Can I bring Chinese Medicine to Germany?
Chinese Medicine→Germany
⚠️ Allowed with Conditions
About Chinese Medicine
When carrying Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) abroad, ensuring compliance is key. As medication or essential medical supply, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) may face strict scrutiny at the border. Understanding quarantine requirements helps you carry it safely and legally. 💡 Tip: Keep medication in original packaging and carry an English copy of your doctor's prescription.
📋 Carrying Limits
- Quantity Limit:Medicinal products for the entering traveller's own use only, in quantities meeting usual personal needs: a maximum of three months' supply of the recommended dose of each medicinal product. It does not matter whether the products were bought abroad or whether they are authorised or registered in Germany. Herbal remedies, food supplements or vitamin preparations sold freely abroad may be treated as medicinal products in Germany. Counterfeit medicines and certain particularly harmful doping substances listed in the German Medicinal Products Act are prohibited even for personal use. Prescribed narcotic medicines are not covered by the three-month allowance: separate rules allow only a quantity appropriate for the duration of the trip, for your own use, with the certificate required for your residence and entry route. Ingredients from protected species, products of animal origin and plants are additionally subject to species-protection, EU veterinary and plant-health rules.
✅ Declaration Requirements
⚠️Medicines for your own use within the usual personal need (up to a three-month supply of each medicine at its recommended dose) are part of your personal luggage: at airports or seaports, using the green exit, or passing a customs office without separate exits, counts as declaring personal luggage and duty-free travel goods. Goods that need a permit, certificate or official check must be presented for clearance instead: ingredients from protected species not covered by a personal-luggage exception (permit required; not every customs office can clear protected species), animal products from non-EU countries outside the EU personal-luggage exemptions (health certificates and a veterinary check at a border control post), and live plants, plant parts, fruits or seeds (phytosanitary certificate from the country of origin; pineapples, coconuts, durians, bananas and dates are exempt). Animal products that do not meet the rules must be surrendered on arrival, and failing to declare them can lead to a fine or criminal prosecution. Prescribed narcotic medicines follow separate rules: only for your own use, carried by you personally, in a quantity appropriate for the duration of the trip, with the certificate required for your residence and entry route. Citizens of Schengen states who live in another Schengen state and enter Germany for a trip of up to 30 days need a certificate under Article 75 of the Schengen Implementing Convention for each prescribed narcotic, completed by the treating doctor and authenticated before the journey by the highest regional health authority or a competent body acting on its behalf; the certificate is valid for at most 30 days, and this also applies to narcotics that can be prescribed in the country of origin but not in Germany. When entering from a country outside the Schengen area, carry a multilingual certificate from your prescribing doctor stating the individual and daily doses, the name of the active ingredient and the duration of the journey, authenticated by the competent health authority of the country you are travelling from; no specific form is required. If neither case fits your situation, confirm the requirements with the Federal Opium Agency at BfArM before travelling.
Form needed: None for qualifying personal medicines (green exit); protected-species permit, veterinary health certificates, phytosanitary certificate or narcotics travel certificate where applicable
📌 Quick Summary
🔗 Official Information Source:
📝 Important Notes
- •⚠️ CONDITIONAL — Personal-Use Limits and Ingredient Rules Apply
- •Chinese medicine in Germany 2026:
- •May Be Allowed: Medicinal products for your own use in quantities meeting usual personal needs — a maximum of three months' supply of the recommended dose of each product. It does not matter whether the product was bought abroad or whether it is authorised or registered in Germany. Herbal remedies, food supplements or vitamin preparations sold freely in other countries may be classed as medicinal products in Germany, especially if presented as treating illness. Prescribed narcotic medicines (e.g. morphine) follow separate rules instead of the three-month allowance: only for your own use, carried by you personally, in a quantity appropriate for the duration of the trip and with the certificate required for your residence and entry route.
- •Prohibited: Counterfeit medicines and certain particularly harmful doping substances listed in the German Medicinal Products Act (e.g. testosterone, nandrolone, clenbuterol), even for personal use. Medicines brought in breach of the import ban are usually seized and destroyed, and administrative fines or criminal proceedings may follow.
- •Protected Species (CITES): Traditional Asian medicines containing parts of protected animals or plants can fall under species protection, and protected-species permits are always required for specimens of protected species. Limited exceptions allow certain Annex B items in personal luggage for personal use without documents (e.g. up to four dead seahorses). Check the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation's WISIA database or ask the agency before travelling.
- •Animal and Plant Ingredients: From non-EU countries, EU animal-health rules apply to products of animal origin in personal luggage. Meat and edible offal, dairy products, animal fats and other products on the EU's non-exempt list (e.g. sausages and food preparations containing meat or milk) need health certificates and a veterinary check at a border control post. Exempt from these checks, for personal consumption, are: fishery products up to 20 kg or the weight of one fish, whichever is higher (fresh fish must be eviscerated); infant milk, other infant formula and food for special medical purposes up to 2 kg, if they need no refrigeration before opening and are packaged proprietary brand products with unbroken packaging unless in current use; and other products of animal origin or composite products not on the non-exempt list (e.g. honey) up to a combined 2 kg. Food supplements packaged for the final consumer that contain processed animal products (e.g. glucosamine, chondroitin or chitosan) are listed as exempted products if they meet the requirements of EU Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/630. These animal-health rules do not apply to travel between EU countries or from Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Northern Ireland, Norway, San Marino or Switzerland. From the Faroe Islands or Greenland, fishery products are exempt from these restrictions and a 10 kg limit applies to other animal products. Products from protected animal species must also meet species-protection rules. Live plants, plant parts, fruits or seeds need a phytosanitary certificate from the country of origin, except pineapples, coconuts, durians, bananas and dates; without a required certificate, or where an import ban applies, they are refused and usually destroyed. Herbal products imported as food (e.g. teas or spices) may also fall under EU protective measures that require certificates and official inspection, except small quantities carried in personal luggage for personal use (up to 5 kg of fresh produce or 2 kg of other products).
- •German Herbal Medicine: Germany has a strong herbal medicine tradition (Heilpflanzen). Many herbal products available at pharmacies.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a translated doctor's prescription for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)?
While not mandatory in all countries, to avoid delays, it's recommended to carry an English translation of your prescription or a doctor's letter, and ensure Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is kept in its original packaging with labels.
What should I consider when bringing Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)?
The most important thing when bringing Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is to confirm if it exceeds the duty-free allowance or declaration threshold of your destination. It's recommended to keep purchase receipts and ensure Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is in its original packaging for easier customs inspection. If the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is of high value, always use the red declaration channel.
❓ More Questions
Can I bring Chinese medicine?
Yes, for ordinary medicines for your own use in quantities meeting usual personal needs: up to a three-month supply of the recommended dose of each product. German authorisation or registration is not required, but herbal products and supplements may be treated as medicines in Germany. Counterfeit medicines and listed doping substances are prohibited. Ingredients from protected species need permits unless a personal-luggage exception applies, and animal or plant ingredients may need veterinary or phytosanitary certificates. Qualifying personal medicines can go through the green exit; present goods that need permits or certificates for clearance. Prescribed narcotic medicines are not covered by the three-month allowance: separate rules allow only a quantity appropriate for the duration of the trip, for your own use, with the certificate for your residence and entry route — for Schengen-state citizens living in another Schengen state on trips of up to 30 days, an authenticated Article 75 certificate for each narcotic; when entering from outside the Schengen area, an authenticated multilingual doctor's certificate.
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