# eSIM for UAE Viasimo's UAE eSIM starts at $1.29 for 100 MB over 7 days, running on Du with 5G where available. Plans last 1 to 180 days, arrive by email in minutes and install from your phone's settings, with no app. Canonical page: https://viasimo.com/destinations/united-arab-emirates/ ## UAE eSIM prices | Plan | Data | Days | Price | Price per GB | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 GB, 1 day | 1 GB | 1 | $3.59 | $3.59 | | 2 GB, 1 day | 2 GB | 1 | $5.99 | $3.00 | | 3 GB, 1 day | 3 GB | 1 | $8.00 | $2.67 | | 5 GB, 1 day | 5 GB | 1 | $11.99 | $2.40 | | 10 GB, 1 day | 10 GB | 1 | $17.00 | $1.70 | | Unlimited, 3 days | Unlimited | 3 | $16.00 | - | | Unlimited, 5 days | Unlimited | 5 | $25.00 | - | | 100 MB, 7 days | 100 MB | 7 | $1.29 | $13.21 | | 500 MB, 7 days | 500 MB | 7 | $2.29 | $4.69 | | 1 GB, 7 days | 1 GB | 7 | $3.59 | $3.59 | | Unlimited, 7 days | Unlimited | 7 | $35.99 | - | | Unlimited, 10 days | Unlimited | 10 | $47.99 | - | | 2 GB, 15 days | 2 GB | 15 | $6.99 | $3.50 | | Unlimited, 15 days | Unlimited | 15 | $71.99 | - | | 3 GB, 30 days | 3 GB | 30 | $9.00 | $3.00 | | 5 GB, 30 days | 5 GB | 30 | $14.99 | $3.00 | | 10 GB, 30 days | 10 GB | 30 | $25.00 | $2.50 | | 20 GB, 30 days | 20 GB | 30 | $44.99 | $2.25 | | Unlimited, 30 days | Unlimited | 30 | $134.99 | - | | 10 GB, 60 days | 10 GB | 60 | $26.00 | $2.60 | | Unlimited, 60 days | Unlimited | 60 | $264.99 | - | | Unlimited, 90 days | Unlimited | 90 | $394.99 | - | | 50 GB, 180 days | 50 GB | 180 | $179.99 | $3.60 | | Unlimited, 180 days | Unlimited | 180 | $779.99 | - | ## Which networks does the UAE eSIM use? - **Du**: 5G Your eSIM picks one automatically; you do not choose or switch between them. The operator list comes from the network partner that carries this eSIM. Verified October 30, 2026. ## eSIM Details - **Data**: 100 MB – 50 GB or unlimited - **Validity**: 1–180 days - **Speed**: 4G LTE / 5G - **Hotspot / tethering**: Supported on most devices - **Activation**: Automatic on arrival - **Speed management**: Roughly 2-3 GB per day at full speed, sometimes less depending on the local carrier, then reduced - **Top-ups**: Add more data from your account, before the plan expires - **Text messages (SMS)**: Data only: use an app for verification codes - **Unused validity**: 180 days before it must be installed ## UAE: what to know before you land Source: https://viasimo.com/destinations/united-arab-emirates/#destination-guide · Researched October 2026 by Viasimo In the UAE your eSIM runs on du, one of the country's two main operators alongside e& (Etisalat), on 4G and 5G. Messaging apps work normally, but WhatsApp and FaceTime voice and video calls have been blocked for years under the country's VoIP rules. You'll also need to be careful about photos, posts and medicines, which can lead to arrest. ### UAE: quick facts | Fact | UAE | | --- | --- | | Emergency number | 999 (police), 998 (ambulance), 997 (fire) | | Main airports | Dubai International Airport (DXB); Zayed International Airport (Abu Dhabi) (AUH) | | Plug types | Type G (230V) | | Currency | UAE dirham (AED) | | Apps worth having | Careem, Uber, RTA Dubai, Talabat, Botim | ### WhatsApp and FaceTime calls on du's network (UAE · https://viasimo.com/destinations/united-arab-emirates/#guide-whatsapp-and-facetime-calls-on-du-s-network) The UAE restricts internet calling. The telecoms regulator told the two operators, **e& (Etisalat)** and **du**, to block VoIP services, and **WhatsApp calls** have been blocked since around 2015. When the UAE relaxed the ban during the 2020 lockdowns, it only allowed paid calling services from the state-linked telecom companies. **WhatsApp, FaceTime and Skype calls stayed blocked.** Because your eSIM connects through du, those restrictions apply to you: - **Messaging works.