It is generally a good idea to travel with any prescription medicines you need to take.
You will need to do some research to make sure your meds are legal in every destination.
Travel insurance can help replace lost prescriptions overseas if you declare your pre-existing condition.
Is it a good idea to travel with prescription medication?
For obvious reasons, it's a good idea to make sure you can take your medication with you when you travel. You're taking it for a reason, after all. However, some drugs are going to cause you problems overseas if you're not prepared. A couple of common examples are medications with codeine, strong painkillers, potentially addictive drugs like methadone, as well as drugs that are still illegal in many countries like cannabis. Some drugs will have a carry limit, while others will be illegal to have at all.
Tips for traveling with medication
Here's a quick list of tips that you'll want to follow before you take any overseas trip.
Talk to your doctor and pharmacist. They're the experts, and they know you best. Get their opinion and follow it.
Get travel insurance. It's important to have cover, in case something happens to your medication or you need more while overseas. Make sure you declare your pre-existing condition when you sign up.
Do you research. Find out if your medication is legal in each of your destinations, and if there are any limits. The best way to find out specific information about a country is from their embassy in Australia. It's also worth reading up on the local culture of the country you're visiting. Some medications are controversial in some parts of the world, so you may need to be more discreet than you would be at home.
Bring proof. Keep your medications in the original packet, and get have your doctor write you a letter. If your medicines are on the PBS, you're required to have either a doctor's letter or a completed Medical Export Declaration Form when you leave Australia.
Look after your meds. Keep your medicine in your carry on, take enough for the whole trip and arrange refrigeration if needed. You may not be able to replace them if they're lost or stolen, so make sure they're safe and secure.
Finder survey: Which pre-existing medical conditions do Australians have?
Response
None
62.41%
Mental health conditions
12.14%
Asthma
9.17%
Chronic pain
8%
Diabetes
7.46%
Other
6.12%
Heart condition
5.94%
Cancer
3.6%
Physical disability
3.6%
Kidney disease
1.17%
Source: Finder survey by Pure Profile of 1112 Australians, December 2023
Entry conditions destinations popular with Australians
We looked at 20 popular destinations for Australians and the conditions of entry with prescription medications. Keep in mind that these are subject to change. You should contact the Australian embassy for any country you are planning to visit to check on the specific laws.
You should keep your medication in its original bottles
Bring your prescription with you
People travelling with personal medications must apply for a permit and declare the medications (not exceeding 30 days of usage) when entering the country
There are some restrictions on importation of prescription medication, so check with your local Thailand embassy about your medication
You can only bring enough prescription drugs for the duration of your stay in the Philippines. If travelling to another country afterwards, the supply for that country should be separated and declared
You should bring a letter from your doctor noting the reason for the prescription and the dosage, in English
You can bring in medication (sufficient for 3 months of treatment) without prescription (prescription required for more than 3 months), provided it is carried in your luggage
You are required to carry a prescription if your medication contains narcotic and psychotropic ingredients
There are some medications available in Australia that are treated the same way as narcotics in Indonesia, be sure to check if your drug is a prohibited substance, for example, some attention deficit disorder (ADD) medications
Contact your closest Indonesian Embassy to confirm if your drugs are legal under Indonesian law
Some other over-the-counter medications and prescriptions that are available in Australia may be classed by Singapore law as controlled substances. You will need to apply for approval at least 10 days prior to your travel
You should check the Singapore Health Sciences Authority website before bringing any medication
Prescription medication can be brought into the country if it's under a specified $US amount and for non-commercial use
Psychotropic medications (such as those used to treat anxiety, depression and insomnia) may be carried if there is no more than 7 days' worth of the drug and it does not exceed the amount that was prescribed by your treating physician
You must declare your medication on entry to the country
Prescription must be made out in either English or Vietnamese
Prescriptions should include all relevant information about the patient including age and name
The prescription should also include treating physician's name, address, signature and type of medication (including volume and dosage)
If your medication requires scheduled drugs like morphine tablets or is administered with a syringe, or if it's treatment for HIV or a drug dependency, you'll need to declare it and show the prescription from your doctor
You must carry your medications in the bottle or packet it was dispensed in with the label with the patient's name and the contents visible
Any amount above a seven-day supply of your medication should be declared as cargo and customs will verify the amount according to the prescription
Bring a copy of the prescription from your doctor for the reason why you're taking the medication, customs may keep the copy, so bring extras if travelling onwards to another country
There are 2 ways travel insurance can cover prescription drugs.
