Prepare yourself for traveling with medicines
1. Before the trip, check whether your medicines are allowed in the destination country or whether you need a permit to take them with you.
In some cases, in order to take medicines with you, you have to ask for a separate permit from a destination country or declare the medicines before or after arrival. It is important to familiarize yourself with the country's customs rules (you can find information, for example, on the website of the country's embassy, the medicines agency or customs office. The Reisi Targalt website or the travel agency through which the trip is purchased is also helpful).
Sometimes a permit from the Estonian Agency of Medicines must be applied(see Over-the-counter medicines and Veterinary medicines) or a Schengen certificate from a pharmacy (see Narcotic and psychotropic medicines). If necessary, you can print a copy of the prescription yourself (see Prescription drugs and Narcotic and psychotropic drugs).
2. When going on a trip, pack medicines in hand luggage or a carry-on bag.
If you keep them in your carry-on luggage or in a portable bag, you can be sure that they are always at hand and will arrive with you at your destination. In addition, in the case of carry-on luggage, you can take care more easily, so that the medicines are stored in the right conditions and they do not lose their effectiveness.
3. Keep the medicines in the original packaging during the trip.
When traveling, keep the medicines in the original packaging, because the packaging protects against serious damage, moisture and light, all of which affect the effect of the medicine. Since the label on the original packaging contains the name, composition, dosage and manufacturer of the medicine, the packaging also shows that the medicine is genuine. In this way, the customs will not have any questions or doubts about the medicines
4. While travelling:
- follow the treatment plan even when time zones change!
- Store your medicines right! You can find the drug leaflet in the drug package or in the drug register.
- keep medicines out of the reach of children and animals!
Which medicines, how much and how can I take them with me on the trip?
OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICINAL PRODUCTS
You are allowed take over-the-counter medicines with you on your travels:
- up to 10 medicines with different names;
- a maximum of 5 retail packages of each medicine.
The size of the packages of medicines taken on the trip may be up to:
- 200 tablets or capsules
- 500 g of powder for making a solution
- 500 ml oral or infusion solution
- 30 ampoules or vials of injectable medicine
- 200 ml/200 g of external medicine
- 200 doses of inhalation medicine
- 10 medicated plasters
- 50 g of homeopathic granules
- 100 g of drugs
Medicines personally packaged for the patient at the pharmacy containing up to two months' worth of medication is considered as one package.
If the quantities and package sizes are within the specified limits, pack the medicines in hand luggage without removing them from the original packaging.
If you need to take over-the-counter medicines in larger packages or in larger quantities, you must request permission from the Agency of Medicines in advance!
All persons can apply for a permit from the Medicines Board to travel with medicines, regardless of their place of residence. The Medicines Agency issues a permit within five working days of receiving a proper application in medically justified quantities.
Fill out the application form(download the form or ask for a printed form from the pharmacy);
Sign the application digitally or print it out and sign it by hand;
Send a request to the State Agency of Medicines, whether:
- by e-mail at [email protected]
- by mail to the address of Medicines Agency, Nooruse 1, 50411 Tartu.
When reviewing the application, the Medicines Board checks the medical justification for taking over-the-counter medicine in a larger package or quantity on a trip. If there is a medical need, the authorization will be issued within five working days and sent by mail/email.
You can download the application form here:
Prescription medicines
Prescription medicines can be taken on the trip in the amount prescribed by the doctor. An exception is narcotic and psychotropic drugs that travel within the Schengen area (see below in a separate chapter).
An electronic display or printout of the electronic prescription*, a copy of the paper prescription or a doctor's note about the need for the medication must be taken along with the prescription medication (the note is necessary if the medication has not been purchased from an Estonian pharmacy and the patient does not have a copy of the prescription).
*The electronic prescription can be printed out if you log on to the website www.terviseportaal.ee and find your purchased prescriptions there.
Narcotic and psychotropic medicines
When traveling with narcotic and psychotropic medicines, different requirements apply depending on whether you are traveling within the Schengen countries or outside the Schengen area.
A list of Estonian narcotic and psychotropic medicines can be found HERE.
If you are not sure whether the medicine you are taking is a narcotic or psychotropic, ask your doctor, pharmacist or the State Agency of Medicines for advice (e.g. antidepressants are not narcotic or psychotropic but some of the strong painkillers and sleeping pills are).
When traveling in the Schengen area
When traveling to a Schengen country with narcotic and psychotropic medications, you need a Schengen certificate, regardless of the amount of medication you bring. A permit is also needed if during the trip you only pass through a Schengen country or the airport of such a country!
On the basis of the Schengen certificate, it is allowed to take medicines with you in the amount needed for a maximum of 30 days of treatment.
A Schengen certificate can be requested at any pharmacy for 5 euros.
Only people with a permanent residence in Estonia (regardless of citizenship) can apply for a Schengen certificate.
