Prepaid SIM cards used to be fairly straightforward to acquire all over the world. Buyers needed simply to walk up to any place that sells them from convenience stores to vending machines to branded mobile phone stops. However for security reasons, an increasing number of countries have started to require some form of personal registration from mobile phone users. In almost all countries, registration doesn't prohibit the direct sale of prepaid SIM cards to visitors, but it may still be cumbersome.
This table shows a summary of countries that require registration, and if so where visitors should go to register their SIM cards, and what they need to bring. Although some countries do not require registration but individual telcos do, this page focuses more on where compulsory SIM card registration is enshrined in national law or government regulations. In most cases, the registration happens at the point of purchase, meaning you will register the SIM at the same time you buy it (and will thus require identification at that point) but in some other cases, you may have to complete the registration yourself or go online.
Africa
| COUNTRY | Registration required? | Where to register | What to bring | Other Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algeria | YES | point-of-sale | official ID such as ID card or passport and/or visa (original + copy)
+ an Algerian address such as hotel address |
|
| Botswana | passport | |||
| Egypt | ||||
| Kenya | ||||
| Madagascar | ||||
| Malawi | ||||
| Mauritania | ||||
| Mauritius | ||||
| Morocco | ||||
| Rwanda | ||||
| Seychelles | ||||
| Swaziland/eSwatini | ||||
| Tanzania | ||||
| Tunisia | ||||
| Burkina Faso | valid ID document such as passport | |||
| Djibouti | valid ID such as passport | |||
| Ghana | passport or national biometric identity card such as driver's licence or Ghana Card | |||
| Sudan | paper copies of passport
+ passport photos |
|||
| Ethiopia | Ethio Telecom stores | copy of passport
+ one or two passport sized photographs |
||
| South Africa | RICA-accredited agent (i.e., most point-of-sales) | passport
+ accommodation address |
- | |
| Chad | telco-branded store
(boutiques) |
photo ID such as passport | ||
| Guinea | passport | |||
| Mayotte (France) | ID card or passport | |||
| Reunion (France) | ||||
| Niger | ID document such as passport | |||
| Angola | telco-branded store | passport with a valid visa | ||
| Cameroon | ID such as passport | max. three SIM cards per operator per subscriber on one name | ||
| Equatorial Guinea | passport (original + copy)
+ two passport sized photos |
|||
| Gabon | two copies of passport and visa | |||
| Gambia | ID such as passport | |||
| São Tomé and Príncipe | Registration is mandatory and it can take up to 3 hours for the SIM to activate after registration. | |||
| Uganda | ||||
| Zambia | passport
+ hotel address |
|||
| Mali | passport | |||
| Mozambique | ||||
| Nigeria | ||||
| Sierra Leone | ||||
| Benin | ID such as passport | |||
| Burundi | ||||
| Senegal | ||||
| Togo | ||||
| Zimbabwe | ||||
| Liberia | telco-branded store or service point | official ID card or passport | ||
| Ivory Coast | telco-branded store or resellers | passport or any other valid ID | ||
| Lesotho | NO | n/a | ||
America
| COUNTRY | Registration required? | Where to register | What to bring | Other Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | YES
|
point-of-sale | ID card or passport | procedure varies slightly per operator |
| Brazil | passports | CPF (Cadastro de Pessoa Física) is asked for, but not mandatory. | ||
| Bolivia | telco-branded store | |||
| Canada | NO
|
n/a | ||
| Colombia | YES
|
point-of-sale | ID card or passport
+ address details + IMEI details of device with proof of purchase (if stay is 30+ days) |
|
| Costa Rica | photo ID such as passport | SIM cards need to be registered with Sutel, the national regulator: https://registroprepago.sutel.go.cr/, register your SIM card and wait for some hours to be activated. | ||
| Chile | NO - for stays shorter than 30 days using a device purchased overseas
|
online |
for stays of 30+ days: copy of passport + info about device manufacturer and model + screenshot of IMEI device |
devices bought in the country don't need to go through this process
Chilean tax number (RUT number) might be asked for, if they insist on it (e.g. on an online form) just give 9 times 9 (e.g. 999999999). |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Optional | point-of-sale | ID card or passport | |
| Anguilla | YES | passport | ||
| Antigua and Barbuda | ||||
| Bahamas | ||||
| Dominica | ||||
| Grenada | ||||
| Honduras | ||||
| Jamaica | ||||
| Montserrat | ||||
| Haiti | ID such as passport or a copy of it | |||
| Guatemala | ID such as passport | |||
| Belize | authorized dealers | |||
| Dominican Republic | telco-branded store | passport or national ID card (cedula) | ||
| Barbados | passport | |||
| Ecuador | By law you have to be an Ecuadorian citizen to buy a SIM card. In practice it's easy to find a store that will activate it in someone else’s name, and then transfer it to you a few days later. | |||
| El Salvador | ||||
| Uruguay | passport (original only) | Previously, the device was required to be declared at customs, but this is no longer obligatory. Formerly had to provide a local address (such as accomodation or hotel address) which is also not mandatory anymore. | ||
| Mexico | NO
|
n/a | ||
| Nicaragua | ||||
| Panama | ||||
| Paraguay | YES | point-of-sale | ID card or passport |
You need to complete a form prepared by the country’s communications regulator Conatel and provide a fingerprint. |
| Peru | passport | max. 10 prepaid lines per operator | ||
