MaldivesTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents
AsiaLast checked 20 Jul 2026Medium confidenceHow we rate a record
Maldives 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: Carrying a controlled medicine without a prescription meeting MFDA's exact required content and dating, or carrying a substance absent from the Maldives Approved Drug List (true today of oxycodone, hydromorphone, tapentadol, and all four ADHD stimulants in scope, plus guanfacine and viloxazine), risks the medicine being treated as an unauthorised controlled drug at the border.
By medication
Brand names first, generic in brackets. Each line resolves the drug class rule below, plus anything Maldives records specifically for that medication.
- Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Unclear
Methylphenidate, dexamfetamine, mixed amphetamine salts and lisdexamfetamine do not appear in MFDA's Approved Drug List (Feb/Mar 2025 editions). Whether a prescribed personal supply is nonetheless permitted under the controlled-drug personal-prescription route is not published.
- Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate)Unclear
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Dexamphetamine (dexamfetamine)Unclear
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Strattera (atomoxetine)Prescription
Atomoxetine, guanfacine and viloxazine are not internationally controlled, but the Maldives screens psychoactive/psychiatric medication closely. Carry a valid prescription and an English medical-necessity letter, keep medication in original packaging, declare at customs, and stay within roughly a 90-day personal supply.
- 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)
Restricted- Quantity
- 30 days. 30 days standard, up to 90 days for documented chronic illness, per MFDA Guideline §4.9.1
- Permit
- Not published.
- Documents
- prescription
- In force
- Since 13 February 2020.
Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)
Unclear- Quantity
- No published rule distinct from the general controlled-drug 30/90-day rule; unresolved because the substances themselves are not on the Approved Drug List.
- Permit
- Not published.
- Documents
- prescription
Not internationally controlled
PrescriptionAtomoxetine, guanfacine and viloxazine are not internationally controlled, but the Maldives screens psychoactive/psychiatric medication closely. Carry a valid prescription and an English medical-necessity letter, keep medication in original packaging, declare at customs, and stay within roughly a 90-day personal supply.
Responsible authority
Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA); Maldives Customs Service
Maldives Food and Drug Authority (mfda.gov.mv); Maldives Customs (customs.gov.mv)
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
A doctor's letter for Maldives, 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 packCommon 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 Maldives embassy or consulate before travelling.