SIM and eSIM in the UAE 2026: du, e&, plans, VoIP and VPN

In short: the UAE has two mobile operators, du and e& (Etisalat). Tourists get a SIM or eSIM with a passport and visa: du packages start at AED 49 (4 GB for 28 days), the e& transit pack costs AED 50 for 48 hours, and the line is valid as long as the visa. Postpaid requires an Emirates ID. Internet calls are allowed only in apps on the TDRA list, such as BOTIM, GoChat and Voico; WhatsApp is not on the list.

Mobile service in the UAE works differently from many countries: there are two operators with their own networks, internet calls work only in regulator-approved apps, and the terms for tourists and residents differ. Below we cover which documents are needed, how much du and e& packages cost, how to get an eSIM and what is officially said about VoIP and VPN. Prices and rules were checked against the operators' and the TDRA regulator's websites on 13 November 2026.

du and e& (Etisalat): comparing the two operators

The UAE has two mobile operators: du and e& (formerly Etisalat; the operator's website uses both names). The TDRA VoIP policy also states that there are two licensed operators in the country. Virgin Mobile is sold as a separate brand; more on it below.

Sources: du and e& pages, du Tourist SIM leaflet (issued August 2025). Checked 13 November 2026. Operators change packages without notice, so check the price on du.ae and eand.ae before buying.

According to reviews in Russian-speaking chats (January–July 2026), both operators work reliably in the city, while e& has better reception outside town. These are users' observations; we have not compared official coverage maps. For most newcomers, the choice comes down to package price and the convenience of the point of sale.

Important: in users' experience, a SIM card may be deactivated after a long period of non-use. If you plan to be away for a month or more, check the terms for keeping the number when you buy. du explicitly limits the tourist SIM: 90 days with one extension.

Prepaid and postpaid: what is available without a residence visa

Prepaid for tourists and newcomers

A tourist SIM is issued with a passport. For a Visitor Line, e& requires the original passport and a copy of the visa (entry permit), issues no more than two such SIMs per passport, and the line is valid for as long as the visa. For expats, du lists a passport with a valid UAE visa or an Emirates ID. You can buy one:

• at the airport (in newcomers' experience, the operators' counters are in the arrivals area)
• at operator offices and partner outlets in the city and malls
• online on the operator's website: at e&, payment is by card with 3D Secure only, and the activation fee is waived for online purchases

The cheapest entry as of 13 November 2026: AED 49 at du (4 GB and 30 minutes for 28 days) and AED 50 at e& (Transit Pack for 48 hours). If the package runs out, du charges AED 1 per megabyte for data beyond the package, so it is better to add a data pack in advance.

Postpaid for residents only

To connect a postpaid plan, e& requires:

• the original Emirates ID
• one additional document: a stamped salary certificate showing at least AED 2,500, a Ministry of Labour employment contract with a salary of at least AED 2,500, 3 months of bank statements, a tenancy or ownership contract, last month's utility bill or a vehicle licence

Postpaid prices depend on the package and contract term and are often discounted for the first months, so check the current tariff on the operator's website on the day you connect. More on getting a residence visa on the UAE residence page and in the UAE guide.

eSIM: from operators and third-party services

Both operators issue eSIMs. du has a dedicated tourist eSIM: it is activated by QR code, activation is free, you get a bonus of 10 GB for 24 hours, and then you buy one of the packages in the table above. On the e& website, existing customers can switch to eSIM and buy a Visitor Line online.

The second option is an eSIM from an international travel service. You buy it before departure and activate it after landing. According to reviews in the chats:

• Trip.com: tourist eSIMs for the UAE with various data packages; chat participants report stable performance
• Kaspersky eSIM Store: convenient for those who travel to many countries
• esimworld: chat participants complained about low speed

These are user reviews, not our own measurements. An international eSIM usually has no local number, so after moving you will still need a local operator's SIM to register with banks and government services.

Virgin Mobile: what the chats say

Virgin Mobile is sold in the UAE as a separate mobile brand with sign-up through an app. We have not checked this operator's official terms, so below are reviews only.

According to participants in Russian-speaking chats, when you get the SIM you are asked to link a bank card, and unlinking it later is hard: the procedure is not obvious and support responds slowly. If you do not want to link a card, check before buying or choose prepaid from du or e&.

