NamibiaTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents
AfricaLast checked 20 Jul 2026Medium confidenceHow we rate a record
Namibia treats these medications differently. Of the 7 we track, 3 are not allowed in at all and 4 come in on paperwork with a supply cap.
By medication
Brand names first, generic in brackets. Each line resolves the drug class rule below, plus anything Namibia records specifically for that medication.
- Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Banned
Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) is named in Schedule 5 of Namibia's medicines scheduling notice (Government Notice 80 of 2021), which the one-month traveller rule in regulation 38 does not cover. The only lawful route is a permit from the Medicines Regulatory Council (Medicines and Related Substances Control Act, section 29(27)), and there is no published procedure for travellers. Namibia's 2014 INCB entry says 30 days for psychotropic substances and lists no prohibited substances.
- Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate)Restrictedmax 30 days' supply
Methylphenidate: carry a valid medical prescription plus a doctor's certificate endorsed by your home country's health authority, up to a 30-day supply. Keep everything in original packaging and present it at customs if requested. Dexamfetamine and mixed amphetamine salts are prohibited drugs in Namibia and are banned.
- Dexedrine (dexamfetamine)Banned
Banned. Amphetamine and dexamphetamine, with their salts, are prohibited dependence-producing drugs (Abuse of Dependence-Producing Substances Act 41 of 1971, Schedule Part I, page 39). Importing or possessing them is an offence under section 2, whatever any other law says, and the prescription defence in section 5 covers only Parts II and III. Namibia's medicines scheduling notice (Government Notice 80 of 2021) also puts them in Schedule 5, which the one-month traveller rule in regulation 38 does not cover. The only lawful route is a permit from the Medicines Regulatory Council (Medicines and Related Substances Control Act, section 29(27)), and there is no published procedure for travellers. Namibia's 2014 INCB entry says 30 days for psychotropic substances and lists no prohibited substances.
- Strattera (atomoxetine)Restrictedmax 90 days' supply
Atomoxetine (Strattera), guanfacine ER (Intuniv) and viloxazine (Qelbree) are not internationally scheduled. The Namibia Revenue Agency's traveller guide allows personal medicines for up to three months, with an authorised letter or certified prescription from a registered doctor.
- Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts)Banned
The same rule as Dexedrine 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 personal carry
- Permit
- Not required. No permit for personal carry within the limit; the commercial special import permit is for registered distributors only.
- Documents
- prescription, home authority certificate
Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)
Restricted- Quantity
- 30 days. Methylphenidate: 30 days' supply
- Permit
- Not required. No Namibian authorisation for methylphenidate. A valid prescription plus a doctor's certificate endorsed by your home health authority, covering 30 days. No certificate from Namibian health authorities is asked for. The published traveller table dates from July 2014. The Namibia Revenue Agency's traveller guide both lists narcotic and psychotropic substances as prohibited goods and allows personal medicaments for up to three months on a doctor's letter or certified prescription; see the narcotic class note for the full conflict.
Not internationally controlled
Restricted- Quantity
- 90 days. Up to three months' supply, with an authorised letter or certified prescription from a registered doctor. This is customs guidance from the Namibia Revenue Agency, not a figure set in law.
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
Namibia Medicines Regulatory Council
P/BAG 13366, Windhoek, Namibia; Tel: +264 61 203 2403; Fax: +264 61 225 048; E-mail: regmeds@nmrc.com.na
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.
- Customs Procedure: Traveller's Guide Information (NamRA)Government, 2023-08-05
- Medicines and Related Substances Control Act 13 of 2003 (as amended to 2008): schedules set by Gazette notice, s 29(1), page 22; Schedule 4 import permit, s 29(23), page 26; no substances namedGovernment, 2008-08-01
- INCB Travellers table: NamibiaTreaty body, 2014-07-03
- Medicines and Related Substances Regulations (GN 178/2008, as amended): one month's supply for persons entering or leaving, reg 38, pages 42 to 43; transit, reg 40, page 43; no substance listsSecondary, 2023-03-31
- Abuse of Dependence-Producing Substances Act 41 of 1971 (as amended to 1987): amphetamine, dexamphetamine prohibited, Schedule Part I, page 39; methylphenidate Part II, page 41; prescription saving s 5, page 9Secondary, 1987
Your trip pack
A doctor's letter for Namibia, 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 Namibia embassy or consulate before travelling.