Bringing prescription medication to the United States

[MalloryCat 183]

Hello all,

 

my fiance is going to be moving here to the US on a K-1 visa this November. And we are currently starting to figure out everything he needs to bring/send.

He takes a few different prescription medications and the plan was for him to bring a 3 month supply of each medication with him. So he'll have enough to last him until I can add him to my insurance and he can see a doctor here and get new prescriptions.

These aren't medications that he needs in case of an emergency where he would have to have them on him, so they would just be in his checked luggage.

 

For anyone who has had to bring a large amount of medication with them, is there anything he should have to show CBP? like a letter from his doctor or something? In case they ask?

Or something like a letter to pack with his medication, in case they open his luggage to inspect it?

 

One of his medications is something that is refrigerated, since it'll be November, what are the chances we would need to put that medication with like an ice pack in his checked bag? Or is that something he should carry with him with an ice pack?

 

hes brought medication with him before when he was visiting, but it was only ever about 2 weeks worth so it wasn't something we really thought about.

 

any advice is appreciated!

 

 

[Timona 4,207]

@Jeanne Adil

[SteveInBostonI130 3,432]

From the CBP website:  https://www.help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1444?language=en_US#:~:text=In general%2C you should have,instructions printed on the bottle.

 

Quote

Non-U.S. Citizens Traveling with Medication
For non-U.S. citizens temporarily visiting the United States, you may be allowed to travel with your own medications. In general, you should have with you a valid prescription or doctor’s note—written in English—to bring medication to the United States. The medication should be in its original container with the doctor’s instructions printed on the bottle. If you don’t have the original container, bring a copy of your prescription or a letter from your doctor explaining your condition and why you need this medication. Travel with no more than you need for your personal use during your stay. A rule of thumb: Bring no more than a 90-day supply of medication.

 

[yuna628 9,671]

5 hours ago, MalloryCat said:

Hello all,

 

my fiance is going to be moving here to the US on a K-1 visa this November. And we are currently starting to figure out everything he needs to bring/send.

He takes a few different prescription medications and the plan was for him to bring a 3 month supply of each medication with him. So he'll have enough to last him until I can add him to my insurance and he can see a doctor here and get new prescriptions.

These aren't medications that he needs in case of an emergency where he would have to have them on him, so they would just be in his checked luggage.

 

For anyone who has had to bring a large amount of medication with them, is there anything he should have to show CBP? like a letter from his doctor or something? In case they ask?

Or something like a letter to pack with his medication, in case they open his luggage to inspect it?

 

One of his medications is something that is refrigerated, since it'll be November, what are the chances we would need to put that medication with like an ice pack in his checked bag? Or is that something he should carry with him with an ice pack?

 

hes brought medication with him before when he was visiting, but it was only ever about 2 weeks worth so it wasn't something we really thought about.

 

any advice is appreciated!

 

 

All medications should be placed in your carry on baggage. Never put them in the checked hold baggage. If it needs refrigeration via a freezer pack/ice pack/gel pack these are an accepted allowance/exemption (because of the liquid rules) but TSA agents generally need to be informed. https://www.tsa.gov/travel/tsa-cares/disabilities-and-medical-conditions/medications#:~:text=Before the screening begins%2C inform,IV bags%2C pumps and syringes. That's the advice on the US side, but you're going to need to check on the regulations on the country of origin and the airline.

 

Remember you are coming on a K1. You're moving to the US, so taking medication isn't unusual. 

[TBoneTX 45,259]

I asked a CBP agent about this once, and he said to keep them in the original prescription bottles.

[SalishSea 17,803]

15 hours ago, MalloryCat said:

Hello all,

 

my fiance is going to be moving here to the US on a K-1 visa this November. And we are currently starting to figure out everything he needs to bring/send.

He takes a few different prescription medications and the plan was for him to bring a 3 month supply of each medication with him. So he'll have enough to last him until I can add him to my insurance and he can see a doctor here and get new prescriptions.

These aren't medications that he needs in case of an emergency where he would have to have them on him, so they would just be in his checked luggage.

 

For anyone who has had to bring a large amount of medication with them, is there anything he should have to show CBP? like a letter from his doctor or something? In case they ask?

Or something like a letter to pack with his medication, in case they open his luggage to inspect it?

 

One of his medications is something that is refrigerated, since it'll be November, what are the chances we would need to put that medication with like an ice pack in his checked bag? Or is that something he should carry with him with an ice pack?

 

hes brought medication with him before when he was visiting, but it was only ever about 2 weeks worth so it wasn't something we really thought about.

 

any advice is appreciated!

 

 

Three months' supply of prescription medications for personal use is a totally reasonable amount to bring.  Make sure they're all in the original pharmacy container with his name and the name of the drug.  Do not bring ANY form of cannabis whatsoever, even if it is an Rx.  

 

Personally, I'd get cold packs for anything that must be refrigerated.  Otherwise, you won't know whether it was kept at the recommended temps for the entire trip.  I would stash it in the hand luggage vs checked bag.

 

Amazon sells TSA-approved zippered thermal packs for medications that you can stick ice packs into.

[Pinkrlion 2,715]

All medications need to be in original bottle with name on prescription. That is all you need. 

[MalloryCat 183]

thank you for all the advice

only issue I see is in Germany, at least where my fiance lives, when you pick up a prescribed medication they don't put your name or any kind of prescription label on the medication packages like we do here in the US. they just scan an ID and give the medication. And I've already checked with him, they don't really have a method of putting a label on anything short of just writing it on with a pen.

he's gotten a letter that lists the medications but that is about as much information he can get that shows that a doctor prescribed them

 

he's flying out of Frankfurt airport, and their website doesn't list a whole lot of information that I can find other than just needing a note from the doctor lol

 

I wish everyone just did everything the same, it'd be much easier lol

[yuna628 9,671]

Chances are the officer on the US side won't even ask about his prescriptions. It's been a long time but I don't recall them asking my husband anything other than what visa he was arriving on, giving them the packet, and having them run some checks. 

[top_secret 2,410]

US CBP is only concerned with scheduled controlled medications, namely opiates, sleeping pills, tranquilizers, medications that may be banned in the US or obvious commercial quantities.  Unless it's Vicodin or Chinese rino horn vitality pills etc, they could literally care less about anyone's ordinary health related medications and would ordinarily give maximum benefit of the doubt to anything even remotely reasonable.  They are not looking to take away anyone's medicine.