Pharmacy and rules for bringing medicines to Russia

This page is for Turkish citizens traveling to Russia with medicines they regularly use or wishing to buy medicines from a pharmacy in Russia. Bringing medicines for personal use is permitted. However, some active substances require a prescription and a notarized Russian translation; some medicines must also be declared at customs. Below you will find which medicines require documents, what to prepare before traveling, and the prescription rules of pharmacies in Russia. For emergency healthcare, see R7.2.

• A person entering Russia may bring medicines for their own use. No import permit is required for this.
• Medicines not registered in Russia may also be brought for personal use.
• The rule of the Eurasian Economic Union, of which Russia is a member, is the same: no registration document or permit is submitted to customs for medicines brought for personal use.
• The quantity must be appropriate for personal use. Quantities intended for sale are outside the scope of this rule.
• There are two important exceptions to this general rule: medicines containing "potent" or "toxic" substances, and medicines containing narcotic or psychotropic substances. Details are below.

• To bring a medicine containing a substance on the Russian Government's list of potent substances (сильнодействующие вещества) or toxic substances (ядовитые вещества), you need a document showing that the medicine was prescribed to you.
• The document must state the name and quantity of the medicine. You may use the original document, a certified copy, or a certified summary.
• If the document is in a foreign language, a notarized Russian translation must be attached.
• Exception: no document is required if the medicine is registered in Russia (or under Eurasian Economic Union rules) and is sold without a prescription in Russia.
• The list includes some active substances also used in Türkiye. Examples (Government Resolution No. 964, text dated November 1, 2025):
  • pregabalin
  • tramadol
  • zopiclone
  • clonidine
  • tropicamide
• Look up the active substance of your medicine on this list using its international name as shown on the packaging or package leaflet.

• A special rule of the Eurasian Economic Union applies to medicines containing narcotic substances (наркотические средства) or psychotropic substances (психотропные вещества):
  • they may be brought only in a limited quantity and for personal treatment
  • a medical document stating the name and quantity of the medicine is required
  • the document must be in Russian or accompanied by a notarized Russian translation
• If these conditions are met, no additional license is required at customs.
• Sending these medicines by mail or courier, including international shipments, is prohibited.
• Bringing them in violation of the rules may result in serious criminal liability under Article 229.1 of the Russian Criminal Code (drug trafficking).

• Airports generally have two channels: the green channel for those with nothing to declare and the red channel for those with goods to declare.
• Passing through the green channel means, "I have nothing to declare."
• Goods subject to restrictions and requiring documents are subject to declaration, even if they are for personal use. If you are carrying medicines containing narcotic or psychotropic substances, use the red channel and present your documents.
• The declaration is made using a passenger customs declaration (пассажирская таможенная декларация).
• Cash exceeding the equivalent of USD 10,000 is also subject to declaration (see R1.8).

1. Write down the active substance of every medicine you use under its international name.
2. Check the active substance against the list of potent substances. Check whether the medicine is registered in Russia and whether it is sold by prescription in Russia's State Register of Medicines (ГРЛС).
3. Obtain a prescription or medical report from your doctor stating the medicine's name, dosage, total quantity, and duration of use.
4. Have the document translated into Russian and notarized.
5. Adjust the quantity according to the length of your stay. Carry the medicines in their original packaging with the package leaflet.
6. Keep medicines requiring documents in your carry-on baggage together with their documents. Use the red channel at customs if necessary.
7. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye also recommends carrying the prescription for your prescribed medicine and checking in advance whether bringing the medicine into your destination country is prohibited.

• Medicines in Russia are purchased from licensed pharmacies (аптека).
• Prescription medicines are dispensed only with prescription forms specified by the Russian Ministry of Health (such as 107-1/у and 148-1/у-88) or with an electronic prescription.
• A prescription issued in Türkiye is not one of these forms. If you need a prescription medicine in Russia, you must consult a doctor in Russia.
• Medicines not covered by these forms are sold without a prescription according to their package leaflets.
• The medicine is dispensed within the validity period stated on the prescription. If the medicine prescribed is unavailable at the pharmacy, the pharmacy obtains it within no more than 10 business days. This period may be extended if the medicine must also be purchased.
• When a medicine is dispensed against a paper prescription, the pharmacist records on the prescription that the medicine was dispensed.
• These rules are set out in Order No. 100н of the Russian Ministry of Health dated March 7, 2025; the order entered into force on September 1, 2025.

