Traveling with medication doesn't need to be a stressful experience. Find out how to get your meds through customs with these tips.
Photo © Getty Images/Azman Jaka
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are planning to take any medication with you while traveling, please contact the relevant country's embassy which can best advise you on whether the medication is considered illegal or not, plus any further information or permits you may need in order to travel with your medications.
Some prescription medicines, which may be safe at home, can be illegal in other countries. By following a few easy tips, you'll breeze through customs in no time. Note, countries including Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, China, USA, New Zealand, Fiji and some countries in Europe have their own restrictions and rules around traveling with medication.
- Pre-trip medication tips
- During your trip tips
- Over-the-counter medications
- Traveling with painkillers
- Traveling with vitamins
- Buying medications while traveling
Pre-trip medication tips
- Make sure you travel with enough medication for the length of your trip; you might also want to carry a couple of extras in case of delays to your trip, or if one accidentally takes a dive down the sink
- If you're on an extended trip and taking more than one month's supply (three months in some countries), you may need to explain why you are carrying so much. A copy of your itinerary or return airline ticket should do
- Prescriptions written by your doctor at home will not be valid overseas and cannot be refilled using that prescription in another country
- Carry medicines in their original packaging with prescription labels showing your name
- Ask your doctor to write a letter verifying they are for your personal use, stating what the drug is (not brand name), what you're taking them for, and in what dosage
- If you have to administer any medication with a syringe, make sure it is also noted and that it's for personal use only.
Special rules for the United Arab Emirates
The government of the United Arab Emirates requires ALL passengers, including those in transit, to register online if they are carrying any medications. There is a long list of narcotics and psychotropics that will require registration. It includes codeine, a drug commonly prescribed in many countries.
To see a list of medication requiring registration and to register them, go to the Ministry of Health and Prevention's webpage.
During your trip tips
Always carry your medication, doctor's letter and permits in your carry-on luggage in case your checked-in bag goes missing, is delayed or stolen, but also for convenience's sake as illness could strike at any time while traveling.
Declare any syringes you may have with you for medical reasons to customs.
Try to keep your medication cool and dry. Heat and moisture can damage medication which reduces their effectiveness.
Over-the-counter medication
Something as simple as a cold and flu tablet containing pseudoephedrine can get you into trouble. Over-the-counter medication is illegal in some countries or there may be limits on how much you can bring in.
Carry a doctor's letter outlining its use and make sure the medication is in its original packaging. If in doubt, give the relevant embassy a call and check with them.
Traveling with painkillers
Most Western nations have removed codeine from over-the-counter medicines in pharmacies.
If there is codeine in medicine, you'll need a prescription to get it, so the rules above apply.
If you use strong, opioid (morphine-based) painkillers, or treatment for addiction (methadone, for example), many countries require you to get a special permit before you arrive.
This may include codeine-based medicines. You may also need a letter from your doctor that outlines which painkillers you are taking and their dosage.
Contact the relevant embassy in your country for details, should you have any questions before traveling.
Traveling with vitamins
Any vitamins and supplements should be carried in their original packaging so their contents can be identified. It may also be worth getting them added to your doctor's letter. Boosting your immune system is one way to prevent falling ill overseas, so consider packing vitamins to prevent immune system weakness.
Buying medication while traveling
- Be careful when buying medications while traveling overseas. The medication can be of poor quality, counterfeit or expired e.g fake medications have contributed to the continued presence of malaria in many developing nations
- It's also important to check the dosage of the medication before taking it as it may be more or less than your usual supply. You could risk overdosing or not getting relief from the condition you have
- Check the packaging of the medication, is it sealed and intact? Does the package printing and imagery look dodgy?
- The medication you normally take may be known by another name in a different country. If in doubt, ask the pharmacist
- If you have an allergic reaction to the medication, cease taking it and seek immediate medical assistance.
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