BurundiTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents
AfricaLast checked 20 Jul 2026Low confidence: check with the embassyHow we rate a record
Burundi treats these medications differently. Of the 7 we track, 4 have no published rule we could find and 3 need only your prescription.
Serious penalties: Under Burundi's Penal Code, illicit possession or consumption of a substance classified as a narcotic carries one to five years' imprisonment (Art. 510), and illegal import, manufacture or export carries ten to fifteen years' imprisonment plus a fine (Art. 508); separately, under the Customs Code, unauthorised or undeclared import, export, transit or possession of narcotics or psychotropic substances carries a further three months to ten years' imprisonment (Art. 307(g)). None of these instruments states a personal-medical-travel exemption, and the ministerial ordinance that Penal Code Art. 505-506 and pharmacy-law Art. 57 both point to as the source of any lawful exception was not found published.
We could not find strong recent official guidance for this country. Contact the embassy or consulate directly before you travel.
By medication
Brand names first, generic in brackets. Each line resolves the drug class rule below, plus anything Burundi records specifically for that medication.
- Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Unclear
Burundi's controlled-substances framework is asymmetric between the two classes. The Penal Code's 'Des stupéfiants' chapter and the pharmacy law's narcotics chapter never use the word 'psychotrope,' so neither instrument's authorisation-or-prohibition regime can be confirmed to extend to ADHD stimulant medication. The Customs Code is the one instrument that names psychotropic substances explicitly, making unauthorised or undeclared import/export/transit/possession a customs offence carrying 3 months to 10 years' imprisonment, with the same red/green channel system applying. No source states what 'authorisation' for a psychotropic substance consists of or who issues it. No ABREMA, MSPLS or OBR page addresses ADHD medication specifically, and no personal-use quantity or traveller form is published. Art. 281(1)(b) separately makes 'la détention sans justification' of narcotics and psychotropic substances a first-category offence, so possession with a prescription and a declaration is arguably outside it, but no source states what Burundian customs accepts as justification. A traveller carrying methylphenidate, dexamfetamine, mixed amphetamine salts or lisdexamfetamine should expect to
- Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate)Unclear
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Dexamphetamine (dexamfetamine)Unclear
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Strattera (atomoxetine)Prescription
Atomoxetine, guanfacine and viloxazine are not internationally controlled; carry a prescription and a health certificate and keep in original packaging.
- Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts)Unclear
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)
Unclear- Quantity
- No traveller personal-use quantity is published by any Burundian authority. The Customs Code confirms an indicative baggage-allowance list exists in the Bulletin Officiel des Douanes but it was not located online.
- Permit
- Not published. No traveller application form, portal, lead time or fee is published. ABREMA's ASYCUDA-based import authorisation is a commercial importer's process, not a traveller route.
- In force
- Since 29 December 2017.
Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)
Unclear- Quantity
- No traveller personal-use quantity is published by any Burundian authority.
- Permit
- Not published. No traveller application form, portal, lead time or fee is published.
Not internationally controlled
PrescriptionAtomoxetine, guanfacine and viloxazine are not internationally controlled; carry a prescription and a health certificate and keep in original packaging.
Leaving Burundi
Burundi 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)
Penal Code Art. 508 punishes illegal export with the same 10-15 year penalty as illegal import, and Customs Code Art. 307(g) names export symmetrically with import and transit in the same offence; no separate outbound-only process for travellers is published.
Responsible authority
Agence Burundaise de Régulation des Médicaments (ABREMA); Ministry of Public Health (MSPLS)
ABREMA: abrema.bi@outlook.com
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 Burundi, 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 Burundi embassy or consulate before travelling.