Can you bring codeine to Serbia?
Short answer
Depends on specifics
The official rule for Serbia below names codeine. The same rule also covers the other medicines it lists, so read the conditions carefully.
Controlled medication
depends on specificsQuoted directly from Customs: "if medicines that you use contain controlled psychoactive substances and/or if their quantity exceeds one package of up to 30 dosage units, you should obtain the approval for import of medicines for personal needs from the competent ministry" — i.e. the general 15-day/no-approval rule does not apply once a controlled substance is involved; approval from the Ministry of Health is needed regardless of how short the trip is.
Customs' own FAQ doesn't name which specific drugs count as "controlled psychoactive substances" — that's set by Serbia's Law on Psychoactive Controlled Substances (Zakon o psihoaktivnim kontrolisanim supstancama) schedules, which weren't read directly in this pass. Amphetamine (Adderall), methylphenidate (Ritalin), alprazolam (Xanax) and diazepam (Valium) are on the UN's international lists of controlled substances. If you carry one, ask the Ministry of Health before you travel rather than relying on the 15-day rule.
Also covers: controlled substance, narcotic medication, psychotropic medication, adderall, amphetamine, ritalin, methylphenidate, xanax, alprazolam, diazepam, codeine, opioid painkiller, stimulant medication
Source Customs Administration of the Republic of Serbia — Passenger Customs Clearance FAQ (Tourists)Checked against the source on 2026-10-18
Check your specific trip →All medication rules for Serbia →
Codeine in other countries
- Albaniaprohibited
- Australiaallowed, within limits
- Brazildepends on specifics
- Canadaallowed, within limits
- Costa Ricaallowed, within limits
- Cyprusdepends on specifics
- Georgiadepends on specifics
- Hong Kongdepends on specifics
- Israelallowed, within limits
- Japandepends on specifics
- Malaysiadepends on specifics
- Maldivesdepends on specifics
- New Zealanddepends on specifics
- Philippinesdepends on specifics
- Qatardepends on specifics
- Saudi Arabiadepends on specifics
- Singaporedepends on specifics
- South Koreadepends on specifics
- Taiwandepends on specifics
- Thailanddepends on specifics
- Turkeyallowed, within limits
- United Arab Emiratesdepends on specifics
- United Kingdomallowed, within limits
- United Statesallowed, within limits
Other medicines
Informational only — not legal advice. Customs rules change; confirm with the official source above before you travel. Not medical advice. Don't stop or change a medicine because of a travel rule without talking to your doctor. See update history