Timor-LesteTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents

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Last checked 20 Jul 2026Medium confidenceHow we rate a record

Timor-Leste treats these medications differently. Of the 7 we track, 3 need approval before you arrive, 1 has no published rule we could find and 3 need only your prescription.

ActionDepartment of Pharmacy, Ministry of Health (Timor-Leste) approval before you arrive, and no processing time is published, so the earlier it goes in the better

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By medication

Brand names first, generic in brackets. Each line resolves the drug class rule below, plus anything Timor-Leste records specifically for that medication.

Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Not named: Unclear
Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) is not named in Timor-Leste's law (Lei 2/2017, Anexo II Tables I-A to VI, pages 72 to 82), so no rule for it is published. Ask the authority listed here before you travel.
Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate)Permit requiredmax 30 days' supply
Timor-Leste's entry in the International Narcotics Control Board travellers' table (August 2014) asks a traveller carrying a psychotropic medicine for four things: a valid prescription, a doctor's certificate endorsed by the health authority of your home country, a certificate issued by Timor-Leste's health authorities, and the original prescription shown to customs on arrival. The limit is 30 days' supply. The contact given is the Department of Pharmacy at the Ministry of Health in Dili. The entry does not list any prohibited substances. No form or application process for the Timor-Leste certificate is published, so contact the Ministry of Health well before you travel.
Dexedrine (dexamfetamine)Permit requiredmax 30 days' supply
The same rule as Ritalin, Concerta above.
Strattera (atomoxetine)Prescription
Atomoxetine, guanfacine ER and viloxazine are not internationally controlled; carry a valid prescription.
Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts)Permit requiredmax 30 days' supply
The same rule as Ritalin, Concerta 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)

Prescription

Quantity: 30 days. 30 days' supply for both narcotic and psychotropic classes
Permit: Required. The INCB table ticks one set of documents for both classes, including a certificate issued by the health authorities of the country of destination, so the same Ministry of Health certificate applies to narcotic drugs. The Customs Authority's Ministry of Health page names the National Directorate of Pharmacy and Medicines (DNFM) as the department for medicine import authorisation. No form, portal or processing time is published; contact the Ministry before you travel. Aligned with the psychotropic class on 2026-09-15; the earlier reading that no permit applied to narcotics was an inconsistency, not a different source.
Documents: prescription, home authority certificate, destination authority certificate, medical certificate, customs declaration

Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)

Permit required

Quantity: 30 days. Up to 30 days' supply for both narcotic and psychotropic substances.
Permit: Required. Timor-Leste asks for a certificate issued by its own health authorities, alongside a prescription, a doctor's certificate endorsed by your home health authority, and the original prescription presented at customs, for up to 30 days. No form, portal or processing time is published, so contact the Ministry of Health before you travel. The published traveller table dates from August 2014. The Customs Authority's own page for travellers states the requirement in general terms: "you can import certain medications, but you may require the appropriate permit from the Ministry of Health before doing so ... It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the appropriate permit or approvals necessary prior to attempting to import any type of restricted goods."
Documents: prescription, home authority certificate, destination authority certificate

Not internationally controlled

Prescription

Atomoxetine, guanfacine ER and viloxazine are not internationally controlled; carry a valid prescription.

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

Department of Pharmacy, Ministry of Health (Timor-Leste)

Antonio Oqui, Department of Pharmacy, Ministry of Health, Caicoli, Dili, Timor-Leste; Tel +670 78003441

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

Timor-Leste needs a permit before you fly. The pack works out your apply-by date from your travel date.

A$59

We have not found an application form or portal for travellers here, so the pack gives you Department of Pharmacy, Ministry of Health (Timor-Leste) to contact, what to put in the request, and how long to allow. Plus a doctor's letter pre-filled with your medications and every stop, and a checklist in travel order.

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 Timor-Leste embassy or consulate before travelling.