** WhatsApp text, voice notes, photos and video messages send as normal. - **Voice and video calls on WhatsApp and FaceTime are likely to fail** or not connect. - **Your home SIM still makes normal calls**, at your own operator's roaming rates. - Many business calling and meeting apps are allowed, but which ones work can change. Test the one you need on the first day. Using a **VPN** to get round the block is a grey area. Dubai Police said in 2015 that tampering with the internet is a crime, and while simply using a VPN isn't usually prosecuted, using one alongside another illegal act can bring extra charges and heavy fines. Most visitors rely on voice notes and messages instead. ### Arriving at Dubai (DXB) or Zayed International (AUH) (UAE · https://viasimo.com/destinations/united-arab-emirates/#guide-arriving-at-dubai-dxb-or-zayed-international-auh) Most visitors land at **Dubai International (DXB)**. If you're flying to the capital, note the name change: Abu Dhabi International was renamed **Zayed International Airport (AUH)** on 9 February 2024, after its new **Terminal A** opened in late 2023. All airlines moved into Terminal A by mid-November 2023. Many nationalities, including UK and US citizens, get a free **visit visa on arrival** allowing up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Your passport needs at least six months' validity, and the UAE doesn't accept 12-page emergency passports. Overstaying brings fines that build up daily. Two exit rules to know: - **You must leave on the passport you entered with**, and any pending legal or financial case, such as an unpaid debt, can block your departure. - If you leave **by land**, for example to Oman, non-GCC visitors pay a **35 dirham departure fee**, in local currency or by card. Keep some dirhams handy in case the card machine is down. Licensed taxis are plentiful, and Uber and Careem both operate. In Dubai, women-only taxis with pink roofs can be found at the airport or booked. ### Photos, posts and medicines that can get you arrested (UAE · https://viasimo.com/destinations/united-arab-emirates/#guide-photos-posts-and-medicines-that-can-get-you-arrested) The UAE's laws on images, online behaviour and medicines are much stricter than in most countries, and visitors are arrested every year. - **Photographing people without their consent is illegal.** The UK Foreign Office says men have been arrested for photographing women on beaches. Don't photograph military sites, government buildings, airports or embassies either. - **Swearing and rude gestures are criminal**, including in messages and online posts, and can lead to jail or deportation. - **Online posts that insult** governments, institutions or individuals, or are seen as disturbing public order, have led to arrests and convictions. Private online fundraising is illegal, and paid influencer posts need licences. - **Drones** are banned in some areas and need prior approval. - **Medicines.** Many prescription and over-the-counter medicines are restricted. Some need prior approval through the Ministry of Health and Prevention's online form, and must be carried in their original packaging with an authenticated prescription. CBD products and poppy seeds are banned. During **Ramadan**, avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public in daylight, including in your car. The emergency number is **999**. ### Sources for the UAE guide - [UAE safety and security (GOV.UK foreign travel advice)](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/united-arab-emirates/safety-and-security) - [United Arab Emirates International Travel Information (US State Department)](https://www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/UnitedArabEmirates.html) - [Internet censorship in the United Arab Emirates (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_censorship_in_the_United_Arab_Emirates) - [Zayed International Airport (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zayed_International_Airport) - [List of emergency telephone numbers (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_emergency_telephone_numbers) ## Seven days in the UAE: Dubai, Hatta, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain 7-day itinerary · 7 days · Source: https://viasimo.com/destinations/united-arab-emirates/#itinerary A week across four emirates by car or taxi: old and new Dubai, the Hajar mountains at Hatta, Sharjah's museums, Abu Dhabi's mosque, palace and Louvre, and the UNESCO-listed oases of Al Ain, with an eye on regional security news. **When to go:** November to March is warm and dry and the only comfortable time for outdoor sightseeing; from June to September daytime heat regularly passes 40°C, and the FCDO warns of possible airspace closures because of regional tensions. ### Day 1 in UAE: Old Dubai: Al Fahidi, the Creek and the souks - **Base:** Dubai - **Getting there:** Dubai International (DXB) is