Italy · Prescription medication
Zolpidem (Ambien / Stilnox) on a flight to Italy
What is written here comes from the official source we verified, with the quote and the date it was checked. What has not been verified says so.
This record was researched for a trip departing from Israel. Flying from somewhere else? Mention it in the initial eligibility check — parts of the answer may differ.
This page in Hebrew: עברית
There is a route
There is a route to this destination — and we go through it with you.
We explain the options, settle with you which one fits, prepare the documents and check them. We file on your behalf where that is possible; whatever only you can do, you receive ready in hand.
The bottom line
- How much you may take
- Up to 30 days of treatment (full rule recorded in Hebrew only)
- Which documents
- 3 documents listed — names recorded in Hebrew only
- When to start
- Not yet verified · our accompaniment: 21–30 business days
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What is required to enter Italy
- Permitted quantity
- Up to 30 days of treatment (full rule recorded in Hebrew only)
- Approving body
- Not yet verified
- Translation
- Not yet verified
- Notary
- Not yet verified
- Advance time required
- Not yet verified
- Filing by someone else
- Not yet verified
- What is required of you
- You hand us the documents you already have, and nothing more
- Israeli document
- A valid Israeli prescription in your name is required, covering the whole period of travel.
The documents this record lists
3 documents are listed; their names are recorded in Hebrew.
In this record, the quantity rule and the document names are written in Hebrew. We do not machine-translate our records — the full text is on the Hebrew version of this page.
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Where people actually come unstuck
Every line here is a failure documented in this record — not a scenario we made up.
6 documented failure points are recorded for this destination and medication in Hebrew. We do not machine-translate our records — the full text is on the Hebrew version of this page.
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How to prepare properly
You fly with your own medication from home, with a document file ready to present at the border.
- You upload the documentsThe licence and prescription you already have, through a secure link.
- We put the file togetherTranslating and arranging it in the format presented at the border.
- The file reaches youPrinted and scanned, with an explanation of what to take out and when.
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Frequently asked questions
How much zolpidem may I take to Italy?
Up to 30 days of treatment (full rule recorded in Hebrew only)
Which documents are needed?
3 documents are listed in our record; the names are recorded in Hebrew only.
Do I need a notarised translation?
Not yet verified
How long before the flight should I start?
Not yet verified
Can someone else handle this for me?
Not yet verified
Do I need a valid Israeli prescription or licence?
A valid Israeli prescription in your name is required, covering the whole period of travel.
Want to go through this together?
We explain the options, settle with you which one fits, prepare the documents and check them. We file on your behalf where that is possible; whatever only you can do, you receive ready in hand.
An initial eligibility check at no cost. We go over your case, tell you which routes exist for this destination, what each of them requires of you and how long it takes — and you decide whether to continue.
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The sources
Every claim on this page rests on one of these. The quote is verbatim, in the language of the source.
Medicinali soggetti a prescrizione medica da rinnovarsi volta per volta: ricetta non ripetibile.https://www.trovanorme.salute.gov.it/norme/dettaglioAtto?id=48509&completo=true
Medicinali soggetti a prescrizione medica: ricetta ripetibile.https://www.trovanorme.salute.gov.it/norme/dettaglioAtto?id=48509&completo=true
COMPOSIZIONI ad uso diverso da quello parenterale contenenti:https://www.trovanorme.salute.gov.it/norme/dettaglioAtto?id=48509&completo=true
Il cittadino residente all'estero in trattamento con i medicinali stupefacenti di cui alla Convenzione unica sulle sostanze stupefacenti del 1961 o con i medicinali psicotropi di cui alla Convenzione sulle sostanze psicotrope del 1971, che intende recarsi in Italia, deve essere munito, per poter proseguire la terapia con medicinali in propria detenzione, di certificazione o prescrizione medica riportante le generalita' del paziente, la prescrizione con la denominazione commerciale del medicinale e la denominazione e la quantita' totale del principio attivo, il numero di unita' posologiche.https://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/atto/serie_generale/caricaDettaglioAtto/originario?atto.dataPubblicazioneGazzetta=2007-11-29&atto.codiceRedazionale=07A10066&elenco30giorni=false
La certificazione o prescrizione dovra' essere predisposta da autorita' sanitaria competente del Paese di provenienza e costituisce titolo alla detenzione dei medicinali nel territorio italiano.https://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/atto/serie_generale/caricaDettaglioAtto/originario?atto.dataPubblicazioneGazzetta=2007-11-29&atto.codiceRedazionale=07A10066&elenco30giorni=false
La dogana consente l'ingresso dei medicinali al seguito del cittadino residente all'estero in arrivo sul territorio italiano, previa verifica della regolarita' della documentazione in suo possesso.https://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/atto/serie_generale/caricaDettaglioAtto/originario?atto.dataPubblicazioneGazzetta=2007-11-29&atto.codiceRedazionale=07A10066&elenco30giorni=false
L'ufficio VIII della Direzione generale dei farmaci e dei dispositivi medici del Ministero della salute rilascia preventiva autorizzazione all'ingresso e alla detenzione dei medicinali al seguito qualora espressamente richiesta dal Paese di provenienza, sulla base della certificazione o prescrizione di cui al comma 1.https://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/atto/serie_generale/caricaDettaglioAtto/originario?atto.dataPubblicazioneGazzetta=2007-11-29&atto.codiceRedazionale=07A10066&elenco30giorni=false
