The UAE has two mobile operators, e& (formerly Etisalat) and du, and both sell lines made for visitors. You can also arrive with a travel e-SIM already installed. Here is what each option involves, and one rule about calling apps that surprises many visitors.
Visitor lines from e& and du
e& Visitor Line — the SIM and activation are free, and it can be collected at the airports or delivered within 24 hours. A passport and visa are needed, with at most two Visitor Lines per passport; the line lasts as long as the visa. Packs listed by e& (VAT included):
- 2 GB and 30 minutes for 28 days — AED 49
- 4 GB and 30 minutes for 28 days — AED 79
- 8 GB, 120 minutes and 5 Wi-Fi hours for 28 days — AED 125
- 22.5 GB, 525 minutes and 30 Wi-Fi hours for 28 days — AED 200
- Unlimited local data and 100 minutes for 10 days — AED 319
du Tourist — a free SIM, or an e-SIM activated by QR code, with 10 GB free for the first 24 hours. Bundles in du’s tourist SIM manual:
- 4 GB and 30 minutes for 28 days — AED 49
- 10 GB and 60 minutes for 28 days — AED 99
- Unlimited data and 100 minutes for 7 days — AED 199
- Unlimited data and 200 minutes for 14 days — AED 299
UAE rules allow a visitor at most two SIMs per operator, registered to their passport. Prices change; check the operator’s page before you buy.
Calling apps: check before you rely on them
The UAE regulator, TDRA, says voice and video calls through apps that are not provided or approved by a licensed operator are very likely illegal, and that operators may block them. TDRA keeps a list of approved apps. Messaging is not affected. If WhatsApp or FaceTime calls matter to you, plan for another way to call — and do not count on a travel e-SIM to change this: whether app calls work over it depends on how its traffic is routed.
What a travel e-SIM changes
- You buy and install it at home, before the flight, so data works the moment you land — no kiosk, no passport registration.
- Your home SIM stays in the phone, so calls and SMS on your own number keep reaching you.
- It gives you data only, without a UAE phone number.
Which one to choose
- A visitor line, if you need a UAE number, stay several weeks, or want the unlimited packs for heavy use.
- A travel e-SIM, if you want data from the first minute without registering a line, keep your own number reachable, or travel on to other countries — a regional plan covers several countries with one e-SIM.
Before you fly
- Check that your phone supports e-SIM and is not carrier-locked: dialling *#06# shows an EID on e-SIM phones, or see the compatible devices list.
- Install the e-SIM at home, on Wi-Fi.
- When you land, switch on the travel line and Data Roaming for it.
See the plans and the networks they use on the United Arab Emirates page.
United Arab Emirates e-SIM plans
Adonis Telecom · Updated