about 15 minutes from Al Fahidi by taxi or Metro. - **Plan:** Start in the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, a quarter of restored wind-tower houses, galleries and small museums near the Creek. Cross the water by abra, the wooden ferry, to Deira and wander the Spice Souk and the Gold Souk. Walk along the Creek in the late afternoon as the dhows load cargo, and take the abra back at dusk. - **Mobile signal:** du's 5G covers central Dubai and the Creek; WhatsApp and FaceTime calls are blocked, so test the calling app you need on day one. ### Day 2 in UAE: Downtown Dubai and the Museum of the Future - **Base:** Dubai - **Plan:** Visit the Museum of the Future, the torus-shaped building on Sheikh Zayed Road. In the late afternoon, go up the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, booking a timed slot near sunset. Watch the Dubai Fountain show from the lake promenade after dark, and walk through the Dubai Mall's aquarium tunnel if you have time. - **Mobile signal:** Strong 5G throughout Downtown Dubai and along the Metro's Red Line, with good indoor coverage in the large malls. ### Day 3 in UAE: Hatta in the Hajar mountains - **Base:** Dubai - **Getting there:** About 1 hour 30 minutes by road from Dubai; the road runs close to the Omani border. - **Plan:** Drive to Hatta, Dubai's mountain exclave in the Hajar range. Kayak or paddleboard on the turquoise water of Hatta Dam, then visit the Hatta Heritage Village, a restored mountain settlement with forts and falaj irrigation channels. Families can try the mountain bike trails or activities at the Hatta Wadi Hub. Return to Dubai before dark. - **Mobile signal:** 4G or 5G in Hatta town; on the mountain roads and near the border your phone may pick up an Omani network, so check it is still on du. ### Day 4 in UAE: Sharjah's museums, then on to Abu Dhabi - **Base:** Abu Dhabi - **Getting there:** Sharjah is about 30 minutes from central Dubai in light traffic; Sharjah to Abu Dhabi is about 2 hours. - **Plan:** Spend the morning in Sharjah, the emirate's cultural capital. Visit the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization on the Corniche and walk through the Heart of Sharjah, the restored old town with its souks. Dress modestly, as Sharjah has stricter rules than Dubai. In the afternoon, drive south past Dubai to Abu Dhabi and walk the Corniche at sunset. - **Mobile signal:** 5G across Sharjah and Abu Dhabi; along the E11 motorway between the cities coverage is continuous 4G or 5G. ### Day 5 in UAE: Abu Dhabi: the Grand Mosque, Qasr Al Watan and the Louvre - **Base:** Abu Dhabi - **Plan:** Visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in the morning, with its white marble domes and huge hand-knotted carpet; entry is free but dress codes are strict, and you should book a visit slot online in advance. Tour Qasr Al Watan, the working presidential palace, then cross to Saadiyat Island for the Louvre Abu Dhabi under its latticed dome. End at the mosque again after dark if you want to see it lit. - **Mobile signal:** 5G across central Abu Dhabi and Saadiyat; it may drop to 4G inside the Louvre's galleries. ### Day 6 in UAE: Al Ain: oases, forts and Jebel Hafeet - **Base:** Al Ain - **Getting there:** About 1 hour 30 minutes by road from Abu Dhabi. - **Plan:** Drive inland to Al Ain, the garden city on the Omani border, whose oases and ancient sites are UNESCO-listed. Walk the shaded paths of the Al Ain Oasis among date palms and falaj channels, visit Al Jahili Fort and the Qasr Al Muwaiji, and see the Bronze Age tombs at Hili Archaeological Park. Drive up Jebel Hafeet for sunset over the desert. - **Mobile signal:** Good 4G and 5G in Al Ain; on Jebel Hafeet and near the city's edge, phones often roam onto Omani networks, where your UAE eSIM will not give you data. ### Day 7 in UAE: Abu Dhabi's mangroves and departure - **Base:** Abu Dhabi - **Getting there:** Al Ain to Abu Dhabi is about 1.5 hours; Abu Dhabi to Dubai International is around 1.5 hours. - **Plan:** Drive back to Abu Dhabi and kayak through the Mangrove National Park in the early morning, when herons and crabs are active and the heat is lower. Spend the rest of the day at the Corniche beach or the Heritage Village before heading to Zayed International (AUH) for your flight, or back to Dubai. - **Mobile signal:** 5G across Abu