Dubai Phone Number and SIM Guide 2026: Tourist SIMs, eSIMs and SMS Codes

You land in Dubai and the airport counter offers a tourist SIM, and the carrier price lists even include an AED 0, 10 GB plan that looks like a no-brainer. But that 10 GB lasts only 24 hours, and data expiry, number expiry and identity registration expiry are three separate things. The UAE telecom regulator, TDRA, also limits visitors to 2 registered SIMs per carrier, so it is worth thinking before you choose between e& and du. This guide covers how visitors and future residents can get online, get a number and receive verification codes in Dubai and across the UAE.

The short answer: a short-stay visitor can bring a passport and buy an e& or du tourist plan, but should ask before buying whether it comes with a number, whether it can receive SMS, and until what date the number lasts. To keep receiving codes from your existing bank or accounts, enable roaming on your home number before you leave; a data-only eSIM cannot replace a phone number. If you plan to stay long term, switch to a resident prepaid or postpaid plan once you hold an Emirates ID, and watch both the inactivity limit and the identity registration limit.

This guide answers:

• How much do e& and du tourist plans cost and how long do they last, and which prices include VAT?
• Which documents do you need at the airport, in a store or for an eSIM?
• Can tourist SIMs and data-only eSIMs receive verification codes from banks, UAE PASS and Careem?
• How do you get a number as a long-term resident, and how do you keep or cancel it before you leave the UAE?

Key Points

• Who should read this: visitors to Dubai for travel, short stays or property viewing, and people planning to live in the UAE long term.
• Card limits: visitors can register at most 2 SIMs per carrier, and residents at most 5 per carrier. The limit is counted per carrier.
• Documents: TDRA lists a passport as the document for visitors and the Emirates ID for citizens and residents. Carriers add age, entry and visa conditions of their own.
• Different price bases: e& page prices are shown before 5% VAT (value-added tax), while du page prices include VAT. Convert to the same basis before comparing.
• Number validity: the e& Visitor Line lasts for the visa validity, up to a maximum of 90 days. The du free Tourist eSIM lasts 30 days from the purchase date and can be extended by another 30 days at a store with a valid passport and visa.
• Verification codes: the voice and SMS for a data-only eSIM depend on another phone line, and even a tourist card with a number needs to be checked for SMS and bank acceptance.
• Keeping a long-term number: an e& regular prepaid line is suspended after 90 days of inactivity, and a du regular prepaid line enters a retention period after 180 days of inactivity. These limits do not replace identity registration.

First, Which Kind of User Are You?

Your route depends on how long you stay and whether you hold an Emirates ID.

One Card, Six Things to Look at Separately

A card’s form, number, SMS, data validity, number validity and identity registration are six separate questions, and none of them tells you the others.

Comparing e& and du Tourist Plans

e& and du both sell tourist plans at the airport, from AED 46.66 plus VAT at e& and from AED 49 including VAT at du.

The prices below come from official pages checked on 30 October 2026. Plans change, so rely on the page shown at the time you buy.

e& Tourist Plans (Page Prices Exclude VAT)

e& tourist plans run from AED 0 to AED 303.81 before VAT, with validity from 24 hours to 28 days.

du Tourist Bundles (Page Prices Include VAT)

du tourist bundles run from AED 49 to AED 499 including VAT, with validity of 7 to 28 days.

Three points when reading the tables:

• Compare on the same basis. e&’s AED 46.66 still needs 5% VAT added, while du’s AED 49 already includes VAT.
• Call minutes have a scope. The minutes cover local calls and “selected” international destinations. If you want to call back to Hong Kong, Taiwan, mainland China, Singapore or Malaysia, ask whether the number you want to call is in scope.
• Ask about the conditions on “unlimited.” This is a plan name and a data label. If you want to share a hotspot for long periods, Zagdim recommends asking before buying whether there is a fair-use or speed limit.

