Support

Rather than going by the model name, check the phone itself. Open the phone app, dial *#06# and press call. If the screen shows an EID (a 32-digit number), the phone supports eSIM. If it shows only an IMEI, it does not. The same model can vary by country and carrier, so it’s best to check your own phone this way. The video above walks through it.

Yes. An eSIM connects you to another carrier's network, so a locked phone cannot be activated. Phones sold in Japan from October 2021 are unlocked by default; older ones can be unlocked free of charge from your carrier's account page.

Yes. Our eSIMs are data-only and your Japanese line stays in the phone. Your number does not change and LINE keeps working as usual. Just turn off mobile data on the Japanese line.

Not from the eSIM itself. Data-based calls such as LINE or WhatsApp work normally. Calls and SMS to your Japanese number still arrive if you leave that line switched on (charges follow your own carrier's terms).

It depends on the plan. Plans that allow it are marked "Tethering OK" in the plan list. Plans without that mark do not support tethering.

Any time before you leave. The QR code is issued automatically, 24 hours a day, right after purchase. The code expires 30 days after it’s issued, so we don’t recommend buying more than a month ahead.

Certain plans require real-name registration with the local network operator. **This applies no matter where you use them.** We mark those plans on the product page and again at checkout. After purchase, use the link in your email or the “Open the registration page” button on your order page to register your passport details yourself. **The registration page differs by plan**, so always go through that button. We never store your passport details. The eSIM cannot be activated until that is done. If you would rather not register, we refund in full, since the eSIM will not have been activated.

**Start from the “Open the registration page” button on your order page — the page differs by plan.** The steps below are for when that button opens https://kyc.esim.exchange. The page is in English and Chinese. 1. In the "SN" field, enter the eSIM's ICCID — the 20-digit number starting with 8986. We include this number in the email we send you and on your order page. You can also scan it with the camera button. 2. Enter the captcha and press "Click to get Verification code". 3. Press "Real-name authentication begins" to go to the next step. 4. Enter the name as printed in your passport, the passport number, gender and expiry date, and upload a photo of your passport. 5. When you see "The submission was successful", your registration has been accepted. Step 3 may still not say "Certification Completed". That’s normal — just give it time. **Only register once. Do not submit again with the same number** — a duplicate submission stalls the process. You can check the outcome with "Query the authentication result" on the same page. Everything must match your passport exactly. If anything is unclear, write to info@esim.co.jp. We never store your passport details.

**The registration page differs by plan.** These steps are for the page at https://global.cmlink.com/store/realname, which your order page opens for some plans. It starts by asking for the "Region of use for real name registration" — **Hong Kong, China / Taiwan, China / Hong Kong, China and Taiwan, China**. **Choosing the wrong one makes the registration invalid.** Which one to choose is shown for your specific plan on your order page and in the email we send after purchase. The rest of the form is: 1. "E-mail" — the address where the result will be sent. 2. "ICCID" — your eSIM's identifier, shown on your order page and in your email. Use "Add" if you are registering more than one eSIM. 3. "Document type" — choose your document, then enter your passport name (in Roman letters), number and expiry date, and upload a photo of your passport. 4. Tick the three checkboxes and press "Confirm". **Only register once.** The result arrives by SMS and email. We recommend registering before you travel. If anything is unclear, contact us on LINE or at info@esim.co.jp. We never store your passport details.

By email within a few minutes of purchase, at any hour — and by SMS as well if you entered a phone number when ordering. If nothing has arrived after 30 minutes, check your spam folder and then contact us from the order lookup page.

Before you leave, while you are on Wi-Fi in Japan. Adding the eSIM does not consume any data. On most plans the days only start counting once you actually connect at your destination.

Scan it within 30 days of receiving it. After that the code stops working and cannot be refunded. The exact window for each plan is shown on its product page.

Three things: turn on Data Roaming for the new eSIM, turn off mobile data on your Japanese line, and set mobile data to use the new eSIM. Some plans also need an SMS or a short dial code afterwards — when they do, it is written in the instructions sent with your QR code.

Your phone may already have as many eSIMs as it can hold. Phones have a limit (around 8-10 on iPhone, depending on the model), and once it’s reached a new eSIM can’t be added. Often there’s no message at all — the install just fails. Open Settings > Cellular (Mobile Service) and look at the lines listed there. If any belong to trips that are over and you no longer need them, delete those. Warning: a deleted eSIM cannot be reinstalled, so keep anything you still plan to use, and do not delete the line you use at home (your own phone number). If it still will not install, check that you are on Wi-Fi and that your phone is carrier-unlocked.

No. An eSIM can only be installed once. A deleted profile cannot be reissued and is not refundable, so please leave it in place until your trip is over.

No. Each QR code belongs to one device. Take care to scan it on the phone you will travel with.

No. Once installed, the eSIM is tied to that device and cannot be moved to a different one. Install it on the phone you are travelling with. On plans that need real-name registration, such as Taiwan, the device is fixed the moment registration completes.

No. Our eSIMs are for smartphones only — not iPads, tablets, laptops or smartwatches. To get a tablet online, use your phone's tethering (personal hotspot). Plans that allow tethering are marked "Tethering OK" on the product page.

Your phone's settings show an approximate figure. Where the local carrier also offers a check (an SMS to a short number, or a dial code), we print the exact steps on the product page and in the instructions sent with your QR code.

It varies by plan. Some reset at local midnight, others every 24 hours from activation. Each product page states which one applies.

Depending on the plan you either continue at a reduced speed (128 kbps or 5 Mbps, for example) or the connection stops for that day. At reduced speed, maps and messaging still work.

Follow the troubleshooting video above in order. Nearly every case is roaming left off or the Japanese line taking priority — and switching to LTE/4G fixes most of the rest. If it still fails, get in touch.

Credit cards (VISA, Mastercard, JCB, AMEX). Payment is taken on Stripe's secure page; we never store your card number.

Yes — download it any time from the order lookup page.

Full refund before you add the eSIM to your device. Once the eSIM is added, we can’t refund it — and the same goes for expired QR codes and profiles deleted by mistake. Plans that start the moment you buy them, and the USA SIM within 2 days of its scheduled activation date (US time), cannot be cancelled or refunded.

No. For some plans the supplier starts the clock the moment you buy. They cannot be cancelled or refunded, even before you receive the QR code. We show a red warning on those plans before you buy.

No. We cannot refund unused days or data on a plan that has started.

Just turn mobile data back on for your Japanese line. A used eSIM costs nothing if you leave it on the phone, but you can delete it from settings if you prefer.

No — each eSIM is single-use. Buy a new one for your next trip.