Bringing medicines into Qatar: controlled drugs and the MOPH e-permit

Many medicines that are ordinary at home, such as some painkillers, sleeping tablets, anxiety and ADHD medicines, are controlled in Qatar, and carrying them without the right paperwork can lead to confiscation or a criminal case. Since 5 August 2026 the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) runs an online permit system for travellers who carry controlled medicines for personal use, and it has published a list of 140 controlled medicines (61 narcotic and 79 psychotropic) that may be brought in under conditions. This guide is for new arrivals, residents travelling back from holiday, and families inviting visiting relatives. Work through it in order: check whether your medicine is controlled, get the right documents from your doctor, apply for the e-permit at least five working days before you fly, then travel with the printed permit and your original documents. Ordinary prescription medicines do not need a permit, but you should still carry a prescription and keep to personal-use amounts.

Before you start

• The generic (active ingredient) name of every medicine you take, not only the brand name
• A prescription in English or Arabic, issued within the last 6 months, with your full name, the medicine name, dose and form, treatment duration, issue date, and the doctor's name, signature and stamp
• A medical report in English or Arabic, issued within the last 6 months, with your diagnosis and treatment plan, stamped by the hospital or clinic that treats you
• Your doctor's or clinic's phone number written on both the prescription and the report
• A clear copy of your Qatar ID (QID) or passport
• Clear photos of each medicine pack, showing the name and strength
• Your travel dates and arrival or departure airport
• A National Authentication System (NAS) account, which you can create with a passport if you have no QID
• Medicines kept in their original packs with the leaflet, in your hand luggage

Step by step

1. Check whether your medicine is controlled

   Look up the active ingredient of each medicine (it is printed on the pack under the brand name) in MOPH's guidelines booklet, which contains the list of 140 controlled medicines. The lists include many everyday medicines such as codeine, tramadol, pregabalin (Lyrica), gabapentin, diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam, zolpidem and methylphenidate (Ritalin), as well as strong painkillers such as morphine and oxycodone. If your medicine is on either list, you need a permit or must declare it on arrival. If a controlled substance is not on the lists, or is banned internationally or under Qatar's narcotics law, it cannot be brought in at all, so speak to your doctor about an alternative before travelling.

2. Work out how much you can carry

   For medicines on the narcotic list you may carry up to 10 days of prescribed treatment, and for medicines on the psychotropic list up to 60 days. The amount must match what your prescription says, so ask your doctor to write the daily dose and the treatment period clearly. Injectable controlled medicines are different: they must be approved and given under the supervision of a licensed healthcare facility in Qatar and recorded in your medical file. For ordinary prescription medicines, such as blood pressure or diabetes tablets, no permit is needed, but bring only a sensible personal amount with the prescription.

3. Get the right documents from your doctor

   Ask your doctor for two separate documents: a prescription and a medical report, both in English or Arabic and both issued within the last 6 months. Each must show your full name, the medicine, its dose and form, how long the treatment lasts, the issue date, and the doctor's name, signature and stamp, plus the clinic's phone number. The report must also show your diagnosis and be stamped by the facility where you are treated. MOPH's guidelines also say the medical report should carry Ministry of Foreign Affairs attestation, so ask MOPH or your clinic early what this means for your country, because attestation can take time.

4. Create your account on the MOPH portal

   Go to fli.moph.gov.qa, the MOPH system that handles controlled-medicine permits, and choose the Traveller Register/Login option. You sign in through the National Authentication System (NAS), the government login used for many Qatar e-services. Residents can log in with their QID; visitors without a QID can register a NAS account with their passport number, mobile number and email address. The portal is available in English and Arabic.

5. Fill in the application

   Choose to create a new request, then complete the patient profile with your name, QID or passport number, contact details, date of birth and nationality. If someone is travelling with you, such as a parent with a child, you can add their details as an accompanying person. In the trip section say whether you are arriving in or leaving Qatar, with your expected date and the countries you are flying from and to. In the medicine section enter the diagnosis, active ingredient, form, strength, pack size, quantity, trade name and the number of days prescribed; you can add up to 5 active ingredients in one request.

6. Upload documents and submit early

   Attach clear scans of your QID or passport, the prescription, the medical report and photos of the medicine packs, then review everything and accept the undertaking that the medicine is for your personal use only. Submit at least five working days before your flight; Qatar's working week is Sunday to Thursday, so weekends and public holidays do not count. Blurred or incomplete documents are the most common reason for delays, so check that names, dates and stamps are readable. Submitting does not guarantee approval, because each request is reviewed by MOPH's Department of Pharmacy and Drug Control.