Dhabi and at the airport; in the mangrove channels coverage stays usable close to the city. ### Staying connected on this UAE route - WhatsApp and FaceTime calls do not work on UAE networks: use your home SIM for calls or test an allowed calling app on arrival. - Keep data on for news and official alerts: the FCDO warns of Iranian strikes in the region since July 2026 and possible short-notice airspace closures. - Near Hatta and Al Ain, check your phone is on du rather than an Omani network. - Never photograph people without consent, or military sites and airports. ### Sources for the UAE itinerary - [United Arab Emirates travel advice (GOV.UK)](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/united-arab-emirates) - [UAE safety and security (GOV.UK)](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/united-arab-emirates/safety-and-security) - [Cultural Sites of Al Ain (UNESCO)](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1343) - [United Arab Emirates International Travel Information (US State Department)](https://www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/UnitedArabEmirates.html) - [Internet censorship in the United Arab Emirates (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_censorship_in_the_United_Arab_Emirates) ## About this eSIM Connectivity is rarely the hard part of a trip to the Emirates. The country is compact, heavily urbanised and comprehensively built out, so a travel eSIM here is less about surviving dead zones and more about arriving with data already running so you can order a car, find a hotel entrance in a tower complex, and stop paying attention to your phone entirely. The one thing worth reading ahead on is how your calling apps behave, which is covered below. ### Getting online when you land Set the profile up before departure, at home, on wifi. Airport wifi in Dubai and Abu Dhabi generally exists, but installing an eSIM while shuffling towards passport control is an avoidable stress. On landing, turn the travel profile on and allow data roaming for it. Registration is normally done before you reach the baggage hall. From there, the practical use is immediate: the taxi ranks and ride-hailing pickup points at these airports are signposted but sprawling, and hotel addresses in the newer districts are frequently a building name rather than anything a driver can find without a pin. Your home SIM should stay in the phone with data turned off. Bank and airline codes keep arriving on the number they were issued to, while the travel profile carries the traffic. ### The networks you'll be on Your data here runs over Du, on 4G LTE and 5G where it has been rolled out. That is a well-developed network in a country where almost the entire population lives in a narrow strip of cities, and the everyday experience reflects it: 4G indoors, 4G in the malls, 4G in the metro, 4G on the motorway. Because you are on one network rather than choosing between several, coverage is a matter of geography rather than provider. Leave the phone on automatic selection and it will do the right thing. One genuinely useful caveat: voice and video calling over apps does not always behave the same way on local mobile networks as it does at home, and this is a well-known traveller question in the Emirates. Behaviour varies by app and by network, and it is not something to take on trust. If a WhatsApp, FaceTime or Teams call is load-bearing for your trip, test it early rather than discovering the answer when it matters, and have a backup such as hotel wifi or a normal phone call in reserve. ### Where coverage holds, and where it thins Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the corridor of the E11 between them are as consistently covered as anywhere you are likely to travel. The Dubai Metro holds signal through its tunnels and elevated sections, high floors of towers are fine, and the shopping centres, which is where a surprising amount of Emirati life happens, are well served. It thins as you move away from that strip. Head into the dunes on an evening desert safari and reception varies with the ridge you are parked behind. The interior towards Liwa and the Empty Quarter, the mountain roads inland from Fujairah, the switchbacks up Jebel Jais and the wadis around Hatta are all places where you can lose it for a stretch. None of this is remote in the sense