BulgariaTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents

Europe

Last checked 20 Jul 2026High confidenceHow we rate a record

Bulgaria treats these medications differently. Of the 7 we track, 2 are not allowed in at all, 1 comes in on paperwork with a supply cap, 1 has no published rule we could find and 3 need only your prescription.

Serious penalties: Bulgaria runs a statutory permit regime: outbound carriage needs a person-specific permit from the Minister of Health, and inbound travellers need a document from the competent authority of the country where the treatment was prescribed (Narcotic Substances and Precursors Control Act, Arts. 58 to 59).

ActionA doctor's certificate naming you, the medication, the dose and the length of treatment, covering no more than 30 days' supply

Work out my dates

By medication

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

Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Not named: Unclear
Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) is not named in Bulgaria's law (Regulation classifying narcotic substances, Lists I to III), so no rule for it is published. Bulgaria's National Council on Narcotic Substances reviewed in 2025 whether to add it to the controlled lists (minutes of 27 May 2025; opinion adopted 16 September 2025), and the outcome has not been published. Ask the authority listed here before you travel.
Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate)Restrictedmax 30 days' supply
Methylphenidate is on List II. Visitors and transit passengers may carry it for their own treatment, up to 30 days' supply (Narcotic Substances and Precursors Control Act, article 58(1)). You need a document issued by the competent authorities of the country where the treatment was prescribed (article 58(2)); Bulgaria's INCB entry lists a prescription plus a doctor's certificate endorsed by your home health authority. A signed doctor's letter on its own does not meet article 58(2). Show the documents if you are asked.
Dexedrine (dexamfetamine)Banned
Dexamfetamine is on List I of Bulgaria's Regulation classifying narcotic substances, the substances prohibited for use in human medicine (Narcotic Substances and Precursors Control Act, article 3(2)(1)). Article 30 bans importing, carrying, transit and possession of List I substances, and the 30-day allowance for visitors in article 58 covers only Lists II and III. It may not be brought into Bulgaria or carried through it in transit.
Strattera (atomoxetine)Prescription
Atomoxetine, guanfacine and viloxazine are not internationally scheduled; carry with a normal prescription in original packaging.
Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts)Banned
Amphetamine and dexamfetamine, with their salts, are on List I of Bulgaria's Regulation classifying narcotic substances, the substances prohibited for use in human medicine (Narcotic Substances and Precursors Control Act, article 3(2)(1)). Article 30 bans importing, carrying, transit and possession of List I substances, and the 30-day allowance for visitors in article 58 covers only Lists II and III. Mixed amphetamine salts may not be brought into Bulgaria or carried through it in transit.
Intuniv (guanfacine)Prescription
The same rule as Strattera above.
Qelbree (viloxazine)Prescription
The same rule as Strattera above.

Rules by drug class

Narcotic (opioids)

Permit required

Quantity: 30 days. 30-day course of treatment for both classes
Permit: Required. Art. 58: bring a document from the competent authority of the country that prescribed the treatment. Bulgaria publishes no form for this and there is nothing to apply to Bulgaria for. No lead time is published.
Documents: prescription, home authority certificate

Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)

Restricted

Quantity: 30 days. Up to 30 days' treatment.
Permit: Not required. No Bulgarian authorisation to bring medicine in: a valid prescription plus a doctor's certificate endorsed by your home health authority, covering 30 days. The Minister of Health permit on this record is for carrying narcotics OUT of Bulgaria under Article 59(2), and does not apply to arriving.
Documents: prescription, home authority certificate

Not internationally controlled

Prescription

Atomoxetine, guanfacine and viloxazine are not internationally scheduled; carry with a normal prescription in original packaging.

Leaving Bulgaria

Bulgaria publishes a different rule for taking these medicines out than for bringing them in. Only the differences are below. Anything not listed here is the same as the rule above.

Narcotic (opioids)

Permit: Required. Art. 59(2): a person-specific Minister of Health permit to carry narcotics out of Bulgaria, applied for on Annex 9. No lead time is published.

Carrying narcotic medicines out of Bulgaria needs a Minister of Health permit, and Annex 9 is the application for it.

Annex 9, application to carry narcotic medicines out of Bulgaria (Art. 59(2)), for people leaving BulgariaIn the Trip Pack

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.

Connecting through Bulgaria

Bulgarian law treats transit passengers the same as visitors (Narcotic Substances and Precursors Control Act, article 58(1)). Methylphenidate may be carried for up to 30 days' treatment with a document issued by the competent authorities of the country where it was prescribed. Dexamfetamine and mixed amphetamine salts are List I substances and may not be carried in transit (article 30). Lisdexamfetamine's status is unconfirmed; ask the Ministry of Health before you travel.

Responsible authority

Narcotic Drugs Department, Ministry of Health

5 Sveta Nedelja sq, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria; Tel: +359 2 9301385; e-mail: vzidarova@mh.government.bg

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

Bulgaria needs a permit before you fly. The pack works out your apply-by date from your travel date.

A$59

We have not found an application form or portal for travellers here, so the pack gives you Narcotic Drugs Department, Ministry of Health to contact, what to put in the request, and how long to allow. Plus a doctor's letter pre-filled with your medications and every stop, and a checklist in travel order.

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 Bulgaria embassy or consulate before travelling.