If you buy a narcotic or psychotropic medicine while traveling in a Schengen country, you can return it home without a Schengen certificate, but you must bring a copy of the prescription written by a foreign doctor and a receipt confirming the purchase of the drug from a foreign pharmacy.
In order to obtain a Schengen certificate from a pharmacy, an identity document and the following information must be presented to the pharmacist:
- name, personal identification number or, in its absence, date of birth and contact details (address and telephone);
- information about the departure and destination countries of the trip and the duration of the trip;
- information on narcotic and psychotropic medicines to be taken with you: name of the drug, content of active ingredients, dosage form, size of package and total number of packages to be taken with you.
If the medicine to be taken with you has not been purchased from an Estonian pharmacy on the basis of a prescription issued in Estonia, then in addition:
- a doctor's note about the need for the medicine and a receipt confirming the purchase of the medicine or a doctor's note about handing the medicine to the patient from the health care facility.
A pharmacist issues a Schengen certificate if:
- traveling in Schengen countries or passing through them during the trip and you want to take with you a medicine that is narcotic or psychotropic in Estonia (when traveling elsewhere, the Schengen certificate is not suitable and does not replace a copy of the prescription required there, a doctor's note or other permits required in another country);
- the medicine to be taken with you is prescribed for the person going on the trip or there is a doctor's note confirming that the person needs these medicines for treatment;
- the medicine to be taken with you has been purchased from a pharmacy or legally obtained in another way, e.g. received from a doctor, and a doctor's notification has been submitted;
- the amount of medication to be taken with you corresponds to the amount needed for up to 30 days of treatment (a larger amount cannot be taken with you, i.e. in the case of a longer trip, you must visit a doctor and replenish the supply of medication at the local pharmacy);
- a person has a permanent place of residence in Estonia regardless of his/her citizenship.
REMEMBER:
The Schengen certificate is issued separately for each narcotic or psychotropic drug taken with you, i.e. several different drugs cannot be entered on one certificate. The pharmacy may charge a fee of 5 euros for each certificate.
The Schengen certificate is person-specific, i.e. the name of the patient using the medicine is indicated on it, and with it only the patient, and not, for example, a family member, can take the medicine with on the trip. However, a relative can come and ask for a Schengen certificate from the pharmacy if the patient has authorized him to do so.
The date of issuance of the Schengen certificate is the date of the start of the trip, and the certificate is valid for a maximum of 30 days. You can take your narcotic and psychotropic medications with you on your trip in the amount corresponding to your medical needs for up to one month (without taking them out of the original packaging!).
In case of a longer trip, it is necessary to visit a doctor while traveling and to buy additional medicines from a local pharmacy.
When traveling outside the Schengen area
When traveling with narcotic or psychotropic medicines outside the Schengen area, you can take the medicines with you in the amount prescribed and issued to you.
In addition, the patient must have an electronic display or printout of the electronic prescription* a copy of the paper prescription or a doctor's note about the need for medication (the note is especially necessary if the medication has not been purchased from an Estonian pharmacy and the patient does not have a copy of the prescription).
*The electronic prescription can be printed out if you log on to the website www.terviseportaal.ee and find your purchased prescriptions there.
When traveling with narcotic and/or psychotropic medicines outside the Schengen area, it is important to familiarize yourself with the requirements of the destination country and the countries of transit for traveling with medicines. It may happen that it is also necessary to apply for a permit from the destination country when traveling with narcotic and psychotropic medications.
Veterinary medicines
Over-the-counter medicines intended for animals can be taken with you on the trip to treat the animal accompanying you on the trip:
- up to 5 medicines with different names;
- each medicine up to 3 packages.
The maximum dpackage sizes are the same as for human medicines (see Over-the-counter medicines)
If the package of an over-the-counter medicine used in an animal exceeds the permitted package size or if it is necessary to bring a larger quantity of over-the-counter medicines, you must request a permit from the Medicines Agency to take these over-the-counter medicines with you (see How to request permission from the Medicines Agency to take over-the-counter medicines in a larger quantity or in a package?).
Prescription medicines for animals can be taken in the amount prescribed for the animal, and a veterinarian's note about the need for these medicines or a copy of the paper prescription must also be taken with. There are no separate requirements for narcotic and psychotropic medicines intended for animals.
Need a new medicine while traveling?
- Find the nearest pharmacy! You can be sure that it is high-quality and safe only when you buy medicine from a pharmacy!
- In some countries, you can also buy prescription medicines based on an Estonian paper prescription or using a cross-border digital prescription.
- If you can't use an Estonian (digital) prescription or a foreign pharmacy doesn't have the medicine prescribed for you, contact a local doctor to get a new medicine!
- If your health condition worsens, contact your local doctor or emergency medical department immediately!
Last updated: 03.09.2024