# SIM card in Dubai: how to get one, plus home internet > How to get a SIM card in Dubai, which ID you need, how prepaid and monthly plans differ, and how to get home internet into your new flat. Source: https://newdubai.life/articles/get-a-sim-card/ Updated: 2026-10-21 You can get a SIM card in Dubai in your first few days. Start with a visitor line, using your passport and UAE visa. Once your Emirates ID arrives, move to a resident line. Add home internet when you have a registered address. There are three companies to know: e& (most people still call it Etisalat), du and Virgin Mobile. All three sell mobile plans and home internet. Their home internet works differently, though, and that will matter once you move into your flat. Below is the order most newcomers follow, what each step needs from you, and the things that catch people out in the first few weeks. ## Step 1: get a visitor SIM for your first few weeks You count as a visitor until your residence visa and Emirates ID come through. e& sells a Visitor Line and du sells a Tourist Plan. Virgin Mobile is worth asking too. Go to an operator shop, or pick up a line on arrival if you see a counter at the airport. Bring your passport and your UAE visa. The UAE government's official portal says visitors need a copy of both to get a local SIM. Check two things on your phone before you go. First, it has to be unlocked (not tied to your home network), or a UAE SIM won't work in it. Second, see whether it takes an eSIM. That's a digital SIM you download, so there's no plastic card to swap. If it does, ask the operator whether they offer an eSIM version. Sort this out early. Agents, landlords, delivery riders and your new employer will all want a local number to call or message. ## Step 2: move to a resident line once you have your Emirates ID Almost everything here depends on your Emirates ID, and that includes your phone. A resident line is registered to your Emirates ID, so take the card itself to the shop, not a photo of it. If you're still waiting for yours, our guide to [getting your Emirates ID](https://newdubai.life/articles/emirates-id/) explains the process. You don't need to lose the number you had as a visitor. You can usually move it over to your resident line, so ask about this before you sign up for a new line. That way you won't have to send your new number to everyone you met in your first weeks. Every line registered to your Emirates ID is your responsibility. If a friend asks you to register a SIM for them, say no. ## Prepaid or monthly: how the plans differ Both kinds of plan run on the same networks. The difference is how you pay and how long you're tied in. Your bill depends on how much data you use, how often you call home, how long you sign up for and whether the plan includes a phone. Compare those, not the headline offer. Once you know what you actually use, look at the [home setup guides](https://newdubai.life/topics/home-setup/) for the next steps. - Prepaid: you top up and buy bundles of data and minutes that last a set number of days. There's no bill and you can stop when you like. This suits your first weeks, or anyone who doesn't want to commit. - Monthly (postpaid): you get a bill every month, and the plan usually comes with more data and extras. It's tied to your Emirates ID. Some plans have a minimum term, so check how long it is before you sign. ## Which operator the NTD Team uses The NTD Team tends to go with Virgin Mobile. In our experience it has had better packages and more data. e& and du have started to compete on this, though, so the gap isn't what it was. Take that as one opinion, not the final word. Ask people who've lived here a while what they use, but don't treat any single answer as gospel. Offers and rules change quickly in Dubai, so get a second opinion and check the operator's own website before you commit. ## Step 3: order home internet once you have an address For home internet you'll need your Emirates ID and proof of where you live. That usually means your Ejari (your registered tenancy contract) or a utility bill. Each provider has its own list, so check theirs before you apply. So the Ejari usually comes first. The landlord is supposed to register it, but in practice you or the agent will probably end up doing it. Once it's registered, your Ejari and contract appear in the Dubai REST app on their own. Our [Ejari guide](https://newdubai.life/articles/ejari/) walks you through it. Next are electricity and water from DEWA. In the NTD Team's experience, the power comes on 1 to 3 days after you apply in the DEWA app. See [how to set up DEWA](https://newdubai.life/articles/set-up-dewa/). If you haven't set up your digital ID yet, our [UAE Pass guide](https://newdubai.life/articles/uae-pass/) explains what it is and why you'll keep needing it. ## Wired or 5G: what e&, du and Virgin Mobile offer Only three companies provide home internet, and they don't all offer the same thing. e& and du bring a cable into your flat. Their home packages bundle TV and a landline phone, and you don't get a choice about that. Virgin Mobile sells internet-only packages over 5G. That's a wireless network that uses radio signals instead of a cable, and a router in your flat picks up the signal. It's handy if you don't want TV or a landline, but expect it to be a bit slower than a wired connection. Before you pick one, ask your agent or building management which providers already serve the building. Finding out before you sign up beats finding out after. When you compare packages, look at: - The speed you choose - Whether TV channels are part of the bundle - How long you're signing up for - Wired or wireless - Whether the router is included ## Living in Sharjah or another emirate? Getting a phone line works the same way anywhere in the UAE: same operators, same ID. Setting up your home is where things change. Ejari is Dubai's tenancy registration, so other emirates handle this their own way. In Sharjah, your electricity and water come from SEWA, not DEWA. ## Where newcomers get caught out - Arriving with a phone that only works on your home network. - Taking a new resident line without asking whether you can keep your visitor number. - Expecting home internet before your Emirates ID and tenancy paperwork are done. - Signing up with a provider before checking that it serves your building. - Expecting 5G home internet to be as fast as a wired line. - Treating one friend's favourite plan as the right answer for you. Things change quickly here, so always get a second opinion. ## What to read next Once your phone works, the rest of the move gets easier, because nearly every form, app and delivery asks for a local number. Next, read our guides to getting your Emirates ID and setting up DEWA, in whatever order your move needs.