TuvaluTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents

Oceania

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

Tuvalu treats these medications differently. Of the 7 we track, 1 has no published rule we could find and 6 need only your prescription.

Serious penalties: Tuvalu's Pharmacy and Therapeutic Products Act s 10(5) lets you import a medicine for personal therapeutic use on a letter or certificate from your own doctor, but the Tuvalu Medicines Schedule (s 12) is not published and could list a medicine as prohibited, and there is no reachable competent authority to confirm limits. Carry the doctor's letter and confirm with the Ministry of Health before travel.

We could not find strong recent official guidance for this country. Contact the embassy or consulate directly before you travel.

ActionA written answer from Ministry of Health (pharmacy/therapeutic products regulation); Tuvalu Customs naming your medication, before you book

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By medication

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

Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Not named: Unclear
Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) is not named in Tuvalu's law (Dangerous Drugs Act, Cap. 10.10, Schedule 2, pages 32 to 35; the Tuvalu Medicines Schedule kept by the Ministry of Health was not seen), so no rule for it is published. Ask the authority listed here before you travel.
Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate)Prescription
Tuvalu's Pharmacy and Therapeutic Products Act (Cap. 28.32) has a personal-import rule: s 10(5), page 14, allows anyone to import a medicine for personal therapeutic use on a letter or certificate from their own doctor registered outside Tuvalu. It is not specific to stimulants and sets no quantity. If a medicine were also a dangerous drug the Dangerous Drugs Act would apply in addition (s 42), but the ADHD stimulants are not in that Act's Schedule 2. The Tuvalu Medicines Schedule (s 12) is not published and could list a medicine as prohibited, so confirm with the Ministry of Health before you travel.
Dexedrine (dexamfetamine)Prescription
The same rule as Ritalin, Concerta above.
Strattera (atomoxetine)Prescription
Tuvalu restricts the import of every therapeutic product: it must be approved by a recognised regulator and be on the Tuvalu Medicines Schedule unless the licensing authority authorises it (Pharmacy and Therapeutic Products Act s 10(1)), and a product that does not comply is a prohibited good at customs (s 41). Your own medicine is let in under s 10(5) when a letter or certificate from your doctor shows it is for your personal therapeutic use. Atomoxetine, guanfacine and viloxazine are not internationally controlled.
Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts)Prescription
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)

Unclear

Quantity: No official traveller quantity is published
Permit: Not required. No INCB table and no reachable official rule; personal-carry status is unclear. Confirm with the Ministry of Health.

Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)

Prescription

Quantity: The Act sets no quantity: s 10(5) covers import for personal therapeutic use.
Documents: doctor letter

Not internationally controlled

Prescription

Documents: doctor letter

Responsible authority

Ministry of Health (pharmacy/therapeutic products regulation); Tuvalu Customs

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 Tuvalu, 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.

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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 Tuvalu embassy or consulate before travelling.