# Keep a phone number when moving abroad

> Moving abroad? Rent a number in the country you deal with and read its SMS from anywhere, for 30 or 90 days in 14 countries. Crypto payment, no ID upload.

- URL: https://keepanumber.com/use-cases/living-abroad
- Last updated: 2026-10-18
- Publisher: KeepANumber (https://keepanumber.com/)

**Quick answer: How do I keep receiving texts from a country after I move abroad?**

Keep the accounts that matter on a number you own, and rent a local number for the rest. KeepANumber rents numbers in 14 countries for 7, 30 or 90 days, from $13.50 for 30 days in the US (October 2026), and you read their SMS online from any country.

## Should I keep my old number or rent one?

Both, for different accounts. Your old number, kept on a cheap plan or ported to a long-term option, is the right place for banks, tax, health and government logins: those services often require a number in your name and in their country. A rented number is for everything else you still deal with: shops, delivery, a landlord, a car you are selling, a service that keeps texting reminders.

## What about arriving in a new country?

The first weeks are when you most need a local number and are least likely to have one. In many countries a prepaid SIM needs an ID check: Germany (§ 172 TKG), France, Spain, Italy, Poland, Sweden since August 2022, Australia, Brazil, Mexico since 2026 and Indonesia among them. A rental gives you a local number for the flat search and the first sign-ups, before your own contract is set up.

## Which period fits a move?

*Prices as of 2026-10-18*
| Situation | Suggested period | US | UK | Europe |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A trip or a short stay | 7 days | $8.50 | $9 | $9.50 |
| Moving out, closing things down | 30 days | $13.50 | $15 | $16 |
| A season, or until your new plan works | 90 days | $29 | $32 | $35 |

## Can government services text a rented number?

Often they will not, or should not be relied on. GOV.UK One Login cannot text a code to a number registered outside the UK, myGov in Australia sends codes abroad only to the Australian number on your account, and DigiD in the Netherlands does not send SMS codes to some countries at all. For those accounts, use their authenticator app or a number you own.

## Questions from people abroad

### Can I read the texts while roaming?

You read them on our website, so you only need an internet connection, not roaming.

### Can I rent a number from my home country while abroad?

Yes, if it is one of the countries in stock. Your location does not matter.

### What if I come back in six months?

Renew 90 days at a time before each end date, or let the rental end and rent a new number later.

**Rent a number in a few minutes** Top up from $10 in crypto, choose a country and a period. No ID upload, no selfie. [See prices](https://keepanumber.com/pricing) · [How it works](https://keepanumber.com/how-it-works)

- [GOV.UK One Login: getting a security code (updated 28 July 2026)](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/getting-a-security-code-for-govuk-one-login), read 2026-10-18
- [GSMA, mandatory registration of prepaid SIM cards](https://www.gsma.com/solutions-and-impact/connectivity-for-good/public-policy/mobile-policy-handbook/consumer-protection/mandatory-registration-of-prepaid-sims/), read 2026-10-18

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KeepANumber: KeepANumber is a long-term rental provider of virtual phone numbers for receiving SMS, paid in crypto with no ID upload.