Macau SARTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents

Asia

Last checked 20 Jul 2026Medium confidenceHow we rate a record

Macau SAR treats these medications differently. Of the 7 we track, 6 come in on paperwork with a supply cap and 1 has no published rule we could find.

Serious penalties: Macao outright prohibits a defined substance list, including the opioid dextropropoxyphene and several stimulant/anorectic agents (phentermine, amfepramone, fenproporex, cathine), plus all substances in Tables I-B, I-C and II-A of Law 17/2009 (the traveller rule in Decree-Law 34/99/M, art 9, leaves them out). A prohibited-substance carry is a serious offence regardless of prescription.

ActionA doctor's certificate naming you, the medication, the dose and the length of treatment, covering no more than 30 days' supply

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By medication

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

Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Not named: Unclear
Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) is not named in Macau SAR's law (Law 17/2009, Tables I to VI as consolidated to Law 2/2025), so no rule for it is published. Ask the authority listed here before you travel.
Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate)Restrictedmax 30 days' supply
Macau allows all three ADHD stimulant classes with a prescription, capped at 30 days. None are on Macau's specific prohibited-substances list. You must carry a medical document justifying its use, such as a valid prescription; without it customs hold the medicine, and seize it if the Health Services do not confirm you need it (Decree-Law 34/99/M, art 9).
Dexedrine (dexamfetamine)Restrictedmax 30 days' supply
The same rule as Ritalin, Concerta above.
Strattera (atomoxetine)Restrictedmax 90 days' supply
Atomoxetine, guanfacine and viloxazine are not controlled drugs in Macao. You can bring them in your hand luggage or accompanied baggage for your own use, up to the amount needed for 90 days of treatment (Chief Executive Order 209/2021, Annex I). You must be able to show a medical document that justifies their use, such as your prescription. Larger amounts need an import licence.
Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts)Restrictedmax 30 days' supply
The same rule as Ritalin, Concerta above.
Intuniv (guanfacine)Restrictedmax 90 days' supply
The same rule as Strattera above.
Qelbree (viloxazine)Restrictedmax 90 days' supply
The same rule as Strattera above.

Rules by drug class

Narcotic (opioids)

Prescription

Quantity: 30 days. 30 days' supply for both narcotic and psychotropic classes
Permit: Not required. A valid medical prescription is the marked requirement; no separate import permit is exposed. Confirm with ISAF for longer stays or larger quantities.
Documents: prescription, home authority certificate, medical certificate, customs declaration

Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)

Restricted

Quantity: 30 days. Up to 30 days' supply for all three classes.
Permit: Not required. No Macau authorisation. A valid prescription covering 30 days. No certificate from Macau health authorities is asked for. Check the substance itself first: Tables I-B, I-C and II-A of Law 17/2009 are left out of the traveller rule (Decree-Law 34/99/M, art 9).
Documents: prescription

Not internationally controlled

Restricted

Quantity: 90 days. Up to the amount needed for 90 days of treatment, carried by hand or in accompanied baggage.
Permit: Not required up to 90 days' supply. Above that, it is. No import licence is needed for up to 90 days of treatment carried by hand or in accompanied baggage. Larger amounts need an import licence; the order does not name who issues it.
Documents: prescription

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

Department of Vigilance, Pharmaceutical Administration Bureau (ISAF), Macao SAR of China

Avenida do Comendador Ho Yin, Edificio de Escritorios do Governo (Qingmao), 19th floor, Macao, China; Tel +853 8598 3203; Fax +853 2883 1919; e-mail info@isaf.gov.mo

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.

Your trip pack

A doctor's letter for Macau SAR, filled in with your medications and your stops, ready to sign.

A$59

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 pack

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 Macau SAR embassy or consulate before travelling.