Before you start

Passport and valid visa
Proof of Gurgaon address
Passport photographs
An employer letter or local reference, depending on the operator

Step-by-step

1
Use an official operator store
Airtel, Jio and Vi company stores in Cyber City and the major malls process foreign nationals routinely. Small kiosks often cannot, or do it incorrectly, which surfaces later as a deactivated number.
In personWho: YouWeek 1
2
Bring the full document set
Passport, visa, FRRO registration, Gurgaon address proof, photographs and an employer letter. Requirements vary by operator; a complete set avoids a second trip.
In personWho: You
3
Expect validity tied to your visa
SIMs issued to foreign nationals carry a limited validity linked to visa duration, extended once documentation is re-verified. Diarise it alongside your visa renewal.
In personWho: You
4
Complete verification promptly
There is usually a verification call or address check after issuance; missing it deactivates the SIM.
In personWho: You
5
Link the number to your bank for UPI
Your Indian number is the key to UPI and to bank one-time passwords, and it must be the number registered with your bank.
Mobile appWho: YouWeek 2
6
Buy a generous data plan
India has among the lowest mobile data prices in the world. Good mobile data matters more in Gurgaon than most places, because home broadband quality varies considerably between developments.
Mobile appWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport and valid visa
FRRO registration certificate
Proof of Gurgaon address
Passport photographs
Employer letter or local reference

Things most newcomers don’t know

Home broadband varies sharply between Gurgaon developments.

Fibre availability depends on which providers a condominium has allowed in, and some developments have effectively one option. Ask current residents rather than the developer, and check before signing — a good mobile data plan is the fallback but not a substitute for video calls all day.

Source: community-reported

Losing the number locks you out of payments, not just calls.

Indian financial life runs on the mobile number: UPI, one-time passwords, bank alerts. A deactivated SIM means you cannot pay for things or access your account.

Source: community-reported

This is among the strictest SIM regimes in this app.

India requires passport, visa, photographs, address proof and often a reference plus a verification step. Several other countries covered here require nothing at all for prepaid.

Source: Department of Telecommunications

Data is cheap enough to change how you live.

High-allowance plans cost a few hundred rupees a month, which makes tethering and video calling economically trivial and compensates for variable home connectivity.

Source: community-reported

Common mistakes to avoid

Buying from a kiosk that cannot process foreign documentation correctly.
Missing the verification call and having the SIM deactivated.
Letting the SIM lapse with the visa and losing UPI access.
Signing a condominium lease without checking which broadband providers serve it.
Registering a number with your bank and then changing the number.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.