nalismom

So I have read information regarding Traveler Card on entering South Africa but I am still a little confused and need some clarification:

1 - 30 day supply of prescription medication - non-narcotic for BP, Heart , Anti-Malarial - have printout from MD for these meds.........can they be condensed into One pill container for space-saving in hand baggage?

2 - Is the above medication required to be declared on Traveler Card? I.e. Making this a Red or Green channel?

3 - Over The Counter meds such as Loratadine (Claritin ), Mucinex, Ibuprophen do not require prescriptions in the U.S. .......can these be brought in for personal use and do they need to be in separate containers or are blister packs ok for space-saving purposes......

Trying to get organized as we are leaving in 2 weeks. We have always condensed our meds into one container for travel but want to make our entry into SA as problem-free as possible

Guvner067

We took half a case of medicines (slight exaggeration, but it was a lot) for all sorts of things a few weeks ago and never once was asked about anything nor did we declare it. We had everything in the original packaging and then all sealed up in a see-through bag in our hand luggage.

Mwenenzi

If re packed the drugs could be anything: legal prescription or illegal
If in the original packing and you have the written prescription there is far less chance of any problems with authorities.

Sabasi

In the absence of a government regulation, there is no practical difference between what is in a prescription bottle and any other kind of bottle unless the bottle is sealed, unopened, and from the drug manufacturer. Anything can be put in a bottle with a removable cap.

OP, you would be well advised not to rely on what any anonymous person says about such an important matter.

Stewie Mac

OP - you're over-thinking this whole trip.

Looking at the SA customs website , it seems clear to me that you will be bringing in medicine in 'sufficient quantities for three months for own personal treatment accompanied by a letter or certified prescription from a registered physician', which is expressly called out as excluded from needing declaration.

Therefore you don't need to declare them, and you don't need to fill in a travellers card, and you don't need to go through the red channel.

If you normally decant all your drugs into one pack, why is this any different? You have the same risk that law enforcement will challenge you as to what all the drugs are, but clearly you have decided that the downside of mixing drugs (time delay while each pill is checked for legality) is outweighed by upside in convenience.... South Africa is no different.

And don't sweat the laptop bag/handbag thing. I regularly take a stuffed laptop bag on as second personal item on JNB-DUR/CPT flights without issue.

nalismom

Thank you all for your responses....especially Stewie Mac for the jolt to my reality....yes - I do tend to over-think things. 😉

In any case I have decided to leave my malaria meds in their prescription bottle with the pharm label and a printout noting dosage, MD, pill description etc.

The majority of the meds mentioned are my husbands and I will pass on the info to him.....I know he has a printout from his MD of his scripts.

As far as the OTC meds which I usually just combine in a small bottle - this time I think I will either take a sufficient amount in original blister packs which are marked on the back by the drug manufacturer or I will just purchase in Johannesburg on way to hotel.

And Stewie Mac - thanks for the FB on the laptop bag....been overthinking that too as well as weighing my main carry-on bag as I pack to be below the limit😁 LOL

Sabasi

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/afric...lations-2.html

Doc Savage

I flew in last week and was told by Delta there were no forms to fill out, and wasn't given any by SA border people.

It was simple: "Are you here on holiday?"

"Yes"

"Welcome to South Africa."

*stamp*

10GAUGE19

I'm trying to find out if you are allowed to take narcotic pain medication into South Africa for personal use? I am scheduled to be in SA for 3 weeks for work and I take prescription pain medication for back pain. Can anyone tell me if this is allowed? Thanks for the help.

muji

Hi, and welcome, 10GAUGE19.

For a start, take a look here:
Bringing Personal Medications into South Africa

Doc Savage

http://www.sars.gov.za/ClientSegment...val-in-SA.aspx

10GAUGE19

Thanks for the info.

I found this on the SARS website and I'm not sure if this would include prescription narcotic medication or not?

Examples of prohibited goods are including but not limited to:

Narcotic and habit-forming drugs in any form

Yoshi212

That's a fairly vague statement. Generally narcotics refer to illicit substances such as heroin. I took about 40 tablets of Tramadol to South Africa in October and had no problem. While it's a low grade pain killer it's still a controlled substance. I'd write to the customs office and state the US brand and generic name for your medication and ask if this substance is permitted for personal use.

roadwarrier

Agreed. As a local resident I have never been stopped to check my meds. And whenever I travel to other countries, as a matter of course, I keep a copy of the prescription, and on the rare occasions that I have been stopped, the script has been sufficient. These guys are looking for kilograms of stuff, not a few blister packs of tablets.

At JNB, you may encounter a buffoon at Agricultural Control who may want to check for honey, cheese or salami. This happened to me a few weeks ago when my Qatar flight landed around the same time as Swiss. He assumed I came from Zurich and demanded that he search my luggage for cheese and salami. When I explained that my flight was from Doha and that cheese is not exactly available there and that being in the Middle East, the chances of getting salami was even more remote, I showed him my luggage tags and turned around and walked off. (I was not in a good mood that morning, and in fact I was coming back from Cyprus armed with olive oil and other tasty goodies).

Enjoy your trip.

T8191

Just wondering vaguely how I get to show the prescription, when I hand that in to the Pharmacy to get issued with the medication!

However, my quite innocent medication is plastered with Pharma labels saying what it is, and that it's for ME.