• Non-prescription medicines may be sold online by pharmacies authorized by the Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare (Росздравнадзор).
• Prescription medicines, narcotic and psychotropic medicines, and medicines with an alcohol content above 25% may not be sold under this general authorization. Remote sales of prescription medicines require a separate authorization.
• Registers of authorized pharmacies are published on the website of the Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare. Before buying medicines online, check whether the seller appears in this register.
• From September 1, 2026, to September 1, 2029, a mobile pharmacy pilot project is being conducted in some regions. Mobile pharmacies do not sell medicines containing narcotic, psychotropic, or potent substances.

• Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare (Росздравнадзор) — pharmacy and medicine oversight, complaints about patients' rights
  • Web: roszdravnadzor.gov.ru
  • Main line: +7 499 578 06 70 · Information line: +7 499 578 02 20
  • Patients' rights hotline: +7 800 550 99 03 (free within Russia)
• Russian Ministry of Health – State Register of Medicines (ГРЛС) — shows whether a medicine is registered in Russia
  • Web: grls.rosminzdrav.ru
• Diplomatic missions of the Republic of Türkiye — if you face difficulties at customs or for health reasons
  • Embassy in Moscow duty line: +7 906 770 11 90
  • Kazan Consulate General duty line: +7 937 524 93 17
  • Krasnodar Consulate General duty line: +7 918 632 54 92
  • St. Petersburg Consulate General duty line: +7 933 340 91 33
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye Consular Call Center (24/7): +90 312 292 29 29

• Thinking, "I can easily buy it in Türkiye, so there will be no problem in Russia either." Substances such as pregabalin and tramadol are on Russia's list of potent substances and require documentation.
• Bringing only the prescription or medical report in Turkish. A notarized Russian translation is required.
• Having the medicine's name written on the document but not its quantity.
• Passing through the green channel with a medicine containing narcotic or psychotropic substances.
• Sending these types of medicines by courier to a relative in Russia. Mail and courier shipments are prohibited.
• Trying to buy a prescription medicine from a Russian pharmacy with a Turkish prescription.
• Buying medicines from unauthorized sellers online.

• How much medicine can I bring to Russia? The law does not set a fixed number for all medicines. The quantity must be appropriate for personal use. For medicines containing narcotic or psychotropic substances, the quantity is limited and must correspond to your document.
• Do I need a document for an over-the-counter painkiller or vitamin? No, unless the active substance is on the list of potent or toxic substances. Even if it is on the list, no document is required if the medicine is registered in Russia and sold without a prescription.
• Where can I have the translation prepared? You may have a notarized translation prepared in Türkiye or Russia. It is sufficient for the document to be in Russian or to have a notarized Russian translation attached.
• How can I find an equivalent of my medicine in Russia? You can search the State Register of Medicines (ГРЛС) using the international name of the active substance. If it is a prescription medicine, you must see a doctor in Russia.
• My medicine has run out. Can it be sent from Türkiye? Medicines containing narcotic or psychotropic substances cannot be sent by mail or courier. Consult a doctor in Russia for these medicines.
• What should I do if my documents are not accepted at customs? Stay calm, ask which rule is being relied upon, and call the duty line of the diplomatic mission of the Republic of Türkiye. If legal proceedings begin, consult a lawyer (see R10.5).

• Federal Law 61-FZ, Article 50: bringing medicines for personal use
• List of potent substances (Government Resolution No. 964)
• Eurasian Economic Commission: bringing medicines containing narcotic and psychotropic substances for personal use
• Eurasian Economic Commission: note on bringing medicines for personal use
• Russian State Register of Medicines (ГРЛС): registration and prescription status search
• Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare: register of online medicine sales authorizations
• Ministry of Health Order No. 100н: rules for dispensing medicines in pharmacies
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye: consular guide for travelers abroad