UgandaTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents

Africa

Last checked 20 Jul 2026Medium confidenceHow we rate a record

Uganda 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: Under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act (Act 2 of 2024, in force 14 April 2025), possession is a criminal offence, and so is trafficking, which includes importing without a licence. There is no clear possession threshold, and failing to disclose an earlier prescription is an offence (section 9).

ActionA written answer from National Drug Authority (Uganda) naming your medication, before you book

Work out my dates

By medication

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

Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Not named: Unclear
Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) is not named in Uganda's law (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act 2023, Schedules 2 and 3, PDF pages 70 to 84), so no rule for it is published. Ask the authority listed here before you travel.
Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate)Unclear
Uganda requires a valid prescription, a doctor's certificate endorsed by the country of residence, presentation of the original prescription to the National Drug Authority, and a verification certificate plus a special import permit for narcotics and psychotropics. Travellers carrying ADHD stimulants should obtain the NDA import permit before travel and keep medication in original packaging.
Dexedrine (dexamfetamine)Unclear
Uganda asks for a verification certificate and a special import permit for narcotics and psychotropics from the National Drug Authority, as well as a valid prescription, a doctor's certificate endorsed by the health authority of your home country, and the original prescription presented to the National Drug Authority. Under Uganda's drug control Act (Act 2 of 2024, in force since 14 April 2025), bringing in a psychotropic substance without a licence counts as trafficking, which is a criminal offence. The Act's exception for possessing a medicine on prescription refers to a prescription from a practitioner registered in Uganda, and nothing in the Act covers a visitor's foreign prescription, so do not rely on your prescription alone. No form, portal or processing time is published, and Uganda's traveller table dates from November 2014, so write to the National Drug Authority well before you travel and carry its written authorisation.
Strattera (atomoxetine)Prescription
Atomoxetine, guanfacine ER and viloxazine are not internationally controlled; carry a valid prescription.
Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts)Unclear
The same rule as Dexedrine 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)

Permit required

Quantity: No official traveller quantity is published
Permit: Required. A special import permit for narcotics and psychotropics plus a verification certificate are required; no numeric quantity or lead time is published. Under the 2016 Act, importation without a licence is 'trafficking' (life imprisonment); possession on a prescription is excepted, importation is not.
Documents: prescription, home authority certificate, medical certificate, customs declaration, import permit

Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)

Unclear

Quantity: Uganda's entry in the International Narcotics Control Board travellers' table (November 2014) marks a quantity restriction for psychotropic medicines but gives no number of days or doses. Ask the National Drug Authority what amount it will authorise when you apply for the import permit.
Permit: Required. Uganda asks for a verification certificate and a special import permit for narcotics and psychotropics from the National Drug Authority, as well as a valid prescription, a doctor's certificate endorsed by the health authority of your home country, and the original prescription presented to the National Drug Authority. Under Uganda's drug control Act (Act 2 of 2024, in force since 14 April 2025), bringing in a psychotropic substance without a licence counts as trafficking, which is a criminal offence. The Act's exception for possessing a medicine on prescription refers to a prescription from a practitioner registered in Uganda, and nothing in the Act covers a visitor's foreign prescription, so do not rely on your prescription alone. No form, portal or processing time is published, and Uganda's traveller table dates from November 2014, so write to the National Drug Authority well before you travel and carry its written authorisation.
Documents: prescription, home authority certificate, import permit

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

National Drug Authority (Uganda)

National Drug Authority, P.O. Box 23096, Kampala, Uganda; Tel +256 414 255665; Fax +256 414 255758; e-mail esr@nda.or.ug

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

Uganda 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 National Drug Authority (Uganda) 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 Uganda embassy or consulate before travelling.