7. Track the request and print the permit

   After you submit, the request shows as submitted without a permit number until it is approved. You can follow it in the list of your requests on the portal; MOPH says a decision is made within three working days once all requirements are met. The approval letter is valid for 90 days from the approval date and must be used within that time; if it expires or you withdraw the request, you need to apply again. Print the permit, because MOPH asks travellers to carry a printed copy with the original prescription and medical report.

8. Travel with everything in your hand luggage

   Pack your medicines in their original packs with the leaflets, in your cabin bag, together with the printed permit and the original prescription and medical report. Customs officers at Hamad International Airport may ask to see the originals. If you could not get a permit in time, you must declare your narcotic or psychotropic medicines to customs on arrival and show the prescription and medical report; undeclared controlled medicines can be confiscated and may lead to a criminal case. Never carry a bag or a package for someone else without checking what is inside, because the person carrying it is held responsible.

   Read guide: Laws and etiquette every Qatar resident should know →

9. Leaving Qatar or passing through

   The same MOPH system also covers people leaving Qatar with controlled medicines; choose departure in the trip section and give the details of the prescribing doctor in Qatar. Check the rules of the country you are going to as well, because they may be stricter. MOPH has not published separate rules for transit passengers, so if you are only changing planes in Doha carry your prescription and medical report, and if you leave the airport you are entering Qatar and the permit rules apply.

   Read guide: Transit and layovers at Hamad International Airport: can you leave the airport? →

10. Think twice before posting medicines

    The e-permit is for medicines that travellers carry in person, not for parcels. Parcels sent from abroad pass through Qatar customs, and medicines inside them can be held or refused, especially controlled ones. If family want to send ordinary medicines, include a copy of the prescription and keep it to personal-use amounts, and check with the courier first. For controlled medicines, the safer route is to carry them yourself with a permit, or to get them prescribed in Qatar.

    Read guide: Post and deliveries in Qatar: P.O. boxes, parcels and customs →

11. Continue treatment with a doctor in Qatar

    Once your permitted supply runs out, see a licensed doctor in Qatar rather than asking someone to bring more. If the doctor agrees you need to continue, a medical file is opened and the medicine can be prescribed and dispensed through local pharmacies, if it is available here. Bring your old prescription and medical report to the first appointment so the doctor can see your history. Residents can use government health centres and hospitals with their QID, or a private clinic covered by their insurance.

    Read guide: Get your health card (now linked to your QID) →

12. Buy everyday medicines in Qatar pharmacies

    Pharmacies are easy to find in Qatar, in malls, supermarkets and residential areas, and some are open around the clock. Medicines that do not need a prescription are sold freely, but prescription-only medicines need a prescription from a doctor licensed in Qatar, and controlled medicines are only dispensed on a Qatar prescription linked to your medical file. Pharmacists can often suggest a local equivalent if you show them the active ingredient of your usual medicine, since brand names differ between countries. Delivery apps such as Talabat and Snoonu also deliver pharmacy items, but they cannot supply prescription medicines without a valid prescription.

    Read guide: Health insurance in Qatar: what residents and visitors need →

What it costs

Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.

Common mistakes

• Assuming a medicine is fine because it is sold over the counter or is legal at home; codeine cough and cold products, sleeping tablets and some painkillers are controlled in Qatar
• Applying for the permit a day or two before flying; MOPH asks for at least five working days
• Bringing more than the allowed amount: 10 days for narcotics and 60 days for psychotropics
• Carrying only a brand name or a pharmacy receipt instead of a prescription and a separate medical report
• Using documents older than 6 months, or ones without the doctor's stamp, signature and phone number
• Packing medicines loose or in a pill organiser in checked luggage instead of original packs in hand luggage
• Asking friends or relatives to bring or post controlled medicines for you
• Not declaring controlled medicines on arrival when you have no permit

Questions people ask

Official sources

• MOPH Controlled Medicines System (traveller login) ↗
• MOPH guidelines and list of controlled medicines (PDF) ↗
• The Peninsula (Aug 2026): MOPH lists 140 controlled medicines ↗
• Gulf Times (Aug 2026): travellers can now apply online ↗
• Khaleej Times (Aug 2026): Qatar's online permit, documents and validity ↗
• UK government travel advice for Qatar: medicines ↗

Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.

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