PakistanTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents
AsiaLast checked 20 Jul 2026Low confidence: check with the embassyHow we rate a record
Pakistan 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: Importing a narcotic, psychotropic, or controlled substance into or out of Pakistan without the licence/permit/authorisation required by CNS Act 1997 s.7 is unauthorised import on the face of the Act, and unauthorised possession of any quantity is a separate criminal offence under s.6/s.9 with penalties scaling by weight up to life imprisonment or death for quantities over 10kg; the Act states no personal-medical-travel exemption.
We could not find strong recent official guidance for this country. Contact the embassy or consulate directly before you travel.
By medication
Brand names first, generic in brackets. Each line resolves the drug class rule below, plus anything Pakistan records specifically for that medication.
- Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Unclear
DRAP's personal-use NOC is published for "the import of unregistered / unavailable drugs" and is applied for by the patient or a family member to obtain supply — not by a traveller carrying medicine they already hold. The separate requirement for authorisation from the Division of Controlled Drugs sits in the commercial import section, addressed to holders of a Marketing Authorization, and is never cross-referenced to the personal-use route. Whether an ordinary traveller must obtain anything is unestablished. The CNS Act 1997 and DRAP guideline treat psychotropic substances under the same import-authorisation language as narcotic drugs, without stimulant-specific detail. No document, quantity, or process specific to methylphenidate, dexamfetamine, mixed amphetamine salts, or lisdexamfetamine was found.
- 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 controlled substances; personal-use import follows the ordinary DRAP personal-use route (prescription + application) without the Controlled Drugs authorization.
- 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)
Unclear- Quantity
- No traveller allowance figure is published. DRAP's personal-use route names a 100-dose internal approval-escalation threshold, not a permitted maximum. CNS Act 1997 s.9 weight bands (100g/1kg/10kg) are trafficking-offence penalty tiers, not a traveller allowance.
- Permit
- Not published. DRAP's personal-use NOC is published for "the import of unregistered / unavailable drugs" and is applied for by the patient or a family member to obtain supply — not by a traveller carrying medicine they already hold. The separate requirement for authorisation from the Division of Controlled Drugs sits in the commercial import section, addressed to holders of a Marketing Authorization, and is never cross-referenced to the personal-use route. Whether an ordinary traveller must obtain anything is unestablished.
- Documents
- prescription, import permit
- In force
- Since 30 April 2022.
Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)
Unclear- Quantity
- No traveller allowance figure is published for psychotropic substances.
- Permit
- Not published. DRAP's personal-use NOC is published for "the import of unregistered / unavailable drugs" and is applied for by the patient or a family member to obtain supply — not by a traveller carrying medicine they already hold. The separate requirement for authorisation from the Division of Controlled Drugs sits in the commercial import section, addressed to holders of a Marketing Authorization, and is never cross-referenced to the personal-use route. Whether an ordinary traveller must obtain anything is unestablished.
- Documents
- prescription
Not internationally controlled
PrescriptionAtomoxetine, guanfacine and viloxazine are not controlled substances; personal-use import follows the ordinary DRAP personal-use route (prescription + application) without the Controlled Drugs authorization.
Responsible authority
Secretary, Ministry of Narcotics Control, Islamabad; the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan administers controlled-medicine imports
No mailbox or phone number for traveller enquiries is published by any reachable Pakistani source. Contact a Pakistani high commission or embassy instead.
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 Pakistan, 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 Pakistan embassy or consulate before travelling.