Bringing Medicines to Canada with Visit Visa

[goyalshubham13]

Hello All,

My Mother is visiting me from India and wish to bring her prescribed medicines. She is going to stay here for around 6 months. Can you guys help us with laws and restrictions around that?

Canada website says:

Visitors staying in Canada for more than three months may bring into Canada an additional 90-day supply of a health product every three months for their own personal use by mail or courier.

• Does it mean, she can carry only three month of supply and we have to get more by courier only?
• Where should she put medicines along with prescription? in checkin bag or in cabin bag
• Any other thing that we should consider doing for smooth travel of my mother as she doesn't speak English well.

 

[s23srinivas]

Hello All,

My Mother is visiting me from India and wish to bring her prescribed medicines. She is going to stay here for around 6 months. Can you guys help us with laws and restrictions around that?

Canada website says:

• Does it mean, she can carry only three month of supply and we have to get more by courier only?
• Where should she put medicines along with prescription? in checkin bag or in cabin bag
• Any other thing that we should consider doing for smooth travel of my mother as she doesn't speak English well.

My experience with my parents visits since past many years. Normal diabetes/BP medications involved to set the context of my reply.

The website states 3 months but the reality is that people travel with more medications and it's well known to the border agents as well. If the volume of medicines carried is less covering over 6 months you may not face any issue. Example 180 tablets@1 per day for 6 months vs. 900 tablets@10 per day for 3 months makes a difference if you are asked to open the luggage.

Looking at the elderly parents if travelling by themselves, the border agents do let them carry the medications on compassionate grounds provided the bills and prescriptions are in place with a warning stating the website clause as you mentioned above. Again this entirely depends on the border agent's mood and the traveler's luck on that particular moment.

If you hand carry the medications then there are more chances of getting questioned than leaving them in the check in luggage. Just probability and luck comes to play here. I prefer to put the medication in luggage and haven't faced any issue ever. Hope this wont jinx it!

I know it can be a bit anxiety inducing for both you and your mother but don't worry, the border agents are usually helpful and not as mean as they are made out to be. Just check that the medication involved doesn't have any banned/controlled substance like cannabis and all medicines are retained in their original packaging to avoid any unexpected situation.

All the best!

 

[canuck78]

Hello All,

My Mother is visiting me from India and wish to bring her prescribed medicines. She is going to stay here for around 6 months. Can you guys help us with laws and restrictions around that?

Canada website says:

• Does it mean, she can carry only three month of supply and we have to get more by courier only?
• Where should she put medicines along with prescription? in checkin bag or in cabin bag
• Any other thing that we should consider doing for smooth travel of my mother as she doesn't speak English well.

You can’t mail medications either. If they are found during mail screening they will discarded. 3 months is the stated rules. If carrying over 3 months it is always a risk.

 

[MisterSandman]

You can’t mail medications either. If they are found during mail screening they will discarded. 3 months is the stated rules. If carrying over 3 months it is always a risk.

This is incorrect, there are many services that let you mail medicines from India to Canada. I've done it before using a local company. It's a convoluted process, but there are companies that handle all the paperwork for you.

 

[PMM]

HI

Hello All,

My Mother is visiting me from India and wish to bring her prescribed medicines. She is going to stay here for around 6 months. Can you guys help us with laws and restrictions around that?

Canada website says:

• Does it mean, she can carry only three month of supply and we have to get more by courier only?
• Where should she put medicines along with prescription? in checkin bag or in cabin bag
• Any other thing that we should consider doing for smooth travel of my mother as she doesn't speak English well.

1. No, it means she can only bring 90 days supply and would have to get a renewal from a physician in Canada. Note you can't courier perscription drugs to Canada.
2. In Carryon so they don't get lost, original prescription bottle

 

[steaky]

2. In Carryon so they don't get lost, original prescription bottle

What if she forgot and left behind? The airline would probably deliver the "lost" check-in luggage to her.

 

[canuck78]

This is incorrect, there are many services that let you mail medicines from India to Canada. I've done it before using a local company. It's a convoluted process, but there are companies that handle all the paperwork for you.

It’s not legal. If screened by the courier and recognized as medication they will confiscate the medication.

 

[canuck78]

What if she forgot and left behind? The airline would probably deliver the "lost" check-in luggage to her.

Not all lost luggage gets returned and most need their medication daily and couldn’t wait a few days to get their luggage if it was found. They need to be in their original prescription bottles and not loose pills so you can’t just carry a few with you in your carry on.

 

[steaky]

Not all lost luggage gets returned and most need their medication daily and couldn’t wait a few days to get their luggage if it was found. They need to be in their original prescription bottles and not loose pills so you can’t just carry a few with you in your carry on.

If she forgot and left behind, she would have to talk to her new family doctor in Canada and hoping to dispense the same medicine.