Is Buprenorphine legal in Maldives?
- Legal status
- Buprenorphine is a controlled prescription medicine under the Maldives Drug Act (Law No. 17/2011) — a 1971 Schedule III opioid, a lighter tier than methadone; it sits below the capital tier, though its exact Schedule membership is left to confirmation.
- Consequences if caught
- Imprisonment and fines apply for unlawful handling; the 2025 death-penalty amendment covers only physical import of cannabis >350 g, diamorphine >250 g, or >100 g of a Schedule 1 drug — therapeutic buprenorphine falls below that capital tier.
- If prescribed or medical
- Dispensed as a controlled prescription medicine.
- Documentation
- Carry a prescription and original packaging; declare controlled medicines and obtain any required MFDA import approval.
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Maldives’s embassy or official drug authority before traveling; penalties can be severe, including imprisonment.
Before you travel
Verify current rules with the destination country’s official drug authority and your own country’s embassy before traveling. Find the destination’s U.S. embassy & official country guidance →
Non-U.S. travelers: check your own government’s travel advisory and embassy.
If you’re detained or arrested abroad
Contact your own country’s embassy or consulate in the destination immediately — not the destination’s authorities. U.S. citizens: contact the nearest U.S. embassy/consulate and the U.S. State Department at +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad). If a U.S. citizen is arrested or detained abroad →