VietnamTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents
AsiaLast checked 24 Jul 2026Medium confidenceHow we rate a record
Vietnam treats these medications differently. Of the 7 we track, 2 are not allowed in at all and 5 come in on paperwork with a supply cap.
Serious penalties: Carrying more than 7 days' supply of a narcotic or 10 days' supply of a psychotropic medicine into or out of Vietnam without a licence from the provincial People's Committee obtained in advance (Decree 163/2025, Art 62(1)(c)); the process takes up to 7 working days. Dexamfetamine (Dexedrine) and the amphetamine salts in Adderall are on Vietnam's list of medicines prohibited from import (Decree 163/2025, Appendix V), so do not bring them. Separately, carrying tapentadol is an unresolved risk because it does not appear anywhere in Vietnam's own controlled-drug schedule. A low-dose codeine combination product is a further unresolved case: the export article gives it 30 licence-free days (Art 60(2)(c)) but the import article has no matching tier.
By medication
Brand names first, generic in brackets. Each line resolves the drug class rule below, plus anything Vietnam records specifically for that medication.
- Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Restrictedmax 10 days' supply
Confirmed on the psychotropic schedule; class default applies explicit
- Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate)Restrictedmax 10 days' supply
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Dexedrine (dexamfetamine)Banned
Banned. Dexamfetamine is on Vietnam's list of medicines prohibited from import (Decree 163/2025, Art 82(13), Appendix V row 49). The rules for medicine in a traveller's own luggage (Art 60) give no exception, so there is no allowance. Vietnam also lists it as a controlled psychotropic substance (Decree 28/2026, List IIB row 156). Do not bring it into Vietnam.
- Strattera (atomoxetine)Restrictedmax 30 days' supply
Atomoxetine, guanfacine and viloxazine are not narcotic, psychotropic or precursor medicines in Vietnam. You can bring up to 30 days' use, worked out from the dose on your prescription, without a licence, or medicines worth up to US$200 in customs value, up to 3 times a year. Above that you need a licence from the provincial People's Committee. Carry your prescription and keep them in labelled packaging.
- Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts)Banned
Banned. Amfetamine and dexamfetamine, the amphetamine salts in Adderall, are on Vietnam's list of medicines prohibited from import (Decree 163/2025, Art 82(13), Appendix V rows 20 and 49). The rules for medicine in a traveller's own luggage (Art 60) give no exception, so there is no allowance. Vietnam also lists both as controlled psychotropic substances (Decree 28/2026, List IIB rows 131 and 156). Do not bring Adderall into Vietnam.
- Intuniv (guanfacine)Restrictedmax 30 days' supply
The same rule as Strattera above.
- Qelbree (viloxazine)Restrictedmax 30 days' supply
The same rule as Strattera above.
Rules by drug class
Narcotic (opioids)
Restricted- Quantity
- 7 days. 7 days' supply per the dose stated on the accompanying prescription; above that a Sở Y tế import licence is required before travel. Buprenorphine is scheduled as psychotropic in Vietnam, not narcotic, so its cap is 10 days (see substanceOverrides). The 7-day figure is the cap for a 'thuốc gây nghiện'; which inbound tier catches a low-dose combination product (thuốc dạng phối hợp, per Circular 20 Phụ lục IV) is unresolved: see gaps.
- Permit
- Not required up to 7 days' supply. Above that, it is. Apply at least 7 days ahead.
- Documents
- prescription, import permit
- In force
- Since January 2024.
Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)
Restricted- Quantity
- 10 days. Methylphenidate and lisdexamfetamine: 10 days' supply, worked out from the dose on your prescription (Decree 163/2025, Art 60(2)(a)). Above that you need a licence from the provincial People's Committee before you travel.
- Permit
- Not required up to 10 days' supply. Above that, it is. Apply at least 7 days ahead.
- Documents
- PrescriptionFor methylphenidate and lisdexamfetamine only.
- For the licence application Vietnam wants a certified copy of your prescription, or a copy you have signed with the original produced alongside it. It must name you and your age, the medicine and its strength, the quantity or number of days, the dose, and your doctor's name, signature and clinic address.
- Must be notarised by a notary public.
- Must state: the generic (INN) name of each medicine, not just the brand, the strength of each medicine, the total quantity you are carrying, how long the treatment lasts.
- Import permit (optional)For methylphenidate and lisdexamfetamine only.
