Checked 19 October 2026 against Apple's own support pages and carrier sites. iPhone Duo goes on sale 23 October; we re-check Apple's pages after launch.
Overview
Apple sells iPhone Duo with no SIM tray anywhere in the world. In Apple's words, it "features an eSIM-only design worldwide." Every earlier eSIM-only iPhone was regional: the iPhone 14, 15 and 16 lost the tray only in the US, and the 17 and 18 Pro only in twelve markets. Duo is the first one where buying it in India, Brazil or Türkiye gets you the same tray-less phone as in the US.
So the question stops being "is it eSIM-only where I live" and becomes "how hard is it to get my number onto it here". That depends on your carrier, not your country, and the gap is wide. On Jio or Telcel you move your number during setup. On Viettel with a foreign passport, or on any of the three Chinese carriers, you go to a store with ID. In Türkiye a phone bought abroad can cost you a 54,258 TL fee once it runs on a Turkish line.
This guide sorts the markets into three groups, lists what each major carrier supports per Apple's own carrier list, and flags the rules that trip up travellers and expats.
Who this guide is for
Key Takeaways
- iPhone Duo is eSIM-only in every country it's sold in. It stores eight or more eSIMs and runs two at once (China-model phones: two stored, maximum).
- iPhone 18 Pro is NOT eSIM-only more widely than the 17 Pro. It's the same twelve markets. Several outlets called it an expansion; Apple's own page says otherwise.
- The fastest path is eSIM Quick Transfer or Carrier Activation. Big carriers in the US, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, India, the UK, most of the EU and Australia support it.
- In Colombia, Türkiye, the UAE, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Nigeria and Serbia, Apple lists carriers only for QR code or app activation, often with an ID check.
- Mainland China: only the China model (A3721) works with Chinese carriers, activation is in-store with ID, and a non-China Duo can't load a Chinese carrier eSIM at all.
- Android to iPhone eSIM transfer exists, but only from iOS 26 with Android 16, and only on a short carrier list.
- A travel eSIM covers data. It doesn't replace your home line for bank texts, so keep both active.
Which iPhones are eSIM-only, and where
Apple keeps one page listing which SIM type each iPhone uses by the country you bought it in (support article 118569). As of 19 October 2026 it reads like this. iPhone Duo isn't on it yet; its eSIM-only status comes from Apple's launch release and spec page.
iPhone Duo
EverywhereeSIM-only when bought in: Every country it's sold in
Not yet on Apple's SIM-type page; per the launch release and spec page
iPhone Air
EverywhereeSIM-only when bought in: Listed as eSIM-only, no region given
iPhone 18 Pro / 18 Pro Max
12 marketseSIM-only when bought in: US, US Virgin Islands, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Guam, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman
Same 12 markets as the 17 Pro. Elsewhere: eSIM plus nano-SIM tray
iPhone 17 / 17 Pro / 17 Pro Max / 17e
12 marketseSIM-only when bought in: Same 12 markets
iPhone 14, 15 and 16 families (incl. 16e)
US onlyeSIM-only when bought in: US only
Two corrections to what's circulating:
The iPhone 18 Pro didn't expand eSIM-only. Apple's 18 Pro release names the same twelve markets as the 17 Pro: the US, US Virgin Islands, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Guam, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman. Bought anywhere else, it still has a nano-SIM tray.
iPhone Air is listed as eSIM-only with no region attached. Apple's page gives no regional qualifier for it at all.
How activation works: the three routes
When you set up an eSIM-only iPhone, your number gets onto it one of three ways. Which ones you get is up to your carrier.
- Route 1Fastest
eSIM Quick Transfer
Moves your number from your old iPhone during setup, without calling the carrier. It also converts a physical SIM in an older iPhone to an eSIM. This is the one you want.
- Route 2
eSIM Carrier Activation
The carrier has already attached an eSIM to your new phone (usually when you buy through them or order online). It appears when you switch the phone on.
- Route 3
QR code, link or carrier app
A QR code, a link (iOS 17.4+), a carrier app, or entering details by hand. In practice in many markets this is "use our app and verify your ID", or "come to a store".
If your carrier supports none of these for your account type, you go to a store. That's the floor, not a failure.
Country and carrier table
Apple publishes which carriers support which route (support article 101569, checked 19 October 2026). Apple's list says a carrier supports eSIM, not how smooth it is, so we checked weaker markets against carriers' own pages. Where a carrier's own page and Apple's list disagree, the note says so.