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | ||||
| Saint Lucia | ||||
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | ||||
| Turks and Caicos Islands | ||||
| USA | NO
|
n/a | ||
Asia Pacific
| COUNTRY | Registration required? | Where to register | What to bring | Other Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | YES
|
point-of-sale or online through telco's website | passport or driving licence should be presented to sales point
+ Australian address (e.g. of accommodation) |
|
| Armenia | point-of-sale | passport | ||
| Azerbaijan | point-of-sales of the operators | passport and visa | max. 5 SIM cards per person for all operators, country greylisted | |
| Bangladesh | point-of sale | passport and visa (original + copy)
+ one or two passport size color photographs |
||
| Bhutan | passport | |||
| Brunei Darussalam | telco-branded store | passport | ||
| Cambodia | passport with a valid visa | |||
| China, People's Republic of (PRC/Mainland China) | telco-branded store or service point | passport and proof of address in Mainland China such as hotel voucher, hotel address card, or temporary residence registration form |
* proper termination of mobile service before leaving the country by visiting a telco-branded service point is required**
Greylisted due to Great China Firewall censorship.
Facial recognition will be required to register new SIM cards | |
| East Timor (Timor-Leste) | telco-branded store | passport | ||
| Fiji | ID such as passport | |||
| French Polynesia (France) | ID card, passport or a driver's license | |||
| New Caledonia (France) | photo ID such as passport | |||
| Georgia (except Abkhazia and South Ossetia) | ID document such as passport | |||
| Hong Kong SAR (China) | NO
|
n/a | ||
| Tonga | n/a | No ID is required, but the store agent just asks for your name. | ||
| India | YES
|
point-of-sale | passport (original + copy)
+ visa page (original + copy) + passport photos + proof of address |
Greylisted |
| Indonesia | telco-branded store | for foreigners: passport or e-KITAS (Electronic Limited Stay Permit) or e-KITAP (Electronic Permanent Stay/Resident Permit)
for Indonesians: Indonesian Identity Card (e-KTP) and Family Card (KK or Kartu Keluarga in Indonesian) |
IMEI registration regulations is enforced since 18 April 2020 | |
| Iran | office of the providers | passport and visa | Greylisted: IMEI registration required within 30 days paying taxes. | |
| Japan | NO
YES - for voice-enable SIM cards |
Greylisted because Japan does not permit the sale of most voice-enabled SIM cards to visitors.
| ||
| Kazakhstan | YES | point-of-sale | ID such as passport | IMEI registration required |
| Kyrgyzstan | photo ID such as passport | |||
| Kiribati | NO | n/a | ||
| Laos | ||||
| Macau SAR (China) | ||||
| Malaysia | YES
|
point-of-sale | ID such as passport or Malaysian ID Card | |
| Maldives | passport | |||
| Mongolia | telco-branded store or service point | ID card or passport or driving license | ||
| Myanmar | telco-branded store | passport and visa (or passport stamp) | ||
| Nepal | point-of-sale | passport
+ passport-sized photo (if applicable) |
||
| New Zealand | NO
|
n/a | ||
| Cook Islands (NZ) | ||||
| Pakistan | YES |
point-of-sale |
passport and visa | Greylisted: IMEI registration required, max. 5 devices per year |
| Philippines | NO (legislation pending)
|
photo ID such as passport | There is pending legislation to require IDs but it has not yet been passed.[1] | |
| Singapore | YES
|
passport or NRIC (National Registration Identity Card) | max. 3 SIM cards per person | |
| South Korea | passport | - | ||
| Sri Lanka | passport
+ recent passport-size photograph (if applicable) |
|||
| Taiwan (ROC) | passport
+ second ID may be required such as drivers license, ID card etc. |
max. 1 active SIM card per operator for visitor | ||
| Thailand | passport | max. 5 active SIM cards per operator | ||
| Uzbekistan | passport
+ temporary residence permit or hotel voucher |
IMEI registration required since September 2019 | ||
| Vietnam | telco-branded store | passport | - | |
Europe
| COUNTRY | Registration required? | Where to register | What to bring | Other Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abkhazia | NO | n/a | |||
| Albania | YES | telco-branded store | photo ID such as passport
+ local address (such as hotel or accomodation address) in Albania |
||
| Austria | telco-branded store or partner shops
+ post offices + online verification (for some passport holders only) |
passport or ID card
+ fee (at some partner shops or post offices) |
- | ||
| Belarus | point-of-sale of the operators | passport | Be aware that some local shops don't know, how to deal with foreign (= not Belarusian or Russian) passports. So better stick to stores in railway stations or airports. | ||
| Belgium | telco-branded store or independent store at point of purchase (delays are possible) | passport or ID card | - | ||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | NO | n/a | |||
| Bulgaria | YES | telco-branded store
+ big supermarkets |
passport or ID card | max. 10 SIM cards per person | |
| Croatia | NO
|
n/a | |||
| Czech Republic | |||||
| Denmark | |||||
| Estonia | |||||
| Finland | |||||
| France | YES
|
point-of-sale | passport, ID card, or driving licence | ||
| Germany | telco-branded store (for larger telcos)
+ agency-appointed stores (for smaller telcos) + independent mobile phone stores that sell SIM cards + online video verification (for selected passport holders only) + post offices |
passport or national ID card
+ German address (accommodation address will suffice) |
Registration is not required at the time of purchase but for activation and use.