Medicine you're prescribed overseas
If you are prescribed medication by a doctor overseas for a new condition, you should be able to make a claim as an overseas medical cost. However, if the medicine is for a pre-existing condition that you haven't declared, you may have more trouble.
Theft or loss of your medication
Most standard travel insurance policies won't automatically cover loss or theft of prescription drugs you take with you. However, many comprehensive policies will cover your prescription medicine if you declare it as a pre-existing medical condition.
Compare travel insurance for prescription medications
Compare travel insurance with the tool below and make sure to fill in your pre-existing condition declaration when you sign up. To be completely confident of what travel insurance will cover, you should talk to your travel insurance provider.
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Frequently asked questions
Traveling with prescription medicine can be tricky. Prescription medication is generally controlled for a reason, and may be completely illegal in some destinations. It's really important to check if your particular medications are allowed in every country you're planning to visit, even if you're just in transit. Even if it is legal, you should also keep your medication in its original packaging with the pharmacist label attached. You should also get a physical copy of the original prescription from your doctor or pharmacist and keep it with you when you travel.
Even if your travel insurance covers your medication, you may not be reimbursed for the entire amount of your loss. It will depend on how much your prescriptions cost to replace while you're overseas. A drug that is subsidised under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) in Australia, for instance, may not be in a country such as the USA where replacement drugs may be very expensive due to its costly health care system. Check with your insurance fund to be 100% sure.
It's a good idea to have your doctor write a letter that explains the nature of your medication. If your meds are on the PBS, a requirement of taking them out of Australia is a doctor's letter or a completed Medical Export Declaration Form. Your doctor's letter letter should have your name, your doctor's name, the medicine name, the chemical and brand name, the strength and dosage, the form and manner of administration as well as written confirmation that you're travelling with this medicine and that it's for your personal use only.
A Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) is not enough to replace travel insurance. Firstly, Australia only has RHCAs with 11 countries, so it's likely you won't be covered in every country you travel in. Also, RHCAs don't mean you'll get free prescription drugs whenever you need them. Countries all have different rules and regulations, and medical care not covered by an agreement can still cost you while you're traveling. Getting the right travel insurance policy is important to make sure you're properly covered.
It's not illegal to leave Australia with Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medicines for your personal use. However, it is illegal to take for someone other than you or a fellow traveller. It's a crime that can be published by up to 2 years in prison and an $11,000 fine.
Jessica Prasida is a travel insurance expert for Finder. She lives and breathes travel, having worked as a travel agent and branch manager at STA Travel for over 4 years, then writing about travel insurance with Finder for another 5 years. Jess has a Bachelor of Business from the University of Technology, Sydney and a Tier 1 General Insurance qualification.
I’m travelling to Ireland, Denmark and Norway with transit stop in Dubai and Singapore from Australia. I want to take antibiotics with me. Am I ok just with the original box and script or do I need a letter from the doctor?
It is recommended to bring doctor’s prescription with you during your trip since you will go through various countries. This is to make sure that checking your antibiotics at the customs will not consume much time.
Thanks for getting in touch! We don’t specifically know if Concerta is allowed in Zambia – what’s important is that for all the medications you have to bring when you travel must have legitimate and strong supporting documents and that they are prescribed by your doctors for your own consumption. Hope this helps!
I am going to the Philippines for 6 to 12 months and take several daily meds, the only one I think could be a problem as it is for pain is tramadol. Do you know if it allowable there?
