Travelling With HIV: Medicines, Time Zones, Entry Rules and Running Out Abroad

Can you travel with HIV? Yes. The CDC’s travel health guide says people whose HIV is well controlled on treatment, and who see their HIV team regularly, should feel comfortable travelling, and many thousands do every year¹. A bit of planning makes it easier: enough medicine, a plan for time zones, and knowing the rules where you are going.

If your viral load is not yet undetectable, or your CD4 count is below 200, talk to your HIV team before booking, because some infections are a bigger risk for you while travelling¹. Our guide to viral load and CD4 count explains those numbers.

Packing your HIV medicines

• Keep them in the original packaging, with the pharmacy label showing the medicine, the dose and your name¹. This helps at customs and if you need a refill abroad.
• Take extra. Bring at least a few days’ more than you need, in case of delays¹.
• Carry them in your hand luggage whenever you can, not in a checked bag that could go missing¹.
• Ask for a letter from your doctor listing your medicines. If you do not want to disclose your HIV status, the letter can say the medicine is for a medical condition without naming HIV¹.
• For a long trip, ask your prescriber about a larger supply, such as 90 days instead of 30. Some countries limit how much medicine you can bring in¹. In the UK, for example, you can bring in up to 3 months of medicine for personal use⁴.

Taking doses across time zones

This is the question people worry about most. A review by HIV pharmacology experts at the University of Liverpool set out some general rules for people whose viral load is undetectable²:

• If you already have a system that works, keep it. If your viral load has stayed undetectable with the way you handle travel, there is no need to change².
• Avoid taking doses on the plane if it is safe to do so. Changing clocks and fixed meal times make in-flight doses easy to get wrong².
• Move to local time as soon as you can. Sticking to your home time usually leads to confusion and missed doses².
• Get personal advice for complicated trips. Several time zone changes in a few days, or HIV that is resistant to some medicines, may need a more careful plan².

How much leeway you have depends on your medicine, because some HIV medicines are more forgiving of a late dose than others². Before a long-haul trip, ask your HIV team or pharmacist exactly how to time your doses. If you do miss one, our guide to missed HIV medication doses explains what to do.

Countries with HIV entry rules

The United States lifted its HIV travel ban in 2010. But around 50 countries still require HIV testing, or restrict entry, stay or residence, for people with HIV¹.

The CDC’s 2026 travel guide lists 21 countries that may deport a traveller found to have HIV: Bahrain, Brunei, Cook Islands, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, North Korea, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sudan, Syria, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen¹. The CDC notes that this list can change.

A few practical points:

• Short visits and long stays are treated differently. Medical paperwork, including HIV status, is more often asked for stays over about 90 days or for residence and work permits than for short holidays or business trips¹.
• Check before you book. The Positive Destinations database⁵ and the UNAIDS travel restrictions site⁶ give country-by-country details. The embassy of the country you are visiting is the final word.

Travel vaccines

Start planning a few months before you go, so there is time for any vaccines¹.

• Inactivated vaccines (made from killed germs or parts of them) are generally safe for people with HIV¹.
• Live vaccines, such as yellow fever, measles, mumps and rubella, and chickenpox, can be given to some people with a CD4 count of 200 or more, but should not be given to people with advanced HIV¹.
• If you cannot have the yellow fever vaccine and need to travel, your doctor can give you a medical waiver, and avoiding mosquito bites becomes even more important¹.

Travel medicines that can interact with HIV treatment

Some common travel medicines can interact with some HIV medicines. The CDC’s travel guide includes a table based on the University of Liverpool interaction checker¹³. A few examples from it:

Source: CDC Yellow Book 2026, Travelers with HIV¹.

Always tell the travel clinic which HIV medicine you take. You can also check a combination yourself on the free Liverpool HIV Drug Interactions checker³. Our guide to HIV medicine interactions covers everyday medicines and supplements too.

Food, water and insurance

• Food and water. Take care with food and drinks and wash your hands well. Some stomach infections picked up abroad can be severe or long-lasting in people with advanced HIV¹.
• Insurance. Check whether your health insurance covers you abroad, and think about travel health insurance with medical evacuation cover. Carry a copy of your policy card¹.

If you run out of HIV medicine abroad

Do not just stop and wait until you get home. Before a long stay, the CDC advises finding a place at your destination where you can get HIV care and medicine if needed¹. If you run short:

1. Contact your HIV team at home. They can confirm your exact medicine and dose, and may be able to help with a prescription.
2. Find a local HIV clinic or pharmacy. Bring your packaging and doctor’s letter so they can see exactly what you take.
3. If you order medicine to be sent to you, check the import rules of the country you are in first. Our guides explain the rules for the UK, United States, Australia, EU and New Zealand, and how international delivery works.

You can see the HIV medicines we stock on our HIV and PrEP medicines page.

If you need a supply for a long trip, HIV medicines we supply include Biktarvy, its generic Taffic and Doluvir 50 mg (dolutegravir). All need a prescription.

Frequently asked questions

Can you travel with HIV?

Yes. People whose HIV is well controlled on treatment can travel like anyone else. Plan ahead for your medicines, check the entry rules of the country you are visiting, and talk to your HIV team first if your viral load is not undetectable or your CD4 count is low.

Can I take HIV medication on a plane?

Yes. Keep it in your hand luggage, in the original packaging, with a doctor’s letter listing your medicines. Bring a few days’ extra in case of delays.

How do I take my HIV pills when I change time zones?

Switch to local time as soon as you can, and avoid taking doses on the plane if that is safe. The exact plan depends on your medicine, so ask your HIV team or pharmacist before a long-haul trip.

Which countries do not allow people with HIV to enter?

About 50 countries have some HIV-related entry, stay or residence rules. The CDC lists 21 that may deport travellers found to have HIV, including several Gulf states, Russia, Malaysia and Singapore. Rules change, so check Positive Destinations, UNAIDS or the embassy before you travel.

Do I have to tell anyone I have HIV when I travel?

For short visits, most countries do not ask. Some countries ask for medical documents for long stays, work or residence permits. Your doctor’s letter can describe your medicines without naming HIV.

What if I lose my HIV medicine abroad?

Contact your HIV team at home and a local HIV clinic or pharmacy as soon as possible. Your original packaging or doctor’s letter helps them identify exactly what you take. If you have missed doses, ask your HIV team how to restart.

Sources & references

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Travelers with HIV. CDC Yellow Book: Health Information for International Travel, 2026 edition.
2. Lewis JM, Volny-Anne A, Waitt C, Boffito M, Khoo S. Dosing antiretroviral medication when crossing time zones: a review. AIDS. 2016;30(2):267-271.
3. University of Liverpool. HIV Drug Interactions Checker.
4. British Association for Sexual Health and HIV and British HIV Association. BASHH/BHIVA guidelines on the use of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) 2025. Section 9.2 (importing medicines, citing MHRA advice).
5. HIV Justice Network. Positive Destinations: countries database.
6. UNAIDS. HIV-related travel restrictions.

Related reading

• HIV medication names list
• Cabenuva, the long-acting HIV injection
• Biktarvy explained
• Dolutegravir medicines

This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Entry rules and medicine import limits change; check with the embassy of the country you are visiting and with your HIV team before you travel. Used as prescribed by a licensed medical professional.