ARV and Travelling ~ Living with HIV in the Philippines

ARV and Travelling

Posted by Pozziepinoy on 8:26 PM

Hi,

First of all, thank you for sharing you personal story on your blog. Learning about your experiences helped me when I was diagnosed. Maybe I'll share mine with you some day. Right now I just want to ask for advice regarding traveling with ARVs.

It'll be my first international travel carrying ARVs wth me and my destination is South Korea. Supposedly it lifted the entry ban for HIV+ individuals in 2010 but implementation is ambiguous. I'll just be staying for a few days and just plan to carry enough ARVs and a couple of extra ~ 6 pills. When I flew domestically recently I just put them in a pill box. I've been to South Korea before and I only recall my hand carry being inspected before departure and not after arrival and the chances of having complications at immigration and maybe customs are low but I still want to be prepared.

I read that I should have a prescription from a Dr. (w/o mentioning HIV) that I need the medication but should I also bring the actual bottle with me with the label? Wouldn't that be a dead giveaway that they are ARVs?

Would it be okay to just put them in pill boxes together with my vitamins?

What about putting them in a vitamin bottle?

What's your personal experience on international travel carrying ARVs?

Thanks in advance for taking the time to reading my email. I am looking forward to your reply.

keepitpositiveph

POZZIEPINOY’S RESPONSE

Hi keepitpositiveph,

First of all, thank you for your question. Thank you for reading the blog.

To answer your question, there is no issue with travelling anywhere with your ARV’s especially if you are on a tourist VISA. Countries are not particular with medicines as long as there are only a few. Customs may suspect if you are carrying a lot and may look and ask you about them.

Regarding your ARV’s, you may ask your doctor for a prescription. Based on my experience on international travels, customs don’t ask even if you carry the actual bottle with its label if you are on a tourist VISA. However, for your peace of mind, since you will be staying there for only 6 days, just put them in a pill box together with your travel meds.

If you are on a working VISA, you may be inspected by customs especially if you are going ton work in the Middle East, Singapore and other muslim countries. In that case, you need to really disclose your having HIV since you have the ARV’s. This complicates everything as these countries don’t allow OFW’s working and their country and may disallow you for entry.

I do hope that I was able to answer your question. Please feel free to email me again if you have other concerns.

Have a safe trip.

POZZIEPINOY

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