CubaTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents
North AmericaLast checked 20 Jul 2026Medium confidenceHow we rate a record
Cuba 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.
Serious penalties: Cuba prohibits Psychotropic List I, Narcotic List IV, and cannabis/coca/cocaine/heroin outright, applies per-substance gram caps, and requires prior MINSAP written authorization for opioid maintenance/substitution therapy. Amphetamine-type ADHD stimulants are not given a personal cap, only methylphenidate (1 g) is provided for; confirm with MINSAP.
By medication
Brand names first, generic in brackets. Each line resolves the drug class rule below, plus anything Cuba records specifically for that medication.
- Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Unclear
No Cuba-specific information found distinguishing lisdexamfetamine from amphetamine; likely subject to the same Resolution 104/2022 permit requirement given its status as a controlled stimulant.
- Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate)Restricted
Cuba regulates the import of drugs, narcotics and psychotropic substances under MINSAP Resolution 104/2022: travellers may bring certain controlled medications for personal use, but must have a permit issued by the health authority and be able to prove legal use with a medical prescription. Cuban Customs has strengthened controls and seizes controlled medications or commercial-quantity imports. Travellers with ADHD stimulants should obtain the health-authority permit in advance, carry the original prescription and doctor's letter, keep medication in original packaging, bring only personal-use quantities, and declare at customs (Red Channel).
- Dexamphetamine (dexamfetamine)Restricted
The same rule as Ritalin, Concerta above.
- Strattera (atomoxetine)Prescription
Atomoxetine, guanfacine and viloxazine are not internationally controlled; carry a prescription and keep in original packaging within personal-use quantities and declare at customs.
- Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts)Restricted
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
- 30 days. Per-substance gram caps over the stay (e.g. morphine 3 g, methadone 2 g, methylphenidate 1 g), max 30 days for controlled classes
- Permit
- Not required. Within the per-substance caps no permit is needed, but opioid maintenance/substitution therapy needs prior MINSAP written authorization before travel.
- Documents
- prescription, home authority certificate, medical certificate
Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)
Restricted- Quantity
- Personal, non-commercial use only; controlled medicines are authorized in specified quantities (e.g. up to 100 tablets and limited jars per authorized item under the drug schedule); quantities considered commercial are seized
- Permit
- Required. Cuba asks for a certificate issued by its own health authorities, alongside a prescription and a doctor's certificate endorsed by your home health authority. Methylphenidate is listed with a 1 g ceiling, for the length of the stay and no more than 30 days, and official medical documentation is required. A separate prior authorisation from the Ministry of Public Health applies to travellers carrying controlled substances for dependence maintenance or substitution treatment.
Not internationally controlled
PrescriptionAtomoxetine, guanfacine and viloxazine are not internationally controlled; carry a prescription and keep in original packaging within personal-use quantities and declare at customs.
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
Departamento de Servicios Farmaceuticos y Opticos, Direccion Nacional de Medicamentos y Tecnologias Medicas, Ministerio de Salud Publica
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
Cuba needs a permit before you fly. The pack works out your apply-by date from your travel date.
We have not found an application form or portal for travellers here, so the pack gives you Departamento de Servicios Farmaceuticos y Opticos, Direccion Nacional de Medicamentos y Tecnologias Medicas, Ministerio de Salud Publicato 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 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 Cuba embassy or consulate before travelling.