Some stores will only take requests to register SIM cards purchased from them. Results of online verification and at post offices may take some hours to process; in-store verification usually instant. | ||
| Greece | point-of-sale | passport or national ID card | |||
| Hungary | telco-branded store | passport | prepaid subscribers are required to have their subscriptions verified annually to keep prepaid SIMs active,
max. 10 SIM cards per user | ||
| Iceland | NO
|
n/a | |||
| Ireland | |||||
| Isle of Man (UK) | |||||
| Italy | YES
|
point-of-sale | passport or ID card | Codice fiscale (tax code) might be asked for, but not a legal requirement. | |
| Channel Islands (UK) | NO
|
n/a | |||
| Latvia | |||||
| Lithuania | |||||
| Luxembourg | YES | point-of-sale | ID card or passport | ||
| Montenegro | |||||
| Malta | NO | n/a | |||
| Netherlands | |||||
| North Macedonia | YES | point-of-sale | photo ID (ID card or passport) | ||
| Norway | telco-branded store
+ electronics stores that sell SIM cards |
passport (all foreigners) or national ID card (EU/EEA citizens only) | Supermarkets and non-electronics stores do not always activate SIM cards. | ||
| Poland | telco-branded store
+ Ruch kiosks + post offices |
passport (all foreigners) or national ID card | Independent electronics stores may sell SIM cards but they won't register them and will hence remain deactivated. | ||
| Portugal | NO | n/a | |||
| Romania | |||||
| Moldova (except Transnistria) | |||||
| Transnistria | YES | IDC stores | passport | pay in Transnistrian rubles | |
| Russia | telco-branded store | passport with visa and stamp | - | ||
| Slovakia | telco-branded store
+ online |
passport or national ID card | - | ||
| Serbia | NO | telco-branded store | ID such as passport (if applicable) | ID such as passport may be required at the branded stores. | |
| Slovenia | n/a | ||||
| Spain | YES
|
for larger telcos: branded store
for smaller telcos/MVNOs: agent store or branded store |
passport or ID card | - | |
| Sweden | NO
|
n/a | |||
| Switzerland | YES
|
point-of-sale | passport or national ID card | - | |
| Turkey | point-of-sale in branded stores | passport or ID card,
for use of 120+ days: IMEI details of phone |
Greylisted Only 1 SIM can be linked per device In practice, this concerns users who will stay longer than 120 days as there is a grace period. However, a user may encounter problems if he/she visits Turkey again in the future and wants to use the same device. | ||
| Ukraine | NO
|
n/a | |||
| United Kingdom | |||||
Middle East
| COUNTRY | Registration required? | Where to register | What to bring | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bahrain | YES | point-of-sale | passport | max. 10 SIM cards per provider |
| Israel | NO
|
n/a | ||
| Lebanon | YES | telco-branded store | passport | Greylisted: IMEI registration required within 90 days paying taxes. |
| Oman | point-of-sale | |||
| Qatar | - | |||
| Saudi Arabia | telco-branded store | passport with visa stamp | max. 2 SIM cards per user | |
| UAE | point-of-sale | - | ||
Hi Timmy. Thanks for your work.
I've made a format proposal for this category. You can check it out through this link.
I think it's very hard to navigate through 5 big tables in an article on a small mobile device. 68% of all users access this wiki on their phone. So it might be better to make 5 tables and link it to one manual page through the icons or thumbnails of the continents.
Check it on your phone what looks better and tell me.
Hi TIMMY. This is from the admin.
- please don't use bullet lists in tables. They get very broad in size. Don't forget that most users access this material on a small screen on a mobile device
- please follow alphabetical order of the countries within tables
- I removed "telco-branded stores" where there are "points of sale". This double calling doesn't make sense as a branded store is a point of sale.
- please follow the categories of the main wiki. Middle East belongs to Asia and Asia and Oceania are two separate continents.
- Japan is too negative. You get a SIM card, just not for voice, but for data from which you can VoIP calls.
- These tables get very long. We might use a picture gallery like on the main page of the wiki showing the 5 continents and link each table behind this continent. What's your opinion on that?
Thanks for your work.