A US phone number without travelling to the US: SIM, eSIM or virtual number

What you need to know first

• Not every service requires a US number. Relay says it accepts non-US numbers for SMS verification, and ID.me says international numbers can be used for multi-factor authentication. Check each service's own rules first.
• According to the official pages of the three carriers we reviewed (Tello, US Mobile, Mint), the first activation or roaming setup must be done in the US, connected to the US network. In practice, though, we know from our own experience and from other sellers that a Tello eSIM can also be activated from Türkiye. Because this conflicts with the carrier's written terms, keep in mind that the line could be restricted later.
• These carriers' terms expect a US address and primary use in the US. A line kept abroad for years may be restricted under those terms.
• A number can be reassigned to someone else if payments lapse or it goes unused. Losing your verification number makes it harder to access every account linked to it.

Types of numbers

Number lookup services such as Twilio Lookup classify a number as mobile, landline, VoIP tied to a physical device, or VoIP that needs no physical device, with Google Voice given as an example of the last group. Google's own help page also says some banks and subscription services won't send text messages to Google Voice numbers, and that you may need your mobile carrier number instead.

We found no official page from Mercury, Wise, PayPal, Stripe or Amazon stating that VoIP numbers are rejected. Their policies may simply be unpublished, so do not assume a virtual number will be accepted.

Carrier comparison (October 13, 2026)

Tello

• Tello's help page and terms require you to be physically in the US to activate the eSIM, and the same applies to porting a number in. In practice, the eSIM can be activated from Türkiye over Wi-Fi. Because this conflicts with the terms, Tello could restrict the line later, so don't make it the only way to verify important accounts.
• Sign-up asks for a ZIP code, and the terms require a valid US address on every order for tax purposes. Tello accepts cards, PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay.
• Wi-Fi calling and texting require a US emergency (E911) address on the account. Tello says that with Wi-Fi calling on, you can receive bank verification texts abroad, while picture messages (MMS) do not work. Some hotel and office networks may block Wi-Fi calling.
• Roaming can only be turned on if the line has already been used in the US. The Europe promotion (which lists Türkiye) draws from plan allowances until January 31, 2027; otherwise roaming requires prepaid credit. Tello's Türkiye page lists 1 cent per minute, per text and per MB.
• Tello's roaming terms say the service is not intended for prolonged international use, and that customers must reside in the US with primary usage on the US network.
• If a plan renewal fails, the line is suspended. With credit only and no plan, the credit expires after 3 months, service ends and the number is permanently deleted.

US Mobile

• Activation: buy a plan, choose a network (Dark Star, Warp or Light Speed) and SIM type, then get a new number or port an existing one.
• Before roaming works, the line must connect to US towers and register some domestic data use. US Mobile states that roaming setup cannot be completed once you are already abroad.
• On the Warp and Dark Star networks, turning on Wi-Fi calling requires being in a US coverage area; on Light Speed it is enabled from the dashboard with an emergency address.
• The Light plan does not include sending international texts, but any plan with talk or text can receive texts from foreign numbers.
• The Snooze option keeps a number active for a small fee. US Mobile's page does not say whether verification texts are received while a line is snoozed, so ask support before relying on it.
• Under the terms, primary use must be in the US unless roaming is purchased, and failing to renew a plan for more than 90 days may lead to account cancellation and reassignment of the number.

Mint Mobile

• Plans are paid upfront for 3, 6 or 12 months; promotional prices apply to the first term.
• The roaming pass (Minternational Pass) is only available for plans activated in the US. The 30-day no-data pass includes 100 minutes and 100 texts.
• Wi-Fi calling and texting work without using the roaming pass; the phone may ask for an emergency address.
• Mint's official pages do not say clearly whether a new Mint eSIM can be activated for the first time from abroad.

Google Voice and other virtual numbers

• According to Google, free personal Google Voice is only available in the US, and local numbers are issued for the US only. New users must complete identity verification with a government ID before they can call or text.
• A Google Voice community expert guide says setup requires a US mobile carrier number, that landline, VoIP and SMS verification service numbers are not accepted, and that you cannot sign up from outside the US. This guide is not official Google text. Using a VPN to hide your location may breach Google's policies.
• Google Voice cannot send texts to 5- or 6-digit short codes, and some banks do not send verification texts to Google Voice numbers.
• A number may be reclaimed after about 3 months without calls or sent texts. Google's warning email gives a reclaim date, and you then have 45 days to get the number back.

Risks

• Losing the number: if your payment card expires or a renewal fails, the line is suspended. Verification codes stop arriving and account recovery can take longer.
• Reassignment: in the US, permanently disconnected numbers can go to a new subscriber after an aging period of at least 45 days (at most 90 days for residential numbers). The new owner could receive codes meant for you.
• Carrier terms: carriers expect a US address and primary use in the US. A line used only abroad for a long time may be restricted or closed.
• SMS security: Stripe notes that SMS is unencrypted and vulnerable to SIM swap attacks, and encourages an authenticator app or a hardware security key instead.
• Unexpected charges: when Wi-Fi drops, the phone may switch to roaming. Tello advises against keeping Wi-Fi calling and roaming on at the same time.

Using the phone in Türkiye: device (IMEI) registration

• According to the mobile device registration system (MCKS) run by Türkiye's telecoms regulator BTK, phones brought from abroad can be used for 120 days without registration; a device not registered within that period is cut off from the network. Registration is done through the government's e-Devlet portal, and one device can be registered every 3 calendar years.
• Registration is tied to the device (its IMEI number). We found no official rule requiring separate registration when a US eSIM is added to a phone bought and registered in Türkiye. If you bring a phone from the US, the 120-day rule applies to that device.
• Official sources do not say whether an unregistered or blocked device can roam on a foreign line or use Wi-Fi calling in Türkiye. Check your device status with the IMEI lookup service on e-Devlet, and if in doubt, ask BTK (dial 120) or your mobile operator.

A framework for deciding

• Where possible, use a real carrier number (SIM or eSIM) rather than a virtual number for verification, and set it up while you are in the US.
• Right after setup, while still in the US, turn on Wi-Fi calling and texting, enter the emergency address and test receiving a code once you are back in Türkiye.
• Turn on automatic payments, track your card's expiry date and note the plan's renewal date.
• Where a service supports it, add an authenticator app, a passkey or a hardware key alongside SMS, and store backup codes somewhere safe. Amazon can also deliver security codes through an authenticator app.
• If you change numbers, update every account first and only then close the old line.
• Read the carrier's residency and usage terms; terms and prices can change.