YemenTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents
Asia (Middle East)Last checked 20 Jul 2026Medium confidenceHow we rate a record
Yemen treats these medications differently. Of the 7 we track, 6 come in on paperwork with a supply cap and 1 has no published rule we could find.
Serious penalties: Yemen has severe penalties for controlled substances amid active conflict and divided governance. The recognised authority sits in Aden, while a different de facto authority controls Sana'a, so enforcement and paperwork acceptance are uncertain. Confirm directly before travel.
By medication
Brand names first, generic in brackets. Each line resolves the drug class rule below, plus anything Yemen records specifically for that medication.
- Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Unclear
We could not confirm whether Yemen's law names lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse): Table 1 of its 1993 drug law, which lists the controlled substances, is missing from every copy we could open. No rule for it is published. Ask the authority listed here before you travel.
- Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate)Restrictedmax 30 days' supply
Yemen allows ADHD stimulants with a prescription for up to 30 days' supply (one month, or your length of stay if shorter); any excess is destroyed. Bring a valid prescription in your name (under six months old), a doctor's certificate or detailed medical report endorsed by government health authorities (under three months old, with diagnosis, medicine name and dose, treatment plan and duration), the original prescription to show at customs, and a copy of your passport. No certificate from Yemen's own health authorities is needed. The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Control Department in Aden is the contact for more information.
- Dexedrine (dexamfetamine)Restrictedmax 30 days' supply
The same rule as Ritalin, Concerta above.
- Strattera (atomoxetine)Restrictedmax 90 days' supply
Atomoxetine, guanfacine ER and viloxazine are not internationally controlled. Carry a medical report stating the type of treatment; up to 3 months' supply.
- Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts)Restrictedmax 30 days' supply
The same rule as Ritalin, Concerta above.
- Intuniv (guanfacine)Restrictedmax 90 days' supply
The same rule as Strattera above.
- Qelbree (viloxazine)Restrictedmax 90 days' supply
The same rule as Strattera above.
Rules by drug class
Narcotic (opioids)
Prescription- Quantity
- 7 days. 7 days' supply for narcotics; 30 days for psychotropics
- Permit
- Not required. Documentation-based on the INCB table; no separate permit is named.
- Documents
- prescription, home authority certificate, medical certificate, customs declaration
Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)
Restricted- Quantity
- 30 days. Up to 30 days' supply (one month, or your length of stay if shorter); any excess is destroyed. No certificate from Yemen's own health authorities is needed.
- Permit
- Not required. No Yemeni certificate is asked for on the psychotropic row: a prescription, a doctor's certificate endorsed by your home health authority, and the original prescription at customs, covering 30 days. Yemen does ask for a destination-authority certificate for narcotics, where the allowance is 7 days, so the two classes differ. The authority is contactable in Aden and the country's administration is divided, so confirm before travelling.
- Documents
- Prescription
- In your name and under six months old. Show the original at customs.
- Certificate from your own health authority
- A doctor's certificate or detailed medical report endorsed by government health authorities, under three months old, giving the diagnosis, medicine name and dose, treatment plan and duration.
- Prescription
Not internationally controlled
Restricted- Quantity
- 90 days. Up to 3 months' supply, with a medical report stating the type of treatment (Supreme Board of Drugs and Medical Appliances guidance).
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
Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Control Department (Supreme Board of Drugs & Medical Appliances, Ministry of Health & Population)
Supreme Board of Drugs & Medical Appliances, Head Quarter - Aden, Khormaksar, Airport Street; P.O. Box 6022, Khormaksar, Aden; Tel 00967-2-237779; Fax 237780; e-mail nar.sbdma@gmail.com / info@ysbda.com; www.ysbda.com
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 Yemen, 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 packThis 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 Yemen embassy or consulate before travelling.