Travel and living abroad
Moving abroad? Get a local number before you land, and keep one at home
A local number in your new country makes you reachable for landlords, employers and banks from day one. A number in the country you left keeps you reachable for the people there, without a second phone.
Moving to another country comes with a phone problem on both ends. In the new country, everything from renting a flat to opening a bank account asks for a local mobile number, and you do not have one yet. At home, family and friends have your old number in their phones and would rather not learn a foreign one with an international prefix.
A second-number app solves both at once, on the phone you already own.
Before you move: a local number in the new country
Get a number in your destination country while you are still at home. Choose the country, a region if the country has them, and a local or mobile number; it works as soon as it is bought (a few countries ask for an address first, and give you seven days to provide it). Put it on rental applications and job forms before you land. Calls and texts to it reach you wherever you are, because they travel over data or Wi-Fi.
When you arrive, the number is already yours and already known to the people who matter. See Get your first number.
After you move: keep a number at home
The reverse problem is your old country. Family, old friends, your old bank and anyone who still has your previous number will find it easier to keep calling a number in their own country, at their own domestic rates. An extra Second Phone number in the country you left gives them exactly that. It rings on the same phone as your new local number.
Extra numbers are paid with coins for a week, a month, three months or a year, and can auto-renew, so a "home number" can be a permanent fixture. See Add another number with coins.
Two numbers, one phone
Each number has its own conversations and call history. At the top of the Keypad, Messages and Recents tabs, the number switcher chooses which you are using, so calls to the family go from the home number and calls to your new landlord from the local one. Notifications name the number, so you know which world is calling before you answer. See Switch the number you are using.
What to check before you choose
- Capabilities. Each country shows whether its numbers support Calls, SMS and MMS. For verification codes and everyday contact you want at least Calls and SMS.
- Local versus mobile. A local number is tied to a city or region and reads as settled; a mobile number reads as personal. Either works; pick what your new neighbours would expect.
- Address rules. Some countries require a registered address before a number goes live. The app tells you when you pick the number.
Frequently asked questions
Will the new local number work before I arrive in the country?
Yes. Calls and texts travel over the internet to the app, so the number works wherever your phone has data or Wi-Fi, including at home before you leave.
Can I use the same phone and SIM I have now?
Yes. Second Phone runs alongside your existing SIM and contract. Many people keep their original SIM for data and use Second Phone numbers for calling and texting in both countries.
What happens to my numbers if I move again?
Nothing. Numbers belong to your account, not to a location or a SIM. Add a number in the next country and keep or retire the others as you like, up to ten at a time.