I am having problem transferring my e-SIM to a new iPhone while abroad

[hansols]

Hi everyone,

I recently transferred all my data from my iPhone 13 to a new iPhone 16. However, my eSIM (UK mobile number) didn’t transfer automatically, and I’m being prompted to contact my SIM provider.

The issue is that I’m currently in Morocco and won’t be returning to the UK anytime soon. Is there any way to activate or transfer my eSIM remotely while I’m abroad?

I really need my UK number to be active on the new phone as soon as possible. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

[Chris_B]

@hansols  If the eSIM failed to change over and the old device is now showing no signal then unfortunately you can not get this working when connected to a roaming network.       It’s never a good idea to try transfer eSIMs when not in the UK as it’s not guaranteed to work.      You can request a replacement sim and this will be sent to your UK billing address as it’ll need to activated in the UK and then someone could post this to you.     Unfortunately you will have to call customer support to request a replacement sim as you can not do this online as you’ll not receive the verification pin.  

[hansols]

Hi Chris,

Thanks so much for your prompt reply – really appreciate it.

Fortunately, my number is still active on my old iPhone, and I’m still receiving calls and messages there. Does that make any difference to the possible solution?

I completely understand the risks of transferring eSIMs while abroad – I wasn’t aware of that beforehand. If there's any workaround or if keeping the old device active helps in any way, I’d be grateful for any guidance.

Thanks again for your help!

[Chris_B]

@hansols  Just use old device until your back in the UK.   It’s not worth the risk.  

[hansols]

Thanks again for the advice – really helpful.

I’ll stick to using my old device for now until I’m back in the UK. You're right, it's not worth the risk of losing access altogether.

Appreciate your support!

Best regards,

[Leanne_T]

Hi @hansols 

Glad you got the help you needed from @Chris_B on the community 🙂

If you need anything else, pop back anytime. 

Have a lovely time in Morocco. 

Leanne.

[hansols]

Hi Leanne,

Thank you so much – your message means a lot!

Chris’s help was spot on and really put my mind at ease. This community group is absolutely awesome – I’m genuinely grateful for all the support and the time you all take to help others.

Big thanks to you and the team for everything you do!

Best wishes from sunny Morocco ☀️
S. Hansol

[Leanne_T]

Thanks so much, and you're very welcome for the message @hansols 

Lovely, enjoy the sun and have the best time 🙂

Leanne. 

[bristolian]

This is one scenario where a physical SIM has a clear advantage - just moving the SIM-chip between devices is perhaps a 2-5minute job, depending on your fingers....

[hansols]

That’s very true – physical SIMs definitely have that flexibility.

But using an eSIM can be really convenient when you’ve only got one SIM slot and still need to keep your home number active for things like banking, business platforms, and receiving verification codes. At the same time, it lets you use a local SIM for data at a much cheaper rate while abroad.

It’s a bit of a trade-off, but for travel and dual-purpose use, eSIMs can be super handy!