that Africa or Central Asia is remote, but a self-drive into the desert without an offline map is still a bad idea. ### What you'll actually use data for here Ride-hailing dominates. Distances that look walkable on a map are not walkable in summer heat, and taxis are the default way to move around, which means a live connection is effectively your transport system. Navigation inside buildings matters more than usual, because the malls, airports and mixed-use towers are large enough that finding a specific entrance, a car park level or a restaurant is a real task. Attraction tickets, parking payment, valet requests and restaurant bookings are all handled in apps, and QR menus are near universal. The rest is what the destination invites: photographs and video from observation decks and beaches, uploads that are heavier than you planned, maps of unfamiliar interchanges when driving yourself, and video calls home across a time zone. Data use in the Emirates tends to run higher than travellers expect, because the connection is good enough that you never think to ration it. ### Before you fly Install the profile and leave it dormant. Check the handset is unlocked. Download an offline map of the emirate you are staying in plus any desert or mountain route you plan to drive. Save your hotel's location as a pin rather than as an address, decide in advance which calling app you will rely on and test it once you are connected, and bring a power bank. Heat and constant screen use flatten a battery quickly here, and a phone left on a sunlit dashboard will simply shut itself down. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does an eSIM work in UAE? Yes. Your UAE eSIM connects automatically the moment you arrive, with no roaming fees and nothing to set up at the airport. The host networks it can use are Du. Coverage runs on 4G LTE and 5G where the network has rolled it out, and falls back to 4G elsewhere. ### Do I get 5G in UAE? Yes, where it has been deployed. 5G runs on Du in UAE, and your eSIM uses it automatically on a 5G-capable phone, dropping back to 4G LTE outside covered areas. No country is covered everywhere, so 5G availability varies by location. ### Do WhatsApp calls work in the UAE? Generally no. WhatsApp voice and video calls have been blocked in the UAE since around 2015 under its VoIP rules, and FaceTime and Skype calls are blocked too. WhatsApp messages, voice notes and media work normally. Because your eSIM uses du, a UAE network, the same restrictions apply, so use voice notes or call on your home SIM. ### Is it illegal to use a VPN in the UAE? It's a grey area. Dubai Police said in 2015 that tampering with the internet is a crime, but people aren't usually prosecuted just for using a VPN. Using one alongside another offence, such as accessing banned content or making blocked calls, can bring additional charges and large fines. Most visitors avoid the risk. ### Is Abu Dhabi airport now called Zayed International? Yes. Abu Dhabi International Airport was renamed Zayed International Airport on 9 February 2024, keeping the code AUH. Its new Terminal A opened on 31 October 2023, and all airlines had moved into it by 14 November 2023, so ignore older guides that mention the previous terminals. ### Can I take photos of people in Dubai? Not without their permission. Photographing people without consent is illegal in the UAE, and the UK Foreign Office says men have been arrested for photographing women on beaches. Avoid photographing government buildings, military sites, airports and embassies, and remember that swearing or rude gestures in messages and online posts are also criminal offences. ### How much data do I need for 7 days in UAE? For 7 days in UAE, Viasimo sells 100 MB for $1.29, 500 MB for $2.29, 1 GB for $3.59, and unlimited data for $35.99. Our sizing recommendation, not a measurement: maps, messaging and the occasional lookup, about 1 GB a week; maps, social, photos and some browsing, about 3 to 7 GB a week. The data calculator on this site works it out from how you actually use your phone. ## Information and verification - **Prices and plans**: Every price and allowance on this page is read from the live catalog, not typed in. Verified October 30, 2026. - **Host networks**: The operator list comes from the network partner that carries this eSIM. Verified October 30, 2026.