Service · eSIM
eSIM for the UK, Canada, Australia and Germany: land with data on
An eSIM is a SIM built into your phone, so you can add a local mobile plan without a plastic card. Check that your phone supports eSIM and is network-unlocked, install the plan on wifi before you fly, and switch it on when you land. Keep your Indian number working too if your bank or apps send one-time passwords to it.
Checked against official sources on
eSIM at a glance
- Best for
- Students, newcomers, professionals and travellers who want data working at the airport for maps, ride apps and messages.
- Check first
- That your phone supports eSIM and is network-unlocked, that the plan covers where you will live, and whether it is data only or includes calls and texts.
- Install when
- Before you fly, on wifi. Many plans only start their clock when the eSIM first connects to a network, but read each plan’s own terms.
- Keep in mind
- For most people an eSIM is a bridge. Move to a longer local plan once you have an address, ID and a bank account if you stay.
Who needs this?
Student
A data eSIM means maps, ride apps and messages work from the airport, while your Indian SIM stays in the phone for OTPs. Check the phone is unlocked before you buy.
Newcomer
A working phone helps you reach hosts, landlords and offices from day one. Local carriers often ask for ID and sometimes a credit check for a normal plan, so an eSIM can bridge the first weeks.
Professional
Install before the trip and keep your Indian SIM for calls from your employer or clients. Check whether your employer has a travel data policy or already provides a plan.
Parents & family
Parents visiting a child abroad can set up the eSIM together over a call before they fly, so messages and maps work on arrival. Check that each phone supports eSIM.
Traveller
For a short trip, an eSIM can save queueing for a SIM at the airport. Compare coverage and data allowance with your Indian operator’s roaming pack, and check whether you need calls or only data.
How it works, step by step
Check your phone
Look in your phone’s settings for an eSIM or “add mobile plan” option, and confirm the phone is not locked to one network. If you are not sure, ask the phone maker or your operator.
Pick a plan for where you will live
The eSIM shelf in StudentFlow lists plans for your destination with the data allowance, how long the plan lasts and the price. Check whether the plan is data only.
Pay and get your activation details
After you pay, your booking page shows an activation code, a QR code and step-by-step install instructions. In this preview the code is a placeholder.
Install on wifi before you fly
In your phone’s settings add an eSIM, scan the QR code or enter the code, label the plan and leave it switched off until you land.
Switch on when you land
Switch the eSIM line on and turn on data roaming for that line if the provider says to. If your phone supports two lines, keep your Indian SIM as the second one for OTPs and calls from home.
Change your mind before it activates
You can cancel for a full refund until you install or activate the eSIM; after that it cannot be refunded. These are the preview’s demo rules, and a live partner’s terms will be shown before you pay.
What StudentFlow does for you
- Lists eSIM plans by country with the data allowance, how long the plan lasts once it connects and the price, and labels every partner as a demo partner in this preview.
- Shows what you get, the good-to-know points (a compatible, unlocked phone is needed; data-only plans mean calls use apps) and the cancellation rule before you pay.
- Gives you an activation code, a QR code and install steps on your booking right after payment. In this preview the code is a placeholder, not a working eSIM.
- Adds eSIM tasks to your plan: check your phone is unlocked and eSIM-ready, keep your Indian number working for OTPs, install before you fly and switch on when you arrive.
- Ticks off the eSIM task when you book, and keeps the order and its status in My orders.
- Does not check your phone for you: confirming that it supports eSIM and is unlocked is your step, and the plan reminds you to do it.
What to check first
- Your phone supports eSIM (its settings or the maker’s page say so) and is not locked to a network.
- The plan covers the country and region where you will live, not only the airport.
- You know whether the plan is data only, and which apps you will use for calls and texts.
- You know when the plan’s clock starts: at purchase, at install or at first connection.
- You can install on wifi before you fly, and you have saved the activation details offline.
- Your Indian SIM stays active, and your bank knows how you will receive OTPs abroad.
- You know the refund, top-up and support terms, and who to contact if installation fails.
Common mistakes
- Buying before checking that your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked.
