GhanaTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents
AfricaLast checked 20 Jul 2026Medium confidenceHow we rate a record
Ghana 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: Unusually heavy stacked documentation is required: a valid prescription, a home-authority-endorsed doctor's certificate, a destination-country certificate, and the original prescription at customs.
By medication
Brand names first, generic in brackets. Each line resolves the drug class rule below, plus anything Ghana records specifically for that medication.
- Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Unclear
Ghana allows ADHD stimulants (psychotropic substances) for personal use with a valid prescription, a doctor's certificate endorsed by the home health authority and/or a destination-country certificate, and presentation of the original prescription at customs. Quantities follow the INCB/CND guidelines (Annex III for psychotropics); no specific numeric limit is stated.
- Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate)Unclear
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Dexamphetamine (dexamfetamine)Unclear
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Strattera (atomoxetine)Prescription
Atomoxetine, guanfacine ER and viloxazine are not internationally scheduled; bring with prescription in original packaging. No specific Ghana ban found.
- 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)
Prescription- Quantity
- No official traveller quantity is published
- Permit
- Not required. No separate traveller permit; entry is documentation-based.
- Documents
- prescription, home authority certificate, medical certificate, customs declaration
Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)
Unclear- Quantity
- Quantities as referred to in the Annexes of the 'Guidelines for national regulations concerning travellers under treatment with internationally controlled drugs' (CND resolution 46/6); no specific numeric limit stated
- Permit
- Required. Ghana asks for a certificate issued by its own health authorities, alongside a prescription, a doctor's certificate endorsed by your home health authority, and the original prescription presented at customs. No form, portal or processing time is published, so contact the Food and Drugs Authority before you travel.
Not internationally controlled
PrescriptionAtomoxetine, guanfacine ER and viloxazine are not internationally scheduled; bring with prescription in original packaging. No specific Ghana ban found.
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
Food and Drugs Authority (FDA)
Address: P.O. Box CT 2783, Cantonments, Accra, Ghana; Tel: +233-302-233200/235100; Fax: +233-302-229794/225502; email: fda@fdaghana.gov.gh
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
Ghana 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 Food and Drugs Authority (FDA)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 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 Ghana embassy or consulate before travelling.