Why use an eSIM in Georgia?
An eSIM is a digital SIM card. It gives your phone an internet connection in Georgia without swapping the physical SIM card. Your usual number can stay active at the same time if your phone supports two plans.
Georgia is outside the EU, and UK mobile plans often do not include roaming there. Data on your own plan in Tbilisi can therefore cost many times more than at home. A travel eSIM is usually the cheapest way to use maps, WhatsApp and taxi apps during your trip.
1. Check your phone before you buy
Check with the eSIM provider that your phone model is supported. The phone must not be locked to a network.
- iPhone: XS, XS Max, XR or later. You can see the lock status under Settings → General → About → Network Provider Lock. “No SIM restrictions” means the phone is unlocked.
- Android: eSIM support depends on the model and regional version. Look in the settings for where to add an eSIM:
| Phone | Typical menu path |
|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy | Settings → Connections → SIM manager → Add eSIM |
| Google Pixel | Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → Add SIM → Set up eSIM |
| iPhone | Settings → Mobile Service → Add eSIM |
Menu names vary with the phone model, software version and language.
2. Choose a suitable package
Travel eSIMs are sold by international providers in their apps and on their websites. Your own operator may also sell travel packages. Before you pay, check:
- Country: the package must cover Georgia.
- Validity: is it long enough for the whole trip? A dental trip often lasts 1–2 weeks.
- Data allowance: video and video calls use far more data than messages and maps.
- Calls: is the package data only, or does it include calls and texts?
- Start: does the validity start when you install it, or only when the phone connects to a network in Georgia?
3. Install the eSIM at home before you leave
Install the eSIM over Wi-Fi at home if the package terms allow it. Installing it and starting the validity period are often two different things, so read your package’s instructions.
- Connect your phone to a trusted Wi-Fi network.
- Open the provider’s app or the installation instructions you received.
- Tap the install button in the app, or choose Add eSIM in your phone’s settings.
- Scan the QR code. If needed, open the code on another device so you can photograph it.
- Accept the download and installation of the eSIM.
- Give the plans clear names, for example “My plan” and “Travel eSIM”.
4. Switch on the travel eSIM in Georgia
Once you have landed in Tbilisi:
- Turn off aeroplane mode.
- Open the SIM or mobile data settings and switch on the Travel eSIM.
- Select the Travel eSIM for mobile data.
- Turn on data roaming for the travel eSIM if the provider tells you to.
- Keep data roaming off on your own plan.
- On Android: turn off automatic data switching (or similar) so the phone does not switch to your own plan’s data.
On newer iPhones, the phone may offer to switch on the travel eSIM when you arrive. You can always choose the plan for mobile data under Settings → Mobile Service → Mobile Data.
| Setting | During the trip |
|---|---|
| Plan for mobile data | Travel eSIM |
| Data roaming, your own plan | Off |
| Data roaming, travel eSIM | As the provider instructs |
| Automatic data switching (Android) | Off |
Note the difference: the travel eSIM may need data roaming to work, but on your own plan it should stay off.
5. Calls, WhatsApp and your own number
WhatsApp and other internet-based apps work with the travel eSIM’s data. You do not need to change your WhatsApp number. You can reach us the same way on WhatsApp.
If you need texts to your own number, such as bank verification codes, keep your own plan switched on. Turning off data roaming does not prevent charges for ordinary calls and texts, so check the prices with your operator. If you do not need your own plan during the trip, you can switch it off completely.
6. Test the connection – and if the internet does not work
Turn off Wi-Fi for a moment and open a web page or a map app. If it loads, the travel eSIM is working. If not:
- Check that the travel eSIM is on and selected for mobile data.
- Check the package validity and remaining data.
- Check the data roaming setting for the travel eSIM in the provider’s instructions.
- Turn aeroplane mode on for a moment and off again, or restart the phone.
- Check any APN settings in the provider’s instructions.
Do not delete the eSIM as your first fix. Ask the provider first whether it can be reinstalled.
7. When you get home
- Select your own plan for mobile data again.
- Switch your own plan back on if you turned it off for the trip.
- Switch off the travel eSIM. There is no hurry to delete it.
Alternative: a local SIM card in Georgia
If you want a Georgian phone number, you can buy a local plan at Tbilisi airport or in the city. The largest operators are Magti, Silknet and Cellfie. You usually need your passport. For a dental trip, a travel eSIM is usually enough, as contact with the clinic and with us is handled on WhatsApp.
Frequently asked questions
Will my UK mobile plan work in Georgia?
Usually, but Georgia is outside the EU, and UK mobile plans often do not include roaming there. Calls, texts and especially data can be expensive. Check the prices with your operator and use a travel eSIM for internet.
Does WhatsApp work with a travel eSIM?
Yes. WhatsApp uses the internet, so it works with your travel eSIM’s data, and you do not need to change your WhatsApp number.
Does my phone support eSIM?
iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and later support eSIM. On Android it depends on the model: look for Add eSIM in the settings or check the provider’s list of compatible models. The phone must not be locked to a network.
When should I install the eSIM?
Ideally at home before you leave, over Wi-Fi, if the package terms allow it. Switch it on only in Georgia.
Can I buy a SIM card in Georgia?
Yes. The local operators (for example Magti, Silknet and Cellfie) have sales points at the airport and in the city. You usually need your passport. You also get a Georgian phone number.
This guide is general, and phone menus vary. SmileGeorgia does not sell eSIMs and receives no commission from providers. More information: Apple’s guide to using eSIM abroad and Google’s guide to dual SIM. Situation in October 2026; check your plan’s roaming prices with your operator.
