescription.

ActionA doctor's certificate naming you, the medication, the dose and the length of treatment, covering no more than 90 days' supply

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By medication

Brand names first, generic in brackets. Each line resolves the drug class rule below, plus anything Bhutan records specifically for that medication.

Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Not named: Unclear
Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) is not named in Bhutan's law (Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Substance Abuse Act of Bhutan 2015 as amended in 2018, Schedules I to VI, pages 106 to 114; the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority's schedule lists of April 2025), so no rule for it is published. Ask the authority listed here before you travel.
Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate)Restrictedmax 90 days' supply
Bhutan's Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Substance Abuse Rules and Regulations 2026 (paras 46 to 48, in force 1 July 2026) require an arriving traveller to carry a prescription from a registered medical and health professional stating the name, dose and quantity, and allow no more than a three-month dose. The 2024 Regulation was superseded on 1 July 2026. We suggest keeping the prescription with the medicine at all times. Under Bhutan's drug law, a person who cannot produce a prescription for these medicines commits an offence (Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Substance Abuse Act, section 137, page 35). The law's permission for travellers depends on the prescription and on not carrying more than it states (section 30, page 9).
Dexedrine (dexamfetamine)Restrictedmax 90 days' supply
The same rule as Ritalin, Concerta 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 90 days' supply
The same rule as Ritalin, Concerta 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)

Prescription

Quantity: As per the prescription (no separate numeric cap; general non-prescription imports are capped at one month's supply)
Permit: Not required. A valid prescription or BFDA prior approval exempts the traveller from the import-licence requirement.
Documents: prescription, home authority certificate, medical certificate, customs declaration

Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)

Restricted

Quantity: 90 days. The quantity on your prescription, and never more than a three-month dose. Anything above three months is seized (Rules and Regulations 2026, paras 46 to 48, in force 1 July 2026).
Permit: Not published. The 2026 Rules' traveller clauses (paras 46 to 48) ask for a prescription. Bhutan's own INCB submission also ticks the box for a certificate issued by Bhutan's health authorities, and no form, portal or route to obtain one is published. Contact the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority to confirm before you travel.

Not internationally controlled

Prescription

Quantity: Not more than the amount stated in your prescription (Bhutan Medicines Rules and Regulation 2025, para 134(3)). Carry it with a valid prescription (para 165(1)).

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

Bhutan Food and Drug Authority (Controlled Substances and Medical Device Division), Ministry of Health

189 Drophen Lam NW, Kawang Jangsa, Thimphu; e-mail: gbidha@bfda.gov.bt (cc: tchoden@bfda.gov.bt)

Sources

The sources 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 Bhutan, filled in with your medications and your stops, ready to sign.

A$59

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 pack

This 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 Bhutan embassy or consulate before travelling.