NetherlandsTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents
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Netherlands treats these medications differently. Of the 7 we track, 4 come in on paperwork with a supply cap and 3 need only your prescription.
By medication
Brand names first, generic in brackets. Each line resolves the drug class rule below, plus anything Netherlands records specifically for that medication.
- Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Restrictedmax 30 days' supply
ADHD stimulants are Opium Act medicines, so bringing them in needs a declaration, arranged before you leave and not issued by the Netherlands. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs tells arriving travellers to ask their own doctor or pharmacy which declaration they need and where to apply, and their own country's authorities whether it needs legalising. The Netherlands' submission to the INCB asks for a valid prescription and a doctor's certificate endorsed by the health authorities of your country of residence, with a 30-day supply. An Australian traveller should know that Australia's Office of Drug Control "is not able to authorise documents to confirm legal authority of the traveller to possess a medication", so a home-authority endorsement is not available either. Carry the original prescription and a full letter from your prescribing doctor, in original packaging.
- Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate)Restrictedmax 30 days' supply
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Dexamphetamine (dexamfetamine)Restrictedmax 30 days' supply
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Strattera (atomoxetine)Prescription
Atomoxetine, guanfacine ER and viloxazine are not internationally scheduled; a normal prescription suffices.
- Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts)Restrictedmax 30 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)
Restricted- Quantity
- 30 days. The extension to 90 days is a Schengen instrument and is not open to a non-Schengen arrival.
- Permit
- Not required. No Dutch permit exists for an arriving traveller. A declaration is required and you arrange it at home; ask your own doctor or pharmacy which one, and your own country's authorities whether it has to be legalised. The CAK Schengenverklaring is the outbound Dutch instrument and needs a doctor with a Dutch BIG number, so a visitor cannot obtain it.
- Documents
- medical certificate
Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)
Restricted- Quantity
- 30 days. The same period applies to international travellers, per the Netherlands' own submission to the INCB. The extension to 90 days is a Schengen instrument and is not open to a non-Schengen arrival.
- Permit
- Not required. There is no Dutch permit to apply for, and no Dutch processing time to allow for. A declaration is still required, because ADHD stimulants fall under the Opium Act, but you arrange it at home: which one you need depends on the country you fly from, so ask your own doctor or pharmacy, and ask your own country's authorities whether it has to be legalised. The CAK Schengen medicijnverklaring is not that document. It is for travel out of the Netherlands within the Schengen area and needs a doctor with a Dutch BIG number.
Not internationally controlled
PrescriptionAtomoxetine, guanfacine ER and viloxazine are not internationally scheduled; a normal prescription suffices.
Leaving Netherlands
Netherlands publishes a different rule for taking these medicines out than for bringing them in. Only the differences are below. Anything not listed here is the same as the rule above.
- Schengen medicijnverklaring (download)In the Trip Pack
Responsible authority
CAK
Prinses Beatrixlaan 7, 2595 AK The Hague, Netherlands; Tel: +31 88 711 5694; E-mail: schengen@cak.helptu.nl
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 Netherlands, 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 Netherlands embassy or consulate before travelling.