LatviaTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents
EuropeLast checked 20 Jul 2026Medium confidenceHow we rate a record
Latvia treats these medications differently. Of the 7 we track, 2 are not allowed in at all and 5 come in on paperwork with a supply cap.
Serious penalties: Narcotic analgesics, new psychoactive substances and 'active substances' may not be brought in or received by post, and Schedule I substances are prohibited. Quantities over 3 packaging units need written personal-use certification.
By medication
Brand names first, generic in brackets. Each line resolves the drug class rule below, plus anything Latvia records specifically for that medication.
- Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Restrictedmax 14 days' supply
Methylphenidate and lisdexamfetamine are on List II of Latvia's controlled substance lists. Arriving from or leaving for a country outside Schengen, you may bring up to 14 days' supply for personal use without a special permit, with a prescription or a copy or extract of it (Law on the Legal Circulation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances, section 39(2)). Arriving from a Schengen state, you need a certificate from that state's competent authority; no day limit is stated. Dexamfetamine and mixed amphetamine salts are on List I, which section 39 does not cover, and are banned.
- Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate)Restrictedmax 14 days' supply
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Dexedrine (dexamfetamine)Banned
Banned. Amphetamine and its enantiomers, which include dexamfetamine, are on List I (prohibited) of Latvia's controlled substance lists (Annex 2 to the Criminal Law commencement law, paragraph 11, item 3). Section 5 of the Law on the Legal Circulation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances prohibits their import, possession and transit. The traveller rule in section 39 covers only Lists II and III, so there is no traveller allowance for this medicine.
- Strattera (atomoxetine)Restrictedmax 180 days' supply
Atomoxetine (Strattera), guanfacine ER (Intuniv) and viloxazine (Qelbree) are not on Latvia's controlled lists. You may bring them for personal use in the original packaging, with the manufacturer and country of manufacture shown on the pack, and with the purchase receipt or an equivalent document. You may bring up to 6 months' use from outside the European Economic Area (12 months from an EEA country). If you bring more than three packs of one medicine, you must also carry a signed statement that the medicine is for your personal use, that it is not a narcotic painkiller, a new psychoactive substance or an active substance, and that you take responsibility for its use. Latvia does not ask for a prescription to carry these medicines. We suggest carrying yours as well.
- Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts)Banned
The same rule as Dexedrine above.
- Intuniv (guanfacine)Restrictedmax 180 days' supply
The same rule as Strattera above.
- Qelbree (viloxazine)Restrictedmax 180 days' supply
The same rule as Strattera above.
Rules by drug class
Narcotic (opioids)
Prescription- Quantity
- 14 days. Non-Schengen travellers: 14 days for narcotics, 30 days for psychotropics; the Schengen route is gated by an Article 75 certificate
- Permit
- Not required. For a non-Schengen arrival a prescription/healthcare document suffices; intra-Schengen travel needs an Article 75 certificate. Foreign-language documents need a Latvian translation.
- Documents
- prescription, customs declaration
Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)
Restricted- Quantity
- 14 days. List II medicines (methylphenidate, lisdexamfetamine): up to 14 days' supply when you arrive from outside Schengen (section 39(2)). Arriving from a Schengen state, a certificate from that state's competent authority is needed and no day limit is stated.
- Permit
- Not required. No Latvian permit for methylphenidate or lisdexamfetamine when you arrive from outside Schengen: carry the prescription, or a copy or extract of it. Arriving from a Schengen state, you need a certificate from that state's competent authority.
Not internationally controlled
Restricted- Quantity
- 180 days. Up to 6 months' use when you arrive from a country outside the European Economic Area (12 months from an EEA country). If you bring more than three packs of one medicine, you must carry a signed statement that it is for your personal use, that it is not a narcotic painkiller, a new psychoactive substance or an active substance, and that you take responsibility for its use.
- Documents
- original packaging
Responsible authority
State Agency of Medicines
Jersikas iela 15, Riga LV-1003, Latvia; Tel: +371 67078424; e-mail: info@zva.gov.lv
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.
- Carrying medicines into and out of the country: ZVAGovernment
- Law on Legal Circulation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances (Latvian, version from 6 March 2026): non-Schengen arrivals, List II up to 14 days and List III up to 30 days with a prescription, s 39(2); transit permits, s 29Government, 2026-03-06
- Controlled substance Lists, Annex 2 to the Criminal Law commencement law (from 1 Dec 2025): amphetamine and dexamfetamine List I, para 11(3); lisdexamfetamine para 13(59^1) and methylphenidate para 14(14), List IIGovernment, 2025-12-01
- INCB Travellers table: LatviaTreaty body, 2013-09-27
Your trip pack
A doctor's letter for Latvia, 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 Latvia embassy or consulate before travelling.