TurkeyTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents
Europe/AsiaLast checked 20 Jul 2026Medium confidenceHow we rate a record
Every medication we track can come into Turkey on your prescription, carried in original packaging.
Serious penalties: Cannabis preparations are prohibited unless FDA/EMA-approved (31-day limit, certificate to TİTCK); methadone needs an INCB model certificate sent at least 3 days before arrival.
By medication
Brand names first, generic in brackets. Each line resolves the drug class rule below, plus anything Turkey records specifically for that medication.
- Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Prescription
Turkey permits all three ADHD stimulant classes with a prescription, with quantity limited to the length of the traveller's stay rather than a fixed day count.
- Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate)Prescription
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Dexamphetamine (dexamfetamine)Prescription
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Strattera (atomoxetine)Prescription
Atomoxetine, guanfacine ER and viloxazine are not internationally controlled, but possessing any prescription drug in Turkey without documentation proving lawful personal use can be treated as a criminal matter - carry the original prescription.
- Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts)Prescription
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)
Prescription- Quantity
- Amount for the duration of stay; no fixed day count for general narcotics
- Permit
- Not required. Prescription-based for general narcotics; methadone requires an INCB certificate to TİTCK ≥3 days ahead.
- Documents
- prescription, medical certificate, home authority certificate
Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)
Prescription- Quantity
- Amount for length of stay; no fixed day-cap stated (dated 2017 INCB submission; reverify before travel).
- Permit
- Not published. Unresolved. TITCK's narcotic and psychotropic page covers legal commerce only, addressing import, manufacture, export and distribution by companies, and says nothing about a traveller carrying their own medicine. Turkey's published traveller table carries no readable marks against any documentation row, so it cannot be read either. The opioid guidance on this record describes a prescription-based rule with endorsed certificates and no permit, which may well extend here, but nothing found states it for stimulants. Ask TITCK before you travel.
Not internationally controlled
PrescriptionAtomoxetine, guanfacine ER and viloxazine are not internationally controlled, but possessing any prescription drug in Turkey without documentation proving lawful personal use can be treated as a criminal matter - carry the original 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
Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency (TITCK) - Department of Pharmacovigilance and Controlled Substances
Sogutozu Mahallesi, 2176. Sokak No: 5, 06520 Cankaya, Ankara, Turkey; Tel +90 312 218 3316; Fax +90 312 218 3290; e-mail demet.aydink@titck.gov.tr
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 Turkey, 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 Turkey embassy or consulate before travelling.