For Visitors: Before You Leave, at the Airport and in Stores

Documents to Bring

Bring your original passport, because TDRA lists a passport as the document for foreign visitors, so you cannot treat your home-country ID as a substitute.

A valid passport does not mean every tourist plan is open to you. The e& visitor FAQ lists a minimum age of 18, and the number validity follows the visa. du’s visitor page lists an age requirement and a condition that you have already entered and hold a valid visitor visa. If you entered visa-free, check on the carrier’s website or app how to fill in the visa field in the online process, and if you are unsure, Zagdim recommends asking the staff at an airport store.

What to Do Before You Leave

Zagdim recommends preparing roaming, an eSIM check and your documents before you leave, as follows.

• To keep your existing verification codes: ask your home carrier to enable international roaming, and confirm that you can receive SMS while roaming.
• If you want to use an eSIM: first confirm your phone supports eSIM, and whether you can keep your home number at the same time to receive SMS.
• If you buy a third-party data-only eSIM: these plans are for going online, and voice and SMS depend on another line.
• If you want a UAE carrier’s eSIM: do not assume it can be completed before departure. du’s visitor page states a condition that you have already entered and hold a valid visitor visa; e&’s eSIM device compatibility, passport recognition and collection method follow the official process at the time.

Buying at the Airport

Visitors can buy a tourist plan at the airport. The UAE government portal says visitors can buy a tourist plan at the e& or du stores at UAE airports.

du also has a free Tourist SIM handed out at the immigration counter. Its page says it must be verified through an SMS process and will be disabled if not verified, with the verification deadline as explained when you receive the card. This card is disabled within 3 hours of leaving the UAE, and even if you stay, it is limited by the tourist visa validity.

The eligibility and included contents of the immigration-counter card, the store card and the free eSIM differ, so do not treat them as the same product just because all are called du Tourist.

Buying in a Store in the City

A city store can sell you a plan if it is open to visitors. You can first ask a store whether the plan you want is open to visitors. To extend the du free Tourist eSIM by 30 days, you must go to a store with a valid passport and visa. du’s FAQ also mentions topping up with an international credit card through the app or website, but whether each overseas card works depends on the actual payment result.

For Longer-Term Residents: Documents, Prepaid and Postpaid

Residents can register at most 5 SIMs per carrier, and TDRA lists the Emirates ID as the resident document. Both carriers’ postpaid plans require an Emirates ID, so you cannot apply on a tourist passport alone.

du’s prepaid page lists a work visa, while TDRA’s resident registration explanation specifies the Emirates ID. If you have not yet received your Emirates ID, Zagdim recommends asking du before you go which plan your visa status allows.

Can a Tourist Card Be Converted to a Resident Plan?

At e& yes, after you obtain an Emirates ID, while du’s own pages give conflicting answers.

• e&: after a visitor obtains a new Emirates ID, they can go to a store and convert the Visitor Line to a Wasel prepaid or postpaid plan. Zagdim recommends asking before converting whether the original number and original offers are kept, and whether it can be done remotely.
• du: one place in the same FAQ page allows converting to a resident plan in store after obtaining an Emirates ID, while another place says a tourist card cannot be migrated. Zagdim recommends taking the card and your Emirates ID to the store and confirming for your card type.

Zagdim recommends confirming whether the number can be converted before you start linking it to a bank or using it long term.

Receiving Verification Codes: Banks, Government, Delivery and Ride-Hailing

A tourist card does not guarantee you will receive verification codes, and each service sets its own rules.

Two easy-to-confuse points:

• A bank accepting a visitor to open an account does not mean it accepts every tourist telecom plan. Zagdim recommends asking the bank, before opening an account or linking a card, which kind of number to register.
• Being able to receive ordinary SMS does not mean you will receive every bank’s verification code. Zagdim recommends testing important accounts with a small step first, for example confirming that SMS arrives before you log in or reset a password.

