Can I Bring Provigil to China? 2026 Customs Rules & Legality
Direct Answer: CONDITIONAL / RESTRICTED. Provigil (Modafinil) is tightly controlled. You must carry no more than 7 days supply, carry original doctor prescriptions, and declare at the Customs Red Channel.
Red Channel Declaration Required
7 Days Legal Limit
Standard CAAC Cabin Regulations
Routine chronic medications are inexpensive and readily stocked across accredited Chinese Tier-3 hospitals.
Works 100% offline: Show to a Chinese pharmacist, or copy the Chinese characters into Alipay/WeChat Meituan for 25-min hotel delivery
CHINESE MEDICINE NAME · 中文通用名与药店名
莫达非尼
Pinyin: Mò dá fēi ní
Provigil / Modalert / Modiodal
Modafinil
您好，我需要莫达非尼用于发作性睡病治疗。在中国属于第一类精神药品，需专科医生处方。
Modafinil (莫达非尼) is a Class I Psychotropic Substance in China. It cannot be purchased over the counter; strict hospital psychiatric evaluation is required.
Traveling with more than one medication?
Add Provigil to your Travel Bag to audit combined ingredient limits (Pseudoephedrine / Acetaminophen) and CAAC airline rules.
Trip Allowance Simulator (Provigil)
Test your planned stay duration against China Customs statutory limits in real-time.
Your planned 7-day supply (7 tablets) is fully within the statutory 7-day allowance limit for Provigil.
What is Provigil Called in Chinese? (Chinese Name, Pinyin & Hospital Guide)
Provigil (Modafinil) is officially known in Chinese as "莫达非尼" (Pinyin pronunciation: Mò dá fēi ní). International brand names covered under this rule include: Provigil, Modalert, Modiodal, Alertec. If you are in China and need to communicate with a hospital doctor, triage nurse, or retail pharmacist (or search on the Meituan Pharmacy delivery mini-program inside Alipay/WeChat), use the full-screen Chinese show card above.
3-Way Checkpoint Guide: Customs (GACC) vs Flight Security (CAAC) vs High-Speed Rail
Must declare at Red Channel. Requires formal medical records, diagnosis, and prescription. Allowance capped at 7 days personal supply.
Carry in cabin baggage only with matching medical certificate.
China High-Speed Rail (CRH/G-Trains) security scanners focus on knives, aerosols (>150ml), and power banks (>100Wh). Personal prescription pill bottles, EpiPens, and insulin cooling pouches pass through railway security without restriction.
Travelers frequently confuse China's three security agencies: 1) GACC Airport Customs checks drug ingredient legality upon international arrival; 2) CAAC Domestic Flight Security strictly enforces rules on gel ice packs (>100ml) and hypodermic needles (requiring a hospital letter); 3) China High-Speed Train Security does NOT scrutinize personal pill boxes or medical ice packs.
In-China Local Refill Protocol & Approved Alternatives
Strictly regulated in China; available through Tier-3 neurological and sleep disorder outpatient units with certified medical records.
Before-Packing Traveler Checklist (Packaging & Documents)
- Keep medication in original dispensing pharmacy packaging with clear prescription label.
- Carry original physical doctor prescription certificate matching the traveler's passport name 100%.
- Never combine loose tablets in unmarked plastic pill organizers or zip-lock bags.
- Bring official sleep study (polysomnography) diagnostic documentation if prescribed for narcolepsy.
- Limit carried quantity to strictly under 7 days supply.
- Declare at Red Channel upon landing.
Statutory Legal Basis & Consular Advisories
Official Advisory: Modafinil is treated with the same stringency as Category 1 stimulants in China due to off-label 'smart drug' cognitive abuse concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions About Provigil in China
What is Provigil called in Chinese and can I buy it in China?
Provigil (Modafinil) is officially known in Chinese as 莫达非尼 (Pinyin: Mò dá fēi ní). Strictly regulated in China; available through Tier-3 neurological and sleep disorder outpatient units with certified medical records.
Does China's rule on Provigil apply during a 24h/240h airport layover (PVG/PEK/CAN)?
Travelers frequently confuse China's three security agencies: 1) GACC Airport Customs checks drug ingredient legality upon international arrival; 2) CAAC Domestic Flight Security strictly enforces rules on gel ice packs (>100ml) and hypodermic needles (requiring a hospital letter); 3) China High-Speed Train Security does NOT scrutinize personal pill boxes or medical ice packs.
Can I bring Modafinil (Provigil) to China for shift work or jet lag?
Only if you possess an authentic medical prescription for a certified condition (like narcolepsy). In China, Modafinil is a Category 1 Psychotropic. Unprescribed carriage for study or focus is illegal.
Related Medications & Customs Precedents
China Customs regulates pharmaceuticals by chemical classification and therapeutic scheduling. Compare legal limits, customs channels, and Chinese pharmacy equivalents for related traveler medications:
Need a Prescription Refill in China?
Accredited international hospitals in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou & Shenzhen offer English-speaking specialists and legally approved medication refills.
- Original passport with valid Chinese entry visa/stamp
- Detailed foreign medical summary / psychiatric diagnosis report
- Recent prescription copy with dosage and duration history
- Original medication container or retail packaging box
United Family Healthcare (和睦家医疗)
English-speaking psychiatrists, pediatrics, full pharmacy, emergency ER
Jiahui Health (嘉会医疗)
Affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital; multidisciplinary psychiatric outpatient
Parkway Health (百汇医疗)
Singapore-managed healthcare group; expat internal medicine and neurology
Grade 3A Public Hospitals (三甲医院特需/国际部)
Top-tier academic medical centers with international patient wings