Internet calls and VPN: TDRA rules

This is one of the most discussed topics among newcomers to the UAE. The rules are set by the regulator TDRA (Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority).

Which calling apps are allowed

TDRA classes voice and video calls over the internet (VoIP) as regulated telecommunications services: they can be provided by licensed operators, their partners or services approved by the regulator. TDRA publishes a list of permitted apps. As of 13 November 2026, it includes:

• for personal use: BOTIM, GoChat, Voico, Totok, Comera
• for work and study: Microsoft Teams, Skype for Business, Zoom, Google Meet (meetings only), Cisco Webex, Slack, BlueJeans, Avaya Spaces, Blackboard

WhatsApp, FaceTime, Viber and Telegram are not on the list. In users' experience, messaging in these apps works, while voice and video calls do not connect or drop. The TDRA FAQ states that using a VoIP service that is not provided by a licensed operator and not approved by the regulator may be an offence, and operators are entitled to block such traffic.

Internet Calling Plan from e&

e& offers a paid Internet Calling Plan add-on. For a prepaid line it costs AED 50 a month excluding VAT, works on one device, and call traffic is taken from the data allowance. The plan page lists the Voico, HiU Messenger and C'Me apps. The set of apps in the plan changes, so check it before subscribing.

VPN

TDRA's rules for internet providers say two things. Companies, organisations and banks are allowed to use VPNs to access their internal networks. And proxies and VPN services used mainly to access prohibited content themselves fall into the blocked content category "bypassing blocking".

The practical conclusion: your employer's corporate VPN is legal, but do not count on a VPN for WhatsApp calls. According to reviews in the chats (March 2026), such connections are unstable:

"Mobile internet effectively doesn't work. Many services don't work even with a VPN."

We do not analyse the provisions of the cybercrime law in this article: for a legal assessment of a specific situation, consult a local lawyer.

Getting a SIM step by step

For a tourist (prepaid)

1. Before departure. Save a copy of your visa or entry permit on your phone: e& requires it together with the original passport
2. At the airport or in the city. Go to a du or e& counter or office, show your documents, choose a package and pay
3. eSIM. du's tourist eSIM is activated by QR code; a third-party eSIM is bought in advance and switched on after landing
4. Check. Make sure data and incoming SMS work before you leave the counter

For a resident (postpaid)

1. Get your Emirates ID
2. Prepare one supporting document from the operator's list: a salary certificate, tenancy contract, bank statement or utility bill
3. Go to an operator's office or sign up for a plan on the website
4. Set up autopay if convenient

After you get your Emirates ID: what to change

A tourist line is tied to the visa or to a 90-day term, so once you have resident status it is worth moving the number to a standard plan. At du, switching from a tourist SIM to postpaid is free, while switching to standard prepaid costs a one-off AED 55. At e&, postpaid requires the original Emirates ID and one document from the list above.

A local number is needed for almost all the next steps: bank codes, government service notifications and messages from your landlord go to it. So changing the number after opening a bank account is inconvenient. If you plan to stay, choose straight away the operator with whom you will later take a permanent plan. On the timing and procedure for the resident card, read the article on the Emirates ID; on scam calls and SMS "from the operator", see the article on scams in the UAE.

Home internet

Home internet in the UAE is provided by the same du and e&. According to Russian-speaking chats (January–July 2026), a standard package costs about AED 550 a month (about USD 150). This is the chat participants' estimate, not an official tariff: plan prices on the operators' websites depend on speed, contract term and promotions.

In some residential complexes the provider is fixed in advance; check this with the landlord before signing the contract. In tenants' experience, connection requires an Emirates ID and a tenancy contract.

According to the same chat estimates, the total budget for mobile and home internet should be AED 600–750 a month per person. Other expenses are covered in the article on the cost of living in the UAE.

Checklist before you fly

• Check whether your phone supports eSIM and is not locked to an operator
• Save a copy of your visa and keep your passport handy
• Install an app from the TDRA list (for example, BOTIM) in advance for yourself and the people you plan to call
• For work calls, use Teams, Zoom or Google Meet: they are on the permitted list
• Choose a package to match your trip: 48 hours, 7, 14 or 28 days
• If you are staying to live, plan to switch to a resident plan after getting your Emirates ID

More on the first steps after arrival in the step-by-step guide to moving to the UAE.