Group 1
Moves during setup
Major carriers support Quick Transfer and/or Carrier Activation
Group 2
App or QR code
Apple lists carriers only for QR/app activation; ID checks common
Group 3
Store visit with ID
In-person ID check required (always, or for foreign nationals)
Showing 22 of 22 countries (56 carrier rows), per Apple's list, checked 19 October 2026.
Australia Group 1: Moves during setupTelstra, Optus and Vodafone support both setup routes; amaysim is app or QR code only.
Telstra, Optus, Vodafone
- Quick Transfer: yes
- Carrier Activation: yes
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes · only Telstra, Optus
amaysim: QR code or app only
Brazil Group 1: Moves during setupVivo and TIM support both setup routes, Claro supports Quick Transfer, and Algar is app or QR code only.
Vivo
- Quick Transfer: yes
- Carrier Activation: yes
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
TIM
- Quick Transfer: yes
- Carrier Activation: yes
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
Only Brazilian carrier with Android to iPhone transfer
Claro
- Quick Transfer: yes
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
Algar
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
France Group 1: Moves during setupAll four support Quick Transfer; Orange isn't listed for Carrier Activation.
Bouygues Telecom, Free, SFR, Orange
- Quick Transfer: yes
- Carrier Activation: yes · only Bouygues Telecom, Free, SFR
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
Germany Group 1: Moves during setupTelekom, Vodafone, O2 and 1&1 support both setup routes.
Telekom, Vodafone, O2, 1&1
- Quick Transfer: yes
- Carrier Activation: yes
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes · only Telekom, Vodafone
Hong Kong Group 1: Moves during setupcsl, 3, SmarTone, 1O1O, 3SUPREME and Club SIM support Quick Transfer; none is listed for Carrier Activation.
csl, 3, SmarTone, 1O1O, 3SUPREME, Club SIM
- Quick Transfer: yes
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes · only 3, Club SIM
Also QR code or app only: China Mobile Hong Kong, CUniq, HKBN (HKBN also sells traveller plans)
India Group 1: Moves during setupAirtel and Jio move your number during setup; Vi needs a new eSIM, and BSNL isn't on Apple's list.
Reliance Jio
- Quick Transfer: yes
- Carrier Activation: yes
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
Foreign visitors: in-person identity check (KYC) with passport and visa (reported)
Airtel
- Quick Transfer: yes
- Carrier Activation: yes
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
Same KYC for visitors (reported)
Vi
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: yes
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: no
No Quick Transfer: request a new eSIM from Vi
BSNL
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: no
- Traveller plans: no
Not on Apple's list
Japan Group 1: Moves during setupThe major carriers support both setup routes; povo is the one listed for traveller plans.
NTT docomo, au, SoftBank, Rakuten, UQ, Y!mobile
- Quick Transfer: yes
- Carrier Activation: yes
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes · only povo
povo, LINEMO, BIGLOBE and J:COM also support Quick Transfer
Mexico Group 1: Moves during setupTelcel, AT&T and Movistar move your number during setup; Oui is app or QR code only.
Telcel
- Quick Transfer: yes
- Carrier Activation: yes
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
AT&T México
- Quick Transfer: yes
- Carrier Activation: yes
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
Android to iPhone transfer supported
Movistar
- Quick Transfer: yes
- Carrier Activation: yes
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
Oui
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: no
South Korea Group 1: Moves during setupAll three carriers can attach an eSIM for you (Carrier Activation), but none offers Quick Transfer.
No Korean carrier offers Quick Transfer.
SK Telecom
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: yes
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
KT
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: yes
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
LG U+
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: yes
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
United Kingdom Group 1: Moves during setupEE, O2, Vodafone, Three and Sky support both setup routes; Tesco Mobile has Carrier Activation only, giffgaff app or QR code only.
EE, O2, Vodafone, Three, Sky Mobile
- Quick Transfer: yes
- Carrier Activation: yes
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes · only EE, Three, Vodafone
Tesco Mobile: Carrier Activation, no Quick Transfer. giffgaff: QR code or app only. EE is the only UK carrier with Android to iPhone transfer
United States Group 1: Moves during setupAT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon support every route, Android to iPhone transfer included.
AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon
- Quick Transfer: yes
- Carrier Activation: yes
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
All three also support Android to iPhone transfer
Colombia Group 2: App or QR codeClaro, Movistar and Tigo activate by app or QR code; Apple lists none for either setup route.
Claro
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
Free switch in the Mi Claro app or at a service centre; to change phones you rescan the QR code Claro emailed you, and only need a centre if you've lost it (claro.com.co)
Movistar
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
Online or in store; Mi Movistar app or emailed QR code (movistar.com.co)
Tigo
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
eSIM line ordered online; a separate international prepaid eSIM is sold for travellers (tigo.com.co)
Indonesia Group 2: App or QR codeIndosat and XLSmart activate by app or QR code; Apple lists Telkomsel only for traveller plans, though Telkomsel migrates lines itself.
Telkomsel
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: no
- Traveller plans: yes
Apple lists it for traveller plans only. Its own site: prepaid and postpaid users can migrate online or at a GraPARI store with a national ID (KTP) and family card number, for Rp10,000; the physical SIM stops working (telkomsel.com)
Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: no
XLSmart
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: no
Malaysia Group 2: App or QR codeMaxis supports Quick Transfer; CelcomDigi, U Mobile and Yes are app or QR code only.
Maxis is the exception: it supports Quick Transfer.
Maxis / Hotlink
- Quick Transfer: yes
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
Only Malaysian carrier with Quick Transfer
CelcomDigi
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: no
U Mobile
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: no
Yes
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
Philippines Group 2: App or QR codeGlobe and Smart activate by app or QR code; Globe converts existing lines in its GlobeOne app.
Globe
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
GlobeOne app conversion for prepaid and postpaid, no store visit. Globe also describes Carrier Activation for postpaid, which Apple's list doesn't show (globe.com.ph)
Smart
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
Serbia Group 2: App or QR codemts, Yettel and A1 activate by app or QR code; converting an existing A1 SIM means a store visit.
mts
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
Prepaid eSIM online or in a branch; online registration needed to activate it (mts.rs)
Yettel
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
Prepaid eSIM packages sold online only; registration in the Yettel app takes a photo of your ID and your face, or use the website or a store (yettel.rs)
A1
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
Online eSIM only on new lines (new prepaid eSIM 300 RSD online until 30 Nov 2026, normally 600 RSD); converting an existing SIM means a visit to an A1 point of sale (a1.rs)
Singapore Group 2: App or QR codeSingtel, StarHub and M1 activate by app or QR code.
Singtel
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
StarHub
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
M1
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
Türkiye Group 2: App or QR codeAll three activate by app or QR code, and Turkcell's online eSIM needs e-Devlet, the government login.
Turkcell
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
Online new-line eSIM activates through e-Devlet, the Turkish government login most foreigners don't have (turkcell.com.tr)
Türk Telekom
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
Vodafone TR
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
UAE Group 2: App or QR codee&, du and Virgin Mobile activate by app or QR code, although the 17 and 18 Pro sold here are eSIM-only.
The 17 and 18 Pro are already eSIM-only here, yet no UAE carrier is listed for Carrier Activation or Quick Transfer.
e& (Etisalat)
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
du
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
Virgin Mobile UAE
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
China mainland Group 3: Store visit with IDChina-model iPhones only, activated in a carrier store with an ID check.
Only China-model phones work with these carriers, and activation is in store with an ID check.
China Mobile
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: no
China-model phones only; in-store ID check
China Unicom
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: yes
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: no
China-model phones only; in-store ID check
China Telecom
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: yes
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: no
China-model phones only; in-store ID check
Nigeria Group 3: Store visit with IDApple lists all four for app or QR code, but MTN's SIM swap needs your NIN, and visitors are reported to go to a store.
MTN
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
SIM swap requires your NIN or virtual NIN (mtn.ng)
Airtel
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
Glo
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: no
9mobile
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
Vietnam Group 3: Store visit with IDApp or QR code if you hold the Vietnamese CCCD ID; with a foreign passport, Viettel sends you to a store.
Store visit for foreign passport holders; app or QR code for holders of the Vietnamese CCCD citizen ID.
