PakistanTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents

Asia

Last checked 20 Jul 2026Low confidence: check with the embassyHow we rate a record

Pakistan treats these medications differently. Of the 7 we track, 3 come in on paperwork with a supply cap and 4 have no published rule we could find.

Serious penalties: Importing a narcotic, psychotropic or controlled substance into or out of Pakistan without the licence, permit or authorisation required by section 7 of the Control of Narcotic Substances Act 1997 is unauthorised import on the face of the Act, and unauthorised possession is a separate criminal offence under sections 6 and 9. For psychotropic substances the Act (as updated to 4 August 2023) makes possession a criminal offence graded by weight (section 9(2)). 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.

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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)Not named: Unclear
Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) is not named in Pakistan's law (Control of Narcotic Substances Act 1997, Schedules I and II, pages 44 to 50), so no rule for it is published. Ask the authority listed here before you travel.
Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate)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. Read 2026-09-15 in the official Schedule-bearing text: CNSA 1997 s.7 says no one shall import into Pakistan any narcotic drug, psychotropic substance or controlled substance except under a licence or authorisation, and the Act contains no traveller exemption; Schedule I lists methylphenidate (item 49) and amphetamine and dexamphetamine (items 1 and 22). The status stays unclear because no source describes a route or a refusal for a visitor's own prescription; treat carrying these into Pakistan as unlicensed import until an authority says otherwise.
Dexedrine (dexamfetamine)Unclear
The same rule as Ritalin, Concerta above.
Strattera (atomoxetine)Restricted
Atomoxetine, guanfacine and viloxazine are not listed in the Control of Narcotic Substances Act schedules. A traveller may carry up to 100 average doses of each in their own baggage for personal use without applying to DRAP (Drugs (Import and Export) Rules 1976, rule 13). Medicine sent separately needs prior DRAP permission and a prescription (rule 13 proviso); the rule does not cover carrying more than 100 doses.
Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts)Unclear
The same rule as Ritalin, Concerta above.
Intuniv (guanfacine)Restricted
The same rule as Strattera above.
Qelbree (viloxazine)Restricted
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 allowance specific to psychotropic substances is published. The general passenger rule in the Drugs (Import and Export) Rules 1976 (rule 13) caps any single drug in a passenger's own baggage at 100 average doses; it is a ceiling under the Drugs Act, not a permission under the Control of Narcotic Substances Act.
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

Restricted

Quantity: 100 doses. Up to 100 average doses of any single medicine, carried in your own baggage for your exclusive personal use (Drugs (Import and Export) Rules 1976, rule 13). Medicine not carried in your baggage needs prior permission from the licensing authority (DRAP) and a prescription. The rule does not say how to bring more than 100 doses in your baggage.

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 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 Pakistan, 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 Pakistan embassy or consulate before travelling.