Before you start
- Passport and valid visa
- Proof of Hyderabad 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 the tech corridor 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, 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, and high-allowance plans cost a few hundred rupees a month. There is no reason to economise.
Mobile appWho: You
Documents you’ll need
- Passport and valid visa
- FRRO registration certificate
- Proof of Hyderabad address
- Passport photographs
- Employer letter or local reference
Things most newcomers don’t know
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
Fibre broadband in Hyderabad is good and cheap.
Unlike some Indian cities, the western corridor has genuine competition among fibre providers, and gigabit connections cost a fraction of European or American prices. For anyone working remotely part of the week this is a real advantage of the city.
Source: community-reported
The SIM's validity follows the visa and will be cut off without warning.
Numbers issued to foreign nationals carry validity linked to visa duration. When the visa is extended the SIM must be re-verified, and people discover this when the number stops working. Diarise both together.
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.
- Registering a number with your bank and then changing the number.
- Economising on data, which costs almost nothing here.
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.
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Sources
- Department of Telecommunications — official
- TRAI — Telecom Regulatory Authority of India — official
Last verified August 2026. Government processes change — always confirm critical details against the official source before acting.