Ferme restando le previsioni degli articoli 43 e 73 del Testo unico, applicabili ai medicinali di cui all'art. 1, comma 1, le disposizioni del presente decreto non si applicano: a) qualora i viaggiatori trasportino per le proprie necessita' di cura una sola confezione di ciascuna preparazione medicinale contenente sostanze stupefacenti o psicotrope;https://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/atto/serie_generale/caricaDettaglioAtto/originario?atto.dataPubblicazioneGazzetta=2007-11-29&atto.codiceRedazionale=07A10066&elenco30giorni=false
International travellers who plan to visit Italy and carry for their medical use preparations containing internationally controlled drugs are required to hold one of the following documents to serve as evidence that medical preparations were lawfully obtained by the traveler in the Country of departure:https://web.archive.org/web/20260215142101/https://www.salute.gov.it/new/en/tema/medicinali-stupefacenti-e-precursori-di-droghe/travelling-internationally-medicines-containing/
Certificate issued by Health Authorities of the country of residencehttps://web.archive.org/web/20260215142101/https://www.salute.gov.it/new/en/tema/medicinali-stupefacenti-e-precursori-di-droghe/travelling-internationally-medicines-containing/
It must be issued by a general practitioner (GP) or a pediatrician endorsed by the Authorities of the country of residence (physician duly authorized to prescribe internationally controlled drugs).https://web.archive.org/web/20260215142101/https://www.salute.gov.it/new/en/tema/medicinali-stupefacenti-e-precursori-di-droghe/travelling-internationally-medicines-containing/
Patient (Last name, first name, sex, place of birth, date of birth, home address, number of passport or of identity card, intended country of destination)https://web.archive.org/web/20260215142101/https://www.salute.gov.it/new/en/tema/medicinali-stupefacenti-e-precursori-di-droghe/travelling-internationally-medicines-containing/
Prescribed medical preparation (Trade name of drug or its composition, dosage form, number of units (tablets, ampoules etc.), international name of the active substance, concentration of active substance, total quantity of active substance, duration of prescription in days, signature and stamp of prescribing physician)https://web.archive.org/web/20260215142101/https://www.salute.gov.it/new/en/tema/medicinali-stupefacenti-e-precursori-di-droghe/travelling-internationally-medicines-containing/
Country and place of issue (Country, place of issue, date of issue, period of validity max 30 days)https://web.archive.org/web/20260215142101/https://www.salute.gov.it/new/en/tema/medicinali-stupefacenti-e-precursori-di-droghe/travelling-internationally-medicines-containing/
The documents should be in the traveler's possession during the stay, and should be available on request for presentation to the authorities.https://web.archive.org/web/20260215142101/https://www.salute.gov.it/new/en/tema/medicinali-stupefacenti-e-precursori-di-droghe/travelling-internationally-medicines-containing/
Anche il cittadino residente all’estero che intende recarsi in Italia deve essere munito, per poter proseguire la terapia con medicinali stupefacenti o psicotropi, di certificazione o prescrizione medica riportante le informazioni richieste nel decreto.https://web.archive.org/web/20250403034621/https://www.salute.gov.it/new/it/tema/medicinali-stupefacenti-e-precursori-di-droghe/medicinali-stupefacenti-al-seguito-dei/
Nel caso di trasporto di una sola confezione di ciascuna preparazione medicinale contenente sostanze stupefacenti o psicotrope o di preparazioni medicinali indicate nell’allegato n. 2 del decreto del 16 novembre 2007, si applica l’obbligo di prescrizione medica attualmente in vigore in Italia per i medicinali inclusi nelle Tabelle del DPR 309 del 1990 e s.m.i.https://web.archive.org/web/20250403034621/https://www.salute.gov.it/new/it/tema/medicinali-stupefacenti-e-precursori-di-droghe/medicinali-stupefacenti-al-seguito-dei/
Narcotic drugs: 30 dayshttps://www.incb.org/incb/uploads/documents/Travellers/files/ITA_ENG_2026.pdf
Psychotropic substances: 30 dayshttps://www.incb.org/incb/uploads/documents/Travellers/files/ITA_ENG_2026.pdf
duration of prescription in days (MAX 30days).https://www.incb.org/incb/uploads/documents/Travellers/files/ITA_ENG_2026.pdf
Annex I of the Decree of the Italian Ministry of Health 16 November 2007 in forcehttps://www.incb.org/incb/uploads/documents/Travellers/files/ITA_ENG_2026.pdf
Per i paesi non Shengen, questo Ufficio in passato ha rilasciato autorizzazioni a singoli passeggeri in presenza di un certificato analogo a quello di cui sopra, rilasciato dall’Autorità Sanitaria equivalente a quelle dell’allegato 2 della predetta decisione. In mancanza dell’autorizzazione i farmaci stupefacenti verranno trattenuti dalle autorità doganali.https://conslondra.esteri.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/02_AssistenzaSociale_quantitativi_massimi_farmaci.doc
I farmaci possono essere importati a seguito del passeggero qualora il quantitativo sia compatibile con il soggiorno previsto in Italia e vi sia, almeno in lingua inglese, una regolare prescrizione medica, laddove prevista dalla normativa, che ne indichi preferibilmente la posologia, da esibire alle autorità sanitarie e doganali in caso di richiesta.https://www.adm.gov.it/portale/documents/20182/909438/Carta%2Bdoganale%2Bdel%2Bviaggiatore_luglio%2B2025.pdf
The competent authorities of the Schengen State shall issue this certificate to persons resident on their territory who want to travel to another Schengen State and who, owing to a medical prescription, need to take narcotic drugs and/or psychotropic substances during this period.https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:41994D0028
For advice on what to do when travelling to Italy with medicines containing internationally controlled drugs, see information on the Ministry of Health website.https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy/health
Last updated: — the date the source was verified, not a publication date.
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