ParaguayTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents
South AmericaLast checked 20 Jul 2026Low confidence: check with the embassyHow we rate a record
Paraguay 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: Unauthorised possession of a controlled substance carries 5-15 years' imprisonment under Ley 1340/88 Art. 27; the Art. 30 exemption for a doctor-prescribed substance only holds up to the prescribed quantity, so carrying more than the prescription states, or being unable to evidence the prescription, is the highest-consequence failure mode for a traveller. Paraguay is also a significant regional drug-transit country with an active anti-narcotics agency (SENAD).
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 Paraguay records specifically for that medication.
- Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Unclear
Methylphenidate, amphetamine and dexamfetamine are listed under Paraguay's national Lista II psicotrópicos (Decreto N° 5213/05 Art. 42, mirroring the 1971 Convention Schedule II), so they are controlled substances domestically, but no DINAVISA, SENAD, customs or health-ministry page sets out a personal-carry or import procedure for a traveller's own prescribed stimulant. The only registered authorisation route is the commercial licence described for opioids, which an individual traveller cannot obtain. Lisdexamfetamine and mixed amphetamine salts are named neither in the 2005 schedule nor in the 2021 national list (Decreto N° 5282/21, read at verification), but that is not a clearance: Art. 5° of that decree routes CND updates to the Convention annexes through MSPBS/DNVS rather than a further decree, and no such communication was found. Carry the prescription and a doctor's letter and contact DINAVISA before travel.
- 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; carry a prescription for personal-use import.
- 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 Paraguayan authority publishes a traveller quantity limit for opioids. Ley 1340/88 Art. 30 exempts a person from penalty for holding a substance their doctor prescribed, capped at the prescribed amount, but this is a domestic possession defence, not a stated customs allowance, and does not say whether a foreign prescription qualifies.
- Permit
- Not published. DINAVISA's only published import/export authorisation is a commercial one for registered establishments (Ley 1340/88 Art. 2-3, as amended by Ley 6902/22 Art. 1): registration with the Registro Nacional de Sustancias Estupefacientes y Drogas Peligrosas, a certificado de habilitación, SENAD fiscalización, annual reinscription and monthly reporting. An individual traveller cannot obtain this. No traveller-specific permit process is published.
Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)
Unclear- Quantity
- No Paraguayan authority publishes a traveller quantity limit for ADHD stimulants. The same Art. 30 possession-ceiling logic as the narcotic class applies (capped at the prescribed amount), but it is not a stated customs allowance.
- Permit
- Not published. Same commercial-only authorisation regime as narcotics (Ley 1340/88 Art. 2-3 as amended). No traveller-specific permit process is published.
Not internationally controlled
PrescriptionAtomoxetine, guanfacine and viloxazine are not internationally controlled; carry a prescription for personal-use import.
Responsible authority
Direccion Nacional de Vigilancia Sanitaria (DINAVISA)
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 Paraguay, 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 Paraguay embassy or consulate before travelling.