Travel help
Arriving in the US with an eSIM: Keep Your Home Number
A quick checklist for landing, plus how to keep receiving bank codes and WhatsApp on your own number.
Before you fly
- Install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi using the one-tap button or QR code in your order email.
- Label it 'USA' and leave it switched off until you land.
- Keep your home SIM installed — don't delete or remove it.
When you land
- Turn Airplane Mode off.
- Switch the USA eSIM on and turn Data Roaming on for it (it's needed for travel eSIMs).
- Set the USA eSIM as your mobile data line.
- Turn Data Roaming OFF on your home line so it never uses data abroad.
- No signal after 3 minutes? Restart your phone, or pick AT&T or Verizon manually in network selection.
Bank codes and text messages
- Leave your home line switched on for calls and texts. Your phone can receive SMS codes on it while the USA eSIM handles data.
- Receiving texts abroad is usually free or cheap, but check your home provider's US roaming rates first.
- Many banking apps approve logins inside the app over data instead of SMS — that works fully on the USA eSIM.
WhatsApp and iMessage
- WhatsApp stays linked to your own number and runs over the USA eSIM's data. Nothing to change.
- On iPhone, keep your home line as the default for iMessage and FaceTime so friends see your usual number.