The basic rule
The Embassy of Viet Nam in Australia says people entering Vietnam may bring personal medicine for their own treatment without an import licence. For two groups of controlled medicines there is a cap, based on the dose in your prescription:
| Type of medicine | Most you can bring | Declare at customs? |
|---|---|---|
| Narcotic medicines (for example opioids) | 7 days' supply | Yes |
| Psychotropic medicines, or medicines containing precursors | 10 days' supply | Yes |
| Other personal medicines | No day limit stated; value and frequency limits apply to medicine you receive | See below |
The embassy explains that narcotic medicines commonly means opioids, cannabis and similar products, and that a psychotropic medicine is any medicine that can affect the mind, emotions or behaviour. It says the official lists may be wider than people expect, and to ask your doctor.
Sources: Embassy of Viet Nam in Australia, Bring medication into Viet Nam.
What counts as psychotropic
This is where people get caught out. The UK government says Vietnam restricts medicines it classes as addictive or psychotropic, including medicines used to treat addiction, anxiety, depression, insomnia and other conditions.
If you are not sure about your medicine, ask your doctor to check its active ingredient against the Vietnamese lists, which the embassy links from its page. Do not guess from the brand name.
Sources: UK FCDO travel advice for Vietnam, Health; Embassy of Viet Nam in Australia, Bring medication into Viet Nam.
Cannabis and CBD
Do not assume a product that is legal at home is legal here. The Embassy of Viet Nam in Australia says narcotic medicines, in common understanding, include opioids, cannabis and similar products, and it lists cannabis among the controlled groups. The UK government adds that the legal status of medicines prescribed or bought in the UK can be different in other countries.
If your treatment includes any cannabis based product, contact a Vietnamese embassy before you travel and get a clear written answer.
Sources: Embassy of Viet Nam in Australia, Bring medication into Viet Nam; UK FCDO travel advice for Vietnam, Health.
Where official sources differ
Not every government says the same thing, and we think you should see the differences rather than one tidy number.
| Point | Embassy of Viet Nam in Australia | UK government travel advice |
|---|---|---|
| Time limit for controlled medicine | 7 days for narcotic, 10 days for psychotropic | 7 days for addictive and psychotropic medicine |
| Value threshold | Non controlled medicine can be received up to 3 times a year, up to USD 200 each time; for serious illnesses up to VND 10,000,000 (USD 400) each time, up to 4 times a year | Declare prescription medicine at customs if its total import value is over USD 100 |
The safest reading is the stricter one. If your supply is close to any limit, contact a Vietnamese embassy before you travel, as both sources suggest.
Sources: Embassy of Viet Nam in Australia, Bring medication into Viet Nam; UK FCDO travel advice for Vietnam, Health; UK FCDO travel advice for Vietnam, Entry requirements.
The papers to carry
The embassy says medicines must have labels that clearly show the drug name, the active ingredients, the strength, the content and the expiry date, and that you need a prescription from a doctor. The prescription should include at least:
- the patient's name and age;
- the drug name, strength or concentration and volume;
- the amount of medicine, or the number of days it covers;
- the dose;
- the doctor's full name and signature;
- the doctor's address, such as the hospital or clinic.
The UK government adds two points: carry medicine in your hand luggage with a copy of the prescription, and carry a letter from your doctor stating how much you need for the trip. The letter can be in English.
Sources: Embassy of Viet Nam in Australia, Bring medication into Viet Nam; UK FCDO travel advice for Vietnam, Health; UK FCDO travel advice for Vietnam, Entry requirements.
Medicine sent to you by post or courier
The embassy also sets limits for medicine you receive, rather than carry. If a personal medicine is not narcotic, psychotropic or a precursor, it can be received no more than 3 times a year, with a customs value of no more than USD 200 each time. For people with diseases classed as critical illnesses, the limit is VND 10,000,000 (USD 400) each time, up to 4 times a year.
The same label and prescription rules apply: the pack must show the drug name, active ingredients, strength, content and expiry date, and come with a doctor's prescription. Controlled medicines are a different matter, so check with an embassy before anyone sends them.
Sources: Embassy of Viet Nam in Australia, Bring medication into Viet Nam.
If you need more than the limit
The embassy describes the route. You can make a declaration at customs at the port where you enter Vietnam, with your itinerary and proof of medical need from your doctor. Customs then decides whether to let you bring the medicine in. The embassy also suggests contacting a hospital in Vietnam before you travel to see if it can supply your medicine.
For a long stay, the second route is often the practical one: bring what the limit allows, and book a doctor in Vietnam early to continue your treatment locally. A doctor there can issue an electronic prescription. For ongoing care in English, see the providers our editors noted in the mental health picks and family clinic picks.
Sources: Embassy of Viet Nam in Australia, Bring medication into Viet Nam.
Buying more once you are here
British advice warns that some medicines are hard to get here and that many of them are fake. Big UK brands may be missing too, so ask your home doctor, before you leave, which substitutes exist.
So plan your supply in two parts: what you can carry within the limits, and how you will continue locally. Ask your doctor at home for the generic name and strength of each medicine, so a doctor in Vietnam can match it.
Sources: UK FCDO travel advice for Vietnam, Health; UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Living in Vietnam (updated 23 September 2025).
Before you pack
- List every medicine you take, by generic name and strength.
- Ask your doctor whether any of them are narcotic or psychotropic under Vietnamese rules.
- Get a prescription and a doctor's letter with the details above.
- Keep medicines in their original labelled packs, in your hand luggage.
- Declare controlled medicines at customs on arrival.
Our FAQ covers how this site works.
This guide explains published rules. It is not medical or legal advice and it does not tell you what to take. Ask your doctor about your own medicines, and a Vietnamese embassy about your own trip.
Common questions
- Can I bring prescription medication into Vietnam?
- Yes, for personal use and without an import licence, within limits: up to 7 days' supply of narcotic medicines and 10 days' supply of psychotropic medicines, according to the Embassy of Viet Nam in Australia.
- Do I have to declare prescription drugs at customs in Vietnam?
- Narcotic and psychotropic medicines must be declared to customs. The UK government also says to declare prescription medicine if its total import value is over USD 100.
- What medications can you not take into Vietnam?
- Controlled medicines above the 7 day narcotic or 10 day psychotropic limits cannot come in without approval, and the embassy notes that narcotic products include cannabis. Check your medicine's active ingredient with your doctor.
- What papers do I need to bring medicine into Vietnam?
- Bring the original labelled packs, a prescription with your name and age, the drug name, strength, amount, dose and the doctor's name, signature and address, and ideally a doctor's letter.
- What if I need more than 10 days of my medicine?
- You can declare it at customs at your port of entry with your itinerary and proof of medical need, and customs will decide. The embassy also suggests asking a hospital in Vietnam before you travel whether it can supply your medicine.