Bringing Medication to Georgia: What Tourists Need to Know

Planning a trip to Georgia? Whether you’re visiting for tourism, business, medical treatment, or long-term stay, it’s important to understand the country’s medication import regulations. While most common medicines are allowed for personal use, Georgia enforces strict rules for controlled, narcotic, and psychotropic substances.

These regulations are governed by the

Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia

and related legal acts under Georgian law.

Standard Medicines – What You Can Bring Without Documentation

Travelers may bring into Georgia:

• Up to 10 standard packages per medication
• For personal use only
• Without medical documentation

This applies to most prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, supplements, and vitamins.

Important: Medicines must be in their original packaging with clearly visible names and active ingredients.

Bringing More Than 10 Packages

If your stay requires more than 10 packages of a medication, you must carry proper medical documentation:

• A valid prescription
• A doctor’s note confirming diagnosis and treatment
• Dosage details (daily dose × number of days of stay)
• English translation (strongly recommended)

Customs officers may verify the quantity against your duration of stay.

Specially Controlled Substances

Georgia maintains special control lists (I–IV) covering substances with high addiction risk or public health impact. These include certain narcotic and psychotropic medications.

You may only bring such medicines into Georgia with official medical documentation.

Official legal framework:

Law of Georgia on Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances, Precursors and Narcological Assistance

Common Restricted Substances

Strict regulation applies to medicines containing substances such as:

• Codeine
• Dihydrocodeine
• Acetyldihydrocodeine
• Ethylmorphine
• Pholcodine
• Ephedrine
• Pseudoephedrine
• Norephedrine

This also includes combination cold and flu medications containing these ingredients.

Warning: Illegal import or export of narcotic or psychotropic substances is a criminal offense under Georgian law.

31-Day Supply Rule for Narcotic & Psychotropic Drugs

Travelers may carry up to a 31-day supply of narcotic or psychotropic medication for personal treatment if they present:

• An English-translated prescription
• A certified medical certificate from the prescribing doctor
• Official authentication from the competent authority of the departure country

For exporting such medication from Georgia, additional authorization may be required from the state regulatory agency.

Relevant authority:

State Regulation Agency for Medical Activities

Postal Shipments

Specially controlled substances are prohibited from being imported or exported by mail, except in legally defined exceptional cases.

Medication may be confiscated and destroyed if:

• Original packaging is missing
• Packaging is damaged
• Active ingredients cannot be identified
• The product has lost its commercial appearance

Transit Passengers

If you are transiting through Georgia, the same rules apply. Always carry medications in original packaging along with full medical documentation.

Practical Travel Tips

• Keep medications in original packaging
• Carry prescriptions in English
• Check ingredients for codeine or pseudoephedrine
• Bring documentation for chronic conditions
• Contact the Georgian embassy if unsure

You can find additional travel information through the official portal of the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia
.

Final Advice

Most travelers enter Georgia with medication without issues, provided they respect the quantity limits and documentation requirements. However, controlled and narcotic substances are strictly regulated.

When in doubt, consult your doctor and contact official Georgian authorities before traveling. Proper preparation ensures a smooth and stress-free entry into the country.