Using Your Home Number: Roaming

Roaming on your home number keeps your original number, and verification codes from your existing banks and accounts are still sent to that number; whether you can receive them depends on whether the roaming plan supports SMS. It is not a UAE local number. The table below gives examples from named carriers and is not the rule for every carrier in that place; ask your own carrier about others.

Zagdim recommends asking your home carrier three things directly before leaving: can my plan receive SMS in the UAE, how are incoming calls charged, and do I need to enable anything first?

Keeping a Number, Expiry and What to Do Before Leaving the UAE

Tourist Cards: The Number Expires on Its Own

The e& Visitor Line number lasts for the visa validity, up to 90 days. The du free immigration-counter card is disabled within 3 hours of leaving the UAE. The du free Tourist eSIM lasts 30 days from the purchase date and can be extended 30 more days in store.

A tourist card’s number expires on its own, so a top-up cannot keep it. Zagdim recommends not tying accounts you need long term to a tourist card.

Regular Prepaid: Inactivity Limits

A regular prepaid number is suspended after 90 days of inactivity at e& and enters a retention period after 180 days at du.

These terms do not apply to the e& Visitor Line. For numbers activated in September 2018 itself and for individual new products, ask du which terms apply.

Identity Registration Expiry: A Different Clock

Beyond the inactivity limit, identity registration also expires. If a resident registration expires and is not updated within 60 days, the carrier must suspend outgoing service, though you can still receive calls and SMS; a further 30-day grace period follows. If valid data is provided within 90 days of expiry, service can be restored, and after that it is permanently terminated and cannot be restored.

So when you are overseas, Zagdim recommends looking at two things at once: whether the number has been inactive, and whether the Emirates ID registration has expired. A top-up cannot keep an expired identity registration alive.

Short Departure: e& Homebound

e& Homebound is a transitional plan for people leaving: Homebound 100 is AED 105 for 30 days and Homebound 600 is AED 630 for 60 days, both including VAT, and neither can be extended. This is a time-limited arrangement and cannot be used as a permanent way to keep a number; eligibility and how service ends afterward follow the conditions on e&’s page.

Checklist Before Leaving the UAE

Zagdim recommends working through these five steps before you leave.

• Update the number registered with your bank. Taking Emirates NBD as an example, the SMS authorization code is sent only to the registered number. Change it before switching numbers, and check other banks too.
• Actively cancel postpaid. e& advises postpaid or eLife customers to call 800-6665 at least 48 hours before leaving to cancel, and to settle unpaid amounts and any applicable exit fees. Do not treat leaving the country as cancellation.
• Read the early termination fee. The e& 2026 Freedom Plans terms state that cancelling service before 12 months incurs a one-time fee equal to 1 month’s rental. This applies only within that set of terms; confirm separately about device installments and the recovery of other offers.
• For du customers: du’s official explanation says downgrading within a contract carries an early termination fee. For the current handset contract’s amount, notice period and how to cancel while you are overseas, ask du directly.
• To switch carriers and keep your number: porting requires re-registering with the new carrier, and an application made while the number is suspended may be refused. To port an individual number into du, you need a signed MNP application form and a valid Emirates ID, and for postpaid also proof of ability to pay. Whether a tourist card can be ported depends on the card type, so ask the carrier.

Whether you can complete an identity registration update from overseas and which cards you can top up with differ between the two carriers and between plans, so Zagdim recommends asking before you leave.

Checklist: What to Ask Before You Buy

Zagdim recommends asking these seven questions when you buy a card:

• Does this plan have a UAE number? Can it receive SMS?
• Until which day can I use the data, and until which day is the number kept?
• Does the price include VAT?
• Can the call minutes reach the places I want to call?
• Can I get this plan on the way I entered the country? How do I fill in the visa field in the online process?
• When I later get an Emirates ID, can I convert to a resident plan and keep this number?
• Does “unlimited” have speed or hotspot limits?

