ZimbabweTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents
AfricaLast checked 20 Jul 2026Medium confidenceHow we rate a record
Zimbabwe treats these medications differently. Of the 7 we track, 4 come in on paperwork with a supply cap and 3 need only your prescription.
By medication
Brand names first, generic in brackets. Each line resolves the drug class rule below, plus anything Zimbabwe records specifically for that medication.
- Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Restrictedmax 180 days' supply
Zimbabwe allows a comparatively generous supply: up to 6 months of psychotropic ADHD stimulants (and up to 4 months of narcotic drugs). Travellers should carry a valid prescription and present the original prescription at customs, keeping medication in original packaging.
- Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate)Restrictedmax 180 days' supply
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Dexamphetamine (dexamfetamine)Restrictedmax 180 days' supply
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Strattera (atomoxetine)Prescription
Atomoxetine, guanfacine ER and viloxazine are not internationally controlled; carry a valid prescription.
- Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts)Restrictedmax 180 days' supply
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
- 120 days. 4 months' supply for narcotics; 6 months for psychotropics
- Permit
- Not required. No traveller permit needed if the four required documents are carried; import licence forms are for commercial importation.
- Documents
- prescription, home authority certificate, medical certificate, customs declaration
Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)
Restricted- Quantity
- 180 days. Psychotropic substances: 6 months' supply (narcotic drugs: 4 months' supply)
- Permit
- Required. Zimbabwe asks for a certificate issued by its own health authorities, alongside a prescription, a doctor's certificate endorsed by your home health authority, and the original prescription at customs. The allowance is generous once you have it, six months for psychotropic medicines and four for narcotics. No form, portal or processing time is published, and the published traveller table dates from June 2014.
Not internationally controlled
PrescriptionAtomoxetine, 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
Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (contacts named: Dorcas Sithole; Gugu N. Mahlangu)
Dorcas Sithole, P.O. Box CY1122, Harare; Tel +263 772 239 132. Also Gugu N. Mahlangu, 106 Baines Avenue, Harare; Tel +263 772 145 191-2; Fax +263 4 736980
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
Zimbabwe needs a permit before you fly. The pack works out your apply-by date from your travel date.
We have not found an application form or portal for travellers here, so the pack gives you Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (contacts named: Dorcas Sithole; Gugu N. Mahlangu)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 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 Zimbabwe embassy or consulate before travelling.