- Deleting an eSIM profile from the phone after installing it, then finding that it cannot be reinstalled.
- Switching the eSIM on too early, so the plan starts counting before you land.
- Assuming a data-only plan can make normal calls or receive texts from banks and offices.
- Letting your Indian number lapse or switching off roaming without checking how you will receive OTPs.
- Sharing the QR code, or buying from unknown sellers on social media.
Official sources
We link the official page for anything regulated, with the date we last checked it. Rules change, so confirm there before you pay or submit anything.
- GSMA: what is an eSIM?Background on eSIM from the GSMA, the mobile industry association behind the eSIM specifications.www.gsma.com
- TRAI: Telecom Regulatory Authority of IndiaIndia’s telecom regulator, with consumer information on mobile services.www.trai.gov.in
- Sanchar Saathi (Department of Telecommunications)Check the mobile connections registered in your name, report fraud calls and messages, and block a lost phone in India.sancharsaathi.gov.in
- Ofcom: choosing the right mobile package (UK)The UK regulator explains pay monthly, SIM-only and pay as you go, and what to compare before you sign.www.ofcom.org.uk
- ACMA: ID checks for prepaid mobiles (Australia)Australia’s communications regulator explains the identity checks a provider must make when you activate a prepaid mobile.www.acma.gov.au
- IRCC: communications services in CanadaFederal newcomer guidance on phone plans, including the ID a carrier may ask for.www.canada.ca
eSIM: common questions
What is an eSIM and how is it different from a normal SIM?
An eSIM is a SIM built into your phone. Instead of a plastic card in a tray, you add a mobile plan by scanning a QR code or entering an activation code. You can usually hold more than one plan on a phone, so an eSIM can carry local data while your Indian SIM stays in place. It needs a phone that supports eSIM.
How do I know if my phone supports eSIM?
Look in your phone’s settings for an option to add an eSIM or mobile plan, or check the phone maker’s support page for your exact model. The phone must also be unlocked, meaning not tied to one network. If it is locked, ask your operator about unlocking before you buy a plan, because a locked phone cannot add another network’s plan.
Should I install the eSIM before I fly or when I land?
Install it before you fly, while you have wifi, then keep the eSIM line switched off until you land. Many plans start their clock only when the eSIM first connects to a network, but providers differ, so read the plan’s own terms. If you wait until you land, you need wifi at the airport first.
Can I keep my Indian number for OTPs and banking?
Many phones can hold a physical SIM and an eSIM together, so your Indian number can stay active while the eSIM carries local data. Whether an OTP reaches you abroad depends on your operator and roaming settings. Ask your operator and your bank before you leave, and check how each will reach you if the plan lapses.
Does an eSIM include calls and texts, or only data?
Many eSIM plans for travellers are data only, so calls and texts use apps such as WhatsApp. Some plans include a local number, calls or texts. Read the plan description before you buy, and ask your bank and any offices you deal with whether they can reach you on an app or need a normal phone number.
Is an eSIM cheaper than Indian roaming or a local SIM?
It depends on the plan, the country, how long you stay and what your Indian operator charges, so compare the total cost for your whole stay rather than a headline price. A roaming pack can suit a short trip. A local plan often suits a longer stay but may ask for ID, an address or a credit check. StudentFlow shows plan details, not a verdict.
What if my phone is locked or the eSIM will not install?
A locked phone cannot add another network’s plan, so ask your operator about unlocking before you buy. If an install fails, check that you are on wifi and that your phone software is up to date, then contact the provider’s support with your order reference. Do not delete a profile that is already installed, because many cannot be restored.
Is booking through StudentFlow real?
In the current preview, eSIM plans come from demo partners, so no real eSIM is issued, the activation code is a placeholder and no real money moves. When live eSIM partners are connected, this page will say so and show who provides the plan and its terms.
Keep going
Guides that help
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VerifiedHave a working phone the moment you land.
Tell us where you are going and when. We add the phone check, the eSIM and the switch-on step to your plan at the right time, so your first messages and maps do not wait for airport wifi.
Free to plan. No card needed. Not legal or immigration advice.