Viettel
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
In-app switch excludes anyone using an ID other than the CCCD (and premium numbers), so passport holders go to a store (esim.viettel.vn)
Vinaphone
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
Carrier terms not verified
MobiFone
- Quick Transfer: no
- Carrier Activation: no
- App / QR code: yes
- Traveller plans: yes
SIM/eSIM swap 25,000 VND; in-app QR code valid 30 minutes (mobifone.vn)
A green tick means Apple lists the carrier for that route. "Only" names the carriers in a combined row that Apple lists for it. Group badges describe the country's main carriers; your own route depends on your carrier and account type.
Group 1: number moves during setup
US, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, India, the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Australia, South Korea (Carrier Activation only; no Korean carrier offers Quick Transfer).
In India, Airtel and Jio support both Carrier Activation and Quick Transfer. Vi supports Carrier Activation but not Quick Transfer, so moving an existing Vi number to a Duo means requesting a new eSIM from Vi. BSNL isn't on Apple's list.
In Brazil, TIM is also the only carrier that supports Android to iPhone transfer.
Group 2: app or QR code, usually with ID
Colombia, Malaysia (except Maxis, which has Quick Transfer), Türkiye, the UAE, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Serbia.
Apple hasn't said whether Duo is sold in Indonesia, the Philippines, Nigeria or Serbia; the rows cover what those carriers support if you bring one in.
The UAE is the odd one: the 17 and 18 Pro are already eSIM-only there, yet Apple lists no UAE carrier for Carrier Activation or Quick Transfer.
Carrier pages fill in what Apple's list leaves out:
- Telkomsel (Indonesia) appears on Apple's list only for traveller plans, but its own site lets prepaid and postpaid users migrate to eSIM with a national ID (KTP) and family card number, for Rp10,000. The physical SIM stops working.
- Globe (Philippines) says prepaid and postpaid users can switch to eSIM in the GlobeOne app without a store visit.
- Turkcell sells new lines online with eSIM, but activation goes through e-Devlet, the Turkish government login, which most foreigners don't have.
- A1 Serbia sells eSIM online only on new lines; converting an existing SIM means a store visit.
Group 3: store visit with ID
Mainland China, and in practice Nigeria, plus Vietnam if you hold a foreign passport.
- China: Apple's own China page says activation happens at a China Mobile, China Telecom or China Unicom store, with "a required ID check".
- Vietnam: Viettel's in-app eSIM switch excludes anyone whose ID isn't the Vietnamese CCCD card, which means every foreigner goes to a counter.
- Nigeria: MTN's SIM swap requires your NIN (National Identification Number); visitors are reported to use passport and visa at a store.
Group 3 activation: take a number, bring your passport. via GIPHY
Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao
China is the market where an eSIM-only iPhone behaves differently, so it needs its own rules.
Only phones sold in mainland China work with Chinese carriers' eSIMs. Apple's China page lists five models by model number: iPhone 18 Pro (A3715), iPhone 18 Pro Max (A3718), iPhone Duo (A3721), iPhone 17e (A3635), iPhone Air (A3518). It also says plainly that other models, "including those purchased outside of China mainland", can't install an eSIM from a mainland carrier.
Three consequences for mainland China
- A Duo bought in Hong Kong, the US or anywhere else can't take a China Mobile, China Unicom or China Telecom eSIM. In mainland China it runs on roaming or an international data eSIM only.
- A China-model Duo stores two eSIMs at most, against eight or more elsewhere. Delete your home line to make room for a travel eSIM and Apple says you'll need to visit your carrier store to get it back.
- You can't install a foreign carrier's eSIM while inside mainland China. Add the travel eSIM before you leave, with location services on.
Hong Kong and Macao use the international rules. In Hong Kong, csl, 3, SmarTone, 1O1O and others support eSIM, several with Quick Transfer, per Apple's carrier list.
Moving your number from Android
Apple added Android to iPhone eSIM transfer with iOS 26. It needs an Android phone on Android 16 or later, both phones on Wi-Fi with Bluetooth on, and a carrier on Apple's list. As of 17 September 2026 that list is:
United States
- AT&T
- Cricket
- FirstNet
- T-Mobile
- Verizon
- Xfinity Mobile
Austria
- A1
- Magenta
Brazil
- TIM
Canada
- Bell
- Koodo
- Lucky Mobile
- Telus
- Virgin Mobile
Czechia
- T-Mobile
France
- Free Mobile
- Orange
- SFR
Germany
- Telekom
- 1&1
Japan
- au
- UQ
Mexico
- AT&T
Netherlands
- KPN
Slovakia
- Slovak Telekom
Switzerland
- Swisscom
United Kingdom
- EE
Not on the list
No carrier in India, China, Colombia, Türkiye, the UAE, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Nigeria or Serbia is on it. In those markets you request a new eSIM from your carrier (app, QR code or store), the same as for a physical SIM swap.
