Guide · Moving to the UK
How to get a UK phone number before you arrive
Your university, your landlord, your bank and every delivery app will ask for a UK phone number in your first week. With an eSIM you can have one before you board the plane. Here is how.
Updated 27 October 2026
Why a UK number matters in week one
Opening a UK bank account, registering with a GP, signing a tenancy, using Uber or food delivery, and getting texts from your university all go more smoothly with a UK mobile number. Calling and texting UK numbers from a foreign SIM can also be expensive.
What you need
Before you start, check you have:
- a phone that supports eSIM (dial *#06# and look for an EID)
- a phone that is unlocked, not tied to a network at home
- an email address you can open on another device, or print the QR code
- a card that works online in the UK, or Apple Pay or Google Pay
Step by step
1. Pick a plan and pay. With GetOnIt that takes about two minutes and asks for your name, your email and a card. No UK address, no credit check.
2. Your eSIM arrives by email with a QR code, usually within a few minutes.
3. Scan the QR code in your phone's settings on any Wi-Fi. You can do it at home, at the airport, or in your halls. Keep your home SIM in.
4. Your line is usually live within 15 minutes, and your new UK number is in your account.
When to do it
You can order a week or two before you fly. On GetOnIt your first month starts the day your eSIM goes live, not the day you pay, so there is no rush to install it early. Many students install it the night before they travel or on the airport Wi-Fi when they land.
Keep your home number too
Most eSIM phones run two lines at once. Leave your home SIM in for bank codes and family, use the UK eSIM for data and local calls, and set which line does what in your phone's settings. Your WhatsApp account stays on the number it is already on, so your chats don't move.
If your home network charges for roaming, turn data roaming off for your home SIM so it only receives texts.
Questions
- Can I get a UK phone number without being in the UK?
- Yes, with an eSIM. You can buy and install it from anywhere with Wi-Fi. Your UK number starts working as soon as the line is live.
- Do I need a UK address to get a UK SIM?
- Not for GetOnIt. We only ask for your name and email, and you pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. There is no credit check.
- Will my WhatsApp change to the UK number?
- No, not unless you choose to change it. WhatsApp stays on the number it is registered to, so your home number keeps your chats while the UK eSIM gives you data and a local number.
A UK number in about 15 minutes.
Prepaid eSIM plans from £9 a month. No contract, no credit check, no UK address needed.