To bring your medications in the Philippines, pack any these in their original containers. Check that all their labels are easy to read. Bring a signed and dated letter from your personal physician, confirming your current medication needs.
Upon checking, Tramadol is an opioid. You can take it to the counter of a pharmacy, with the prescription or a note containing the drug name, the dose and the quantity and it will be filled for you, assuming they have the drug in stock and if it’s available in the Philippines.
Should you wish to have real-time answers to your questions, try our chat box on the lower right corner of our page.
Some prescription medications available in Australia have controlled substances in Thailand, even if prescribed by an Australian doctor. If you plan to bring prescription or non-prescription medication into Thailand, you may need to contact the closest Thai Embassy or Consulate to confirm it’s legal. Should you decide to contact the embassy, it would be best to do so at least a month in advance.
Alternatively, you may want to speak to your doctor or a travel doctor. They will often be able to tell you whether you can bring certain medications into a specific country.
Am travelling from Singapore to Phuket for 4 day’s, have prescription meds that contain codeine, oxazepam and prednisone (have a letter from my doctor) I will only take enough for the four days so do i need to fill out a application (their Web page keeps telling me my email is invalid) Many Thanks in advance for your time and trouble.
You only have to declare the medications you are bringing at the airport for them not to be confiscated, as long as you bring the doctor’s note with you there shouldn’t be a problem.
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Hi,
I’m travelling to Ireland, Denmark and Norway with transit stop in Dubai and Singapore from Australia. I want to take antibiotics with me. Am I ok just with the original box and script or do I need a letter from the doctor?
Hi Anne,
Thank you for getting in touch with Finder.
It is recommended to bring doctor’s prescription with you during your trip since you will go through various countries. This is to make sure that checking your antibiotics at the customs will not consume much time.
I hope this helps.
Thank you and have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Jeni
Can you travel to Zambia with Concerta? Going for 3 months
Hi Vic,
Thanks for getting in touch! We don’t specifically know if Concerta is allowed in Zambia – what’s important is that for all the medications you have to bring when you travel must have legitimate and strong supporting documents and that they are prescribed by your doctors for your own consumption. Hope this helps!
Best,
Nikki
I am going to the Philippines for 6 to 12 months and take several daily meds, the only one I think could be a problem as it is for pain is tramadol. Do you know if it allowable there?
Hi Pete,
Thank you for your comment.
To bring your medications in the Philippines, pack any these in their original containers. Check that all their labels are easy to read. Bring a signed and dated letter from your personal physician, confirming your current medication needs.
Upon checking, Tramadol is an opioid. You can take it to the counter of a pharmacy, with the prescription or a note containing the drug name, the dose and the quantity and it will be filled for you, assuming they have the drug in stock and if it’s available in the Philippines.
Should you wish to have real-time answers to your questions, try our chat box on the lower right corner of our page.
Regards,
Jhezelyn
Travelling to Thailand and am taking cyklokapron will I need a doctors note? Bottle is labelled
Hi Melinda,
Thanks for your inquiry.
Some prescription medications available in Australia have controlled substances in Thailand, even if prescribed by an Australian doctor. If you plan to bring prescription or non-prescription medication into Thailand, you may need to contact the closest Thai Embassy or Consulate to confirm it’s legal. Should you decide to contact the embassy, it would be best to do so at least a month in advance.
Alternatively, you may want to speak to your doctor or a travel doctor. They will often be able to tell you whether you can bring certain medications into a specific country.
Cheers,
Joanne
Am travelling from Singapore to Phuket for 4 day’s, have prescription meds that contain codeine, oxazepam and prednisone (have a letter from my doctor) I will only take enough for the four days so do i need to fill out a application (their Web page keeps telling me my email is invalid) Many Thanks in advance for your time and trouble.
Hi Brenda,
Thanks for your inquiry.
You only have to declare the medications you are bringing at the airport for them not to be confiscated, as long as you bring the doctor’s note with you there shouldn’t be a problem.
Hope this information helped.
Cheers,
Arnold