Two habits save you trouble whatever your route. Don't wipe or trade in the old phone until the new eSIM has made a test call. And where the carrier charges for a new eSIM (Rp10,000 at Telkomsel, 25,000 VND at MobiFone), you'll pay it again every time you change phones, unless the carrier supports Quick Transfer.
Rules that catch travellers and expats
eSIM-only phones run into the same device rules as any imported phone, but with no option to pop in a local SIM. These are the ones that matter.
Verified 19 October 2026 against government and carrier pages where linked. OFFICIAL means a government, regulator or carrier page; REPORTED means press or legal-blog sources only.
Türkiye
OFFICIAL (fee)REPORTED (120 days)54,258 TLphone usage permit fee for 2026
Fee for a phone bought abroad. Using a phone bought abroad on a Turkish line long-term means paying the "telefon kullanım izin harcı" (phone usage permit fee): 54,258 TL for 2026, due before the phone's IMEI (its unique hardware number) is registered. A passenger can bring in one phone this way every three calendar years. Turkish legal sources report a 120-day grace period before an unregistered foreign phone is cut off a Turkish line; the ministry page doesn't state that figure. Visitors roaming on a home eSIM or an international data eSIM aren't affected; the rule applies once a Turkish line is in the phone.
Indonesia
OFFICIAL90 daysof network access on a local SIM without IMEI registration
IMEI registration. A foreign tourist's phone on an Indonesian SIM registered at an operator outlet gets network access for up to 90 days, with no IMEI registration. Registering the IMEI with customs is the alternative: after you've left the airport it's accepted up to 60 days after arrival, without the duty exemption. Roaming on a foreign line needs no registration.
Vietnam
OFFICIAL (biometrics)REPORTED (device change)2 hours / 30 daysto suspension after a device change, then to re-verify
Biometric re-verification. Circular 08/2026/TT-BKHCN took effect on 15 April 2026 and adds facial biometrics to SIM verification. From 15 June 2026, carriers suspend outgoing calls and texts within two hours of detecting a device change until you re-verify; individual subscribers have 30 days to do it, per state media quoting the circular. A new phone is a device change.
Source: Cần Thơ provincial government; Nhân Dân and Vietnam Law Magazine
Philippines
OFFICIALFreeSIM registration, eSIMs included, before activation
SIM registration. The SIM Registration Act's rules say a SIM "shall include e-SIMs". Every SIM must be registered before activation, at no cost.
Source: RA 11934 and its implementing rules (NTC MC 001-12-2022)
Nigeria
OFFICIAL (carrier)REPORTED (visitors)NIN requiredfor every line, eSIM included
NIN linkage. Every line, eSIM included, must be linked to a National Identification Number (NIN); MTN's SIM swap asks for it. Visitors are reported to use a passport and visa at a store.
Source: MTN Nigeria SIM swap page
India
REPORTEDPassport + visain-person check before a visitor gets a line
Visitor KYC. Foreign visitors can get Airtel and Jio lines, eSIM included, after an in-person identity check (KYC) with passport, visa and photo. We found no Indian import fee or IMEI regime like Türkiye's, but couldn't confirm there isn't one.
Source: Travel guides
Serbia
OFFICIALID requiredto register a prepaid number; a travel document works
Prepaid registration. Prepaid numbers must be registered before service starts; existing users had to register by 10 February 2025, and unregistered numbers were switched off after 10 May 2025. Foreigners can register with a travel document number.
Bring the phone in, get the paperwork stamped. via GIPHY
Travelling with an eSIM-only iPhone
The physical SIM fallback is gone: no buying a local SIM at the airport kiosk and swapping it in. What replaces it works well once you know the setup.
Keep your home line, add data. Duo runs two eSIMs at once. Keep your home eSIM on for calls and texts with data roaming off, and set a travel eSIM as the data line. Apple's travel setup offers exactly this choice ("Travel eSIM and Current eSIM") and warns your home line may still pick up roaming charges. From iOS 26, the iPhone can switch the travel eSIM off and your home line back on when you return, depending on country.