- Only needed above 10 days' supply of a psychotropic medicine, or 7 days of a narcotic one. Issued by the provincial People's Committee within seven working days, with no fee. Because it is issued provincially, applying before you leave means sending the application to Vietnam.
- Must be issued or approved by the destination's health authority before you travel.
- Prescription
- In force
- Since November 2024.
Not internationally controlled
Restricted- Quantity
- 30 days. Up to 30 days' use, worked out from the dose on your prescription, needs no licence (Decree 163/2025, Art 60(2)(c), page 65). Medicines worth up to US$200 in customs value, up to 3 times a year, also need no licence (Art 60(2)(b)). Above that you need a licence from the provincial People's Committee.
Leaving Vietnam
Vietnam publishes a different rule for taking these medicines out than for bringing them in. Only the differences are below. Anything not listed here is the same as the rule above.
Narcotic (opioids)
The 7-day core is mirrored on departure under Decree 54/2017/ND-CP Article 60/63, but the mechanism is not identical: Art 60(2)(c) adds a 30-day licence-free tier for combination products that Art 75(2) has no counterpart to, and Art 60(1) requires the exported medicine to be authorised for circulation in Vietnam.
Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)
The same 10-day core applies to methylphenidate/lisdexamfetamine on departure (Decree 54/2017/ND-CP Article 60/63), with the same two asymmetries as the narcotic class: Art 60(2)(c)'s 30-day combination-product tier has no import counterpart, and Art 60(1) requires the medicine to be authorised for circulation in Vietnam. Not addressed for dexamfetamine/mixed-amphetamine-salts.
Connecting through Vietnam
- Staying airside, never clearing immigration:
- no official guidance found, so assume the full entry rules apply. Vietnam's rules are written entirely around people entering the country and say nothing about passengers who never clear immigration.
- Clearing immigration for a layover:
- no official guidance found, so assume the full entry rules apply. Clearing immigration should bring the entry rules into play, but nothing addresses layover travellers and the 10-day allowance is not obviously written with short stops in mind.
- Changing airports:
- no official guidance found, so assume the full entry rules apply. Not addressed.
- Overnight layover, leaving the airport:
- no official guidance found, so assume the full entry rules apply. Not addressed.
- Checked bag travelling without you:
- no official guidance found, so assume the full entry rules apply. Vietnam's licensing procedure does cover medicine arriving under a bill of lading as well as carried on the person, but does not say whether the licence-free allowance extends to it.
Responsible authority
Provincial Department of Health at your point of entry; nationally, the Drug Administration of Vietnam
Applications are lodged in person or by post with the provincial health department. Ho Chi Minh City: syt@tphcm.gov.vn, 1900.63.85.63.
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.
- Licensing the import of medicines in the personal baggage of people entering Vietnam, for their own treatmentGovernment
- Decree 54/2017/ND-CP on the Pharmacy Law, consolidated text 02/VBHN-BYT (2024): traveller's own medicine, 7 or 10 days without a licence, Art 75, pages 66 to 67; licence from provincial health department, Art 77(4), page 72Government, 2024-01
- Decree 54/2017/ND-CP on the Pharmacy Law, original signed text (2017): traveller's own medicine, 7 or 10 days without a licence, Art 75, page 73; licensing procedure, Art 77, from page 76Government, 2017-05-08
- Decree 163/2025/ND-CP on the Pharmacy Law (in force 1 July 2025): traveller's own medicine, Art 60, pages 64 to 65; licence from the provincial People's Committee, Art 62(1)(c), page 68; medicines prohibited from import, Art 82(13), page 92, and Appendix V, amfetamine row 20, PDF page 268, dexamfetamine row 49, PDF page 270Government
- Decree 28/2026/ND-CP on narcotic substance lists (in force 19 January 2026): amphetamine List IIB row 131, PDF page 19; dexamfetamine row 156, page 21; lisdexamfetamine row 238, page 24; methylphenidate row 271, page 26Government, 2026-01-19
- Circular 20/2017/TT-BYT on specially controlled medicines, consolidated text 10/VBHN-BYT (2024): lisdexamfetamine and methylphenidate in Appendix II, page 26; amphetamine and dexamfetamine not listed in Appendices I or IIGovernment, 2024-11
- INCB Country Regulations for Travellers (index)International body
Your trip pack
A doctor's letter for Vietnam, 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 Vietnam embassy or consulate before travelling.