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Korea SouthTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents

Asia

Last checked 31 Jul 2026High confidenceHow we rate a record

Korea South treats these medications differently. Of the 7 we track, 4 need approval before you arrive and 3 need only your prescription.

Serious penalties: The Narcotics Control Act is strictly enforced; amphetamine-type ADHD stimulants face high scrutiny and may be refused, and methamphetamine is banned. Entry with any controlled substance without prior MFDS approval is an offence.

ActionMinistry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS): Narcotics Policy Division, Pharmaceutical Safety Bureau approval, applied for at least 14 days before you arrive
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By medication

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

  • Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Permit requiredmax 90 days' supply

    Korea requires a permit from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety before you arrive, whatever quantity you carry. Apply online at nedrug.mfds.go.kr, which now needs only email verification, or email narcotics@korea.kr. Allow at least 10 working days: a late application is refused outright. You need a medical certificate and prescription giving your diagnosis, the generic name, your dose and the quantity. Carry the medicine in your hand luggage. It may never be posted or shipped to Korea.

  • Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate)Permit requiredmax 90 days' supply

    The same rule as Vyvanse above.

  • Dexamphetamine (dexamfetamine)Permit requiredmax 90 days' supply

    The same rule as Vyvanse above.

  • Strattera (atomoxetine)Prescription

    Atomoxetine (Strattera) and guanfacine (Intuniv) are not controlled and need no import permit; they can be brought within the general personal-use limit (up to ~90 days). Non-stimulants are a common substitution route for travellers who cannot import amphetamines.

  • Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts)Permit requiredmax 90 days' supply

    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)

Permit required
Quantity
90 days. Up to 90 days' worth, per the prescription
Permit
Required. Apply at least 14 days ahead. Advance MFDS permit for all controlled substances, regardless of nationality; ~10 business-day review.
Documents
prescription, medical certificate

Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)

Permit required
Quantity
90 days. Up to 90 days' supply, and only as much as you will actually use during the visit, plus about five days' extra for delays. Staying longer means getting a Korean prescription.
Permit
Required. Apply at least 14 days ahead. Apply at least 10 working days before you arrive. This is a hard cut-off: applications made later are rejected rather than processed quickly.

Not internationally controlled

Prescription

Atomoxetine (Strattera) and guanfacine (Intuniv) are not controlled and need no import permit; they can be brought within the general personal-use limit (up to ~90 days). Non-stimulants are a common substitution route for travellers who cannot import amphetamines.

Connecting through Korea South

Korea answers this directly: if you are only connecting and do not go through immigration, you do not need a bring-in permit. The test is whether you clear immigration, not how long you are on the ground.

If you clear immigration: If you clear immigration, even for a stopover, you need the permit, applied for at least 10 working days ahead. Changing airports, for example Incheon to Gimpo, means clearing immigration, so the permit is required.

Staying airside, never clearing immigration:
no approval needed. The MFDS says it in terms: if you just layover and do not go through the entry procedure, you do not need the bring-in permit. One caution: the Korean text keys this to not passing customs, the English to immigration, so stay airside and the exemption clearly holds. The exemption lives in MFDS guidance, not in the Narcotics Control Act itself.
Clearing immigration for a layover:
a permit is required. Anyone entering Korea with medicines containing controlled substances needs the MFDS permit, whatever their nationality. Applications inside 10 business days of arrival are rejected, and there is no expedited path, so a landside layover must be planned well ahead.
Changing airports:
a permit is required. An Incheon to Gimpo transfer forces immigration and customs clearance, which triggers the permit requirement. No source addresses the scenario by name.
Overnight layover, leaving the airport:
a permit is required. Leaving the airport triggers the permit. The permit can be sized to cover onward travel after Korea if you attach the flight bookings, plus at most a 5-day buffer for delays.
Checked bag travelling without you:
no official guidance found, so assume the full entry rules apply. Not addressed. The permit covers medicine you carry on you, and mailing or posting controlled medicines into Korea is prohibited outright, so a bag travelling without you falls between the regimes.

Responsible authority

Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS): Narcotics Policy Division, Pharmaceutical Safety Bureau

Narcotics Policy Division, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety: narcotics@korea.kr; Tel +82 43 719 2813, English +82 43 719 1564; fax +82 43 719 2800.

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.

Application forms and portals

2 forms for Korea South, found and organised with your apply-by date in the trip pack.

A$19

Plus a doctor's letter pre-filled with your medications and every stop, the deadline counted back from the day you fly, and a checklist in travel order.

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Common questions

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 Korea South embassy or consulate before travelling.