How to Get a DRAP NOC to Send Personal Medicine Abroad From Pakistan
To send personal medicine abroad, apply for a DRAP export NOC. See the seven checklist items, including proof of residence abroad, invoice and samples.
Short answer: To send medicine from Pakistan to a patient abroad, or to take it out for your own treatment, apply to DRAP for an export No Objection Certificate (NOC). DRAP's checklist adds three items to the import list: proof that the patient lives abroad, the retail invoice and samples of the medicines.
A brother in Manchester needs his tablets, and the brand is cheaper and easier to find in Lahore. A parent returning to Dubai wants six months of supply. The medicine is legal, the prescription is real, and the only question is the paperwork. We read DRAP's special permissions page, its checklist for export of medicine for personal use and its flow chart on 15 October 2026.
DRAP issues an export NOC for medicine sent for personal use
DRAP's Special Permissions page says it grants permissions for the import or export of personal use medicines or devices. Export applications are reviewed by the Import and Export Section of the QA< Division, the same section that handles imports.
The key words are "personal use". The NOC is for one patient's treatment. A shop or a trader who wants to export medicine as stock needs a different permission, and DRAP lists a separate NOC to export drugs on its forms page. This guide is only for a patient or a family.
If you are not sure whether your case counts as personal use, ask DRAP first on 0800-03727, open Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4 pm. A wrong application costs time.
Seven items make up the export checklist
DRAP's checklist for export of medicine for personal use lists seven things. Compared with the import list, it adds proof of residence abroad, a retail invoice and samples. Collect all seven before you start, because a missing paper means a rejection and a restart.
| Item | What DRAP asks for |
|---|---|
| 1. Request | A letter to the Assistant Director (Import and Export), DRAP, preferably from the patient or a blood relative |
| 2. Prescription | On a registered medical practitioner's letterhead, duly signed and stamped |
| 3. Identity | Copies of the CNIC or passport of the applicant and of the patient |
| 4. Contact | Contact numbers of the patient and the applicant |
| 5. Residence | The patient's proof of residence abroad |
| 6. Invoice | The retail invoice for the medicine |
| 7. Samples | Samples of the drugs or medicines |
"Proof of residence abroad" could be a residence permit, a visa page or a utility bill. DRAP's checklist does not say which document it accepts, so ask DRAP before you rely on one. The retail invoice should match the medicine you are sending, in brand, strength and quantity.
Controlled medicines need approval first
The note at the end of the checklist is the same as for imports. For narcotic, psychotropic and controlled medicines, approval from DRAP's Controlled Drugs Division is required. Otherwise the Import and Export office will not issue the NOC.
If the patient takes strong pain medicine, a sleeping tablet or an anxiety medicine, ask the doctor whether it is controlled. Do not post it without clearing it. Countries abroad have their own rules, and DRAP's NOC is a Pakistani permission only. It does not replace the rules of the country that receives the medicine.
Apply in six steps
The personal use flow chart applies to both import and export. The applicant fills in an online application on DRAP's portal and submits it with the required attachments. DRAP checks it. A compliant file is approved, and the NOC is issued and entered in a database.
- Ask the doctor for a signed and stamped prescription on letterhead.
- Collect the CNIC or passport copies, the contact numbers and the proof of residence abroad.
- Buy the medicine and keep the retail invoice.
- Set aside the samples DRAP asks for.
- Open public.dra.gov.pk/ie/noc, fill in the online application and upload the papers.
- Watch your email. A rejection comes by email, and you may apply again with the fix.
We do not know how DRAP handles the samples. The checklist says "samples of drugs/medicines" but gives no size or delivery point, and we did not file an application. Ask DRAP on 0800-03727 where to hand them in before you buy the full supply.
Fees, time and airport rules are not published on the pages we read
We found no fee and no processing time for an export NOC on the DRAP pages and files we read. We also found no rule on what an airport officer will ask a traveller who carries medicine in a bag. Do not repeat a figure or a rule from a forwarded message.
For luggage rules in general, the customs baggage allowance covers what passengers may carry. Check whether the medicine is registered with DRAP before you buy, so that the brand you export is a real one.
If a pharmacy offers you a package at a strange price, take care. The steps to report a suspect product are in how to report counterfeit medicine, and the way to report a missing medicine is in how to report a medicine shortage to DRAP.
Common questions about exporting personal medicine
Do I need a DRAP NOC to send medicine to a relative abroad?
DRAP issues an NOC for export of finished drugs for personal use, and its checklist lists what to submit. We did not find a rule on what happens if you send medicine without one.
What extra papers does export need compared with import?
Three: the patient's proof of residence abroad, the retail invoice and samples of the medicines. The request, prescription, ID copies and contact numbers are the same as for import.
Who can apply?
DRAP says the request should preferably come from the patient or a blood relative. It asks for CNIC or passport copies of both the applicant and the patient.
Can I export narcotic or psychotropic medicine this way?
Not on this NOC alone. DRAP says the Controlled Drugs Division must approve controlled medicines first, or the NOC will not be issued.
Where do I apply?
The flow chart gives the online portal at public.dra.gov.pk/ie/noc. We opened the address but did not log in or file an application.
Does the NOC cover the rules of the other country?
No. It is a Pakistani permission from DRAP. Ask the patient's doctor or the destination country's health authority about their own rules.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 15 October 2026. The permission type, the reviewing section, the seven checklist items, the controlled medicine note and the flow chart come from DRAP's Special Permissions page, its checklist for export of medicine for personal use and its personal use process flow chart, all read on 15 October 2026. We did not log in, file an application or contact DRAP. We found no fee, timeline or airport rule. DRAP can change the process at any time.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
