If you wish to take prescription medicine with you when you travel abroad, take with you
- a signed copy of the prescriptions in English. You can get a copy from a pharmacy or the person issuing the prescription.
- a summary of your medication and the justification for it, diagnostic information about your illness, or your medical records. These will be provided to you by the person prescribing the medicine.
The required documentation and import procedures for medicines vary from country to country, so please check the requirements with your destination’s online customs service or embassy.
For example, it may be necessary to translate documents into English or the language of the destination country.
Taking narcotics and medicines that affect the central nervous system abroad
If you are travelling to the Schengen area (um.fi) and are carrying narcotics or central nervous system agents, you will need to take a Schengen certificate with you. You can obtain one from a pharmacy. The certificate will verify that you have the right to have these medicines in your possession.
If you are not sure whether you need a Schengen certificate for your medicines, please ask your pharmacist.
Frequently asked questions about medicines and prescriptions when travelling
The documents you need and their format depend on
- the legal and customs regulations valid in the destination country
- which medicines you are taking with you
- whether you are travelling to a Schengen country.
You can find out these things using your destination country’s online customs service or embassy.
If you are planning to purchase medicine in a country where the Finnish electronic prescription is not used, you will need a paper prescription in English. The person who issued the prescription will write you a paper prescription.