Five words and phrases deserve a second look:

• “eSIM”: it does not mean there is a number, and it does not mean there is not; it depends on the specific product.
• “Free 10 GB”: check the validity first. The free plans at both e& and du list 24 hours.
• “Can receive verification codes”: ask whether that means ordinary SMS or whether your bank or app has confirmed it works.
• “Registration fee”: TDRA’s registration policy prohibits carriers from adding charges for registration or registration renewal, so ask what exactly is being charged.
• “Works without registration”: TDRA’s registration policy prohibits carriers from providing SIMs or mobile services to users who have not completed registration.

FAQ

What do I need to buy a SIM card in Dubai?

Your original passport. TDRA lists a passport as the visitor document, and carriers have their own age, entry and visa conditions; residents use the Emirates ID.

How many SIMs can a visitor register in the UAE?

Visitors can register at most 2 per carrier and residents at most 5 per carrier. The limit is counted per carrier.

Does a Dubai tourist eSIM have a local number? Can it receive SMS?

It depends on the product. The du free Tourist eSIM has its own number validity, while a third-party data-only eSIM depends on another line for voice and SMS. Ask before buying whether there is a number and SMS.

If the free 10 GB runs out, is the number gone?

Data validity and number validity are two different things. The 10 GB on the du free Tourist eSIM lasts 24 hours, while the number lasts 30 days from the purchase date and can be extended by 30 days in store with a valid passport and visa.

After I get an Emirates ID, can a tourist number be converted to a resident plan?

e& allows you to go to a store with a newly obtained Emirates ID and convert a Visitor Line to a Wasel prepaid or postpaid plan. du’s FAQ page says different things in different places, so confirm in store for your card type; for both, ask first whether the original number is kept.

How do I keep a number while I am overseas?

An e& regular prepaid line is suspended after 90 days of inactivity and can be reactivated by topping up within 1 year after suspension. A du regular prepaid line enters a retention period after 180 days of inactivity, and can be restored by topping up during days 188 to 553. Identity registration has its own expiry rules, and a tourist card ends when its number validity ends.

Do UAE banks and Careem need a local number?

Careem’s sign-up FAQ requires a valid mobile number and does not limit it to a UAE number. Banks must be checked one by one; taking Emirates NBD as an example, the authorization code is sent only to the registered number, and whether your type of number can be registered must be confirmed with the bank.

Important Notice

This guide is general information and is not legal or consumer advice. It is based on the UAE TDRA, the UAE government portal, UAE PASS, e&, du, Emirates NBD, Careem, Airalo and the official websites of telecom carriers in Hong Kong, Taiwan, mainland China, Singapore and Malaysia, checked on 30 October 2026. Plans, prices, document requirements and registration processes change, so rely on the latest notices of each agency and carrier.

Have a question about this guide? Leave a comment below, or ask Zagdim directly.

Sources

• TDRA, FAQs: Registration for Mobile Consumers: https://tdra.gov.ae/en/FAQs
• TDRA, Regulatory Policy: Registration Requirements for Mobile Consumers (Version 1.0, 27 September 2011): https://tdra.gov.ae/-/media/About/regulations-and-ruling/EN/Registration-Requirements-for-Mobile-Consumers-Policy-pdf.ashx
• TDRA, Consumer Tool Hub: Porting numbers: https://tdra.gov.ae/en/consumer-tool-hub/topics/porting-numbers
• UAE Government Portal, Mobile and internet services: https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/visiting-and-exploring-the-uae/mobile-and-internet-services
• UAE PASS, FAQ: Does UAEPASS support visitors registration?: https://docs.uaepass.ae/faq
• e& UAE, Visitor line plans: https://www.eand.ae/en/c/mobile/plans/visitor-line.html
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• e& UAE, Postpaid Plan: Necessary documents: https://www.eand.ae/en/c/mobile/plans/new-postpaid-plans.html
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