Bank codes still go to your home number. A travel eSIM is data-only in almost every case. Whether your bank's texts arrive abroad depends on your home carrier's roaming, not the travel eSIM. We covered what actually locks travellers out of banking in our guide to banks and travel lockouts, and the few travel eSIMs that now include a number in the phone-number section of our eSIM comparison.
Buy the travel eSIM before you fly. In mainland China you can't install one after arrival, and in India a local line needs an in-person identity check, so a pre-installed data eSIM bridges the first days.
Travel eSIM
Install a travel eSIM before you fly
It gives you local data on arrival while your home eSIM stays on for calls and bank texts. It's data only: it won't carry your number. Required before you enter mainland China.
Airalo
Widest coverageBy AirGSM Pte. Ltd.
Best for: Widest coverage, short trips, small plans, long-validity regional bundles
- Unlimited plans: 3GB/day by default, then 1Mbps; each day runs 24 hours from activation
- Hotspot: Allowed — no limit on tethering or the number of devices
- Refund friction when an eSIM doesn't connect; support quality slips at peak season
Saily
By Nord Security
Best for: Tethering a laptop, and the cheapest add-on phone number we found
Phone number: US (+1) number add-on, $1.99/month
- Unlimited plans: 3GB or 5GB a day depending on destination, then 1Mbps until local midnight
- Hotspot: Uncapped
- Costs more per GB than Nomad; the app is reportedly blocked in Turkey, so install it before you land
Nomad
By LotusFlare, Inc.
Best for: The lowest price per GB on fixed data, and long-validity plans up to 365 days
- Unlimited plans: 2GB/day on most plans; after that its help centre says about 1–2Mbps, its plan document 512kbps
- Hotspot: Uncapped
- Thinner support presence than Airalo, and no number outside those three plans
For a full provider comparison (prices, the daily limits behind "unlimited", hotspot rules) see our travel eSIM comparison, and for the wider picture of eSIM versus Wi-Fi versus roaming, how to stay connected abroad.
Common errors and what they mean
Find the message your iPhone showed you. The meanings are the common causes, not an Apple-published list.
eSIM is not supported by your carrier / This carrier doesn't support eSIM
Your carrier or plan type isn't eSIM-enabled for iPhone (BSNL in India, for example), or the line is locked to another carrier.
What to do: Check Apple's carrier list, then the carrier's own eSIM page; ask about prepaid versus postpaid.
Cellular Plan Cannot Be Added
Commonly: the phone is carrier-locked, the QR code was already used or has expired, or (China) a non-China iPhone is trying to add a mainland carrier eSIM.
What to do: Ask the carrier for a fresh eSIM or QR code; confirm the phone is unlocked. For China, only China-model phones work.
Transfer option missing during setup
Your carrier doesn't support Quick Transfer (Vi in India and every Korean carrier, for example).
What to do: Use the carrier app or QR code, or go to a store.
Outgoing calls and texts suspended after a new phone (Vietnam)
The device change triggered the biometric re-verification rule.
What to do: Re-verify your face in the carrier app or at a counter within 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does iPhone Duo have a SIM card slot?
Is the iPhone 18 Pro eSIM-only in the UK, Europe or India?
Can I use an eSIM-only iPhone in India?
Can I use an iPhone Duo bought in the US in China?
How many eSIMs can iPhone Duo store?
How do I move my eSIM from Android to iPhone Duo?
Do I have to pay Türkiye's phone fee for an eSIM-only iPhone bought abroad?
Will my iPhone be blocked in Indonesia after 90 days?
Will I still get bank OTP texts when using a travel eSIM?
Which carriers support eSIM Quick Transfer?
Is iPhone Air eSIM-only everywhere?
Why does Apple's carrier list say my carrier supports eSIM when the store says it can't?
Final thoughts
For most people in Group 1, iPhone Duo's missing tray changes nothing: the number moves during setup. The friction is concentrated in specific places. Mainland China needs the China model and a store visit. Vietnam and Nigeria need ID at a counter. Türkiye and Indonesia penalise phones bought abroad once they run on a local line. And Android owners outside a short carrier list need a new eSIM from their carrier.
Before buying a Duo abroad to use at home, check two things: that the model works with your home carriers (critical for China), and whether your home country charges a fee or blocks unregistered imported phones. Before travelling with one, put the travel eSIM on before you leave and keep your home line switched on. For which travel eSIM to pick, see our travel eSIM comparison.
