A home and away phone number for expats

Updated 2026-10-22 · By the Smart Messaging team (Smart Messaging Inc.)

Short answer: Smart Messaging lets expats hold a number in their new country, a number back home, or both in one account. A local number needs only an email, so you're reachable from day one, while a home number lets family call at local rates and home services text you. Both can ring the same phone and renew automatically.

Living abroad means belonging to two places at once. Your new life needs a local number, and your old one still has banks, family and accounts that expect to reach you. Smart Messaging lets you keep a foot in both.

Two directions, one dashboard

Some expats want a number in their new country, so landlords, schools and colleagues can reach them locally. Others want a number in their home country, so parents can call a familiar number and services back home can send them texts.

Many hold one of each. Both appear in the same account, and both can ring the same phone.

This matters most for people who expect to move again, return home one day or split the year between countries. The numbers stay constant while your address changes.

Home-country number vs new-country number

Number	Who it serves	Typical use
Home-country number	Parents, family and services back home	A familiar number to call and texts from home-country services
New-country number	Landlords, schools, colleagues and employers	A local contact number from day one

Staying connected to home

Give family a number in your home country that they can call at local rates.
Receive texts from home-country services on the dashboard, with a free replacement within 7 days if a service doesn't accept the number.
Answer from a SIP app wherever you live, over Wi-Fi.
Keep the number for years with automatic yearly renewal.

About your existing number

We do not offer porting, so we cannot take over the number you have had for years. What you get is a new real number in the country you choose.

If you plan to let an old home SIM expire, first update your bank, tax and government accounts, following each institution's own process. Some organisations have their own requirements, so confirm with them before you switch; if a number doesn't suit, the 7-day replacement guarantee gets you a new one free.

Settling into the new country

Local SIM contracts can require an address, a residence permit or a credit history you do not have yet. A Smart Messaging number needs only an email, so you have a local contact number from day one while paperwork catches up.

You can give it to letting agents, employers and schools while you search for a flat and set up your life. Later, when you have a local SIM, forward the number to it or keep answering in your SIP app.

Some local services, especially banks and government portals, may require a number from a domestic carrier. Check their requirements, and use your Smart Messaging number for everything else.

What you get with each number

Home or local, every number includes unlimited incoming calls and texts, 1,000 outgoing minutes and 500 outgoing SMS per month, SIP credentials, forwarding to any phone and a browser dialer. The price is the same in every country: from $1.80 per month, billed yearly ($21.60 per year). Each number also comes with a 7-day replacement guarantee.

Setting up both lines

Label each number clearly in your SIP app, for example Home and Local, so you always know which line is ringing and can answer in the right language or tone for the caller.

Pick a number in your home country, your new country, or both.
Fund your wallet with USDT or USDC and order; activation usually takes minutes.
Install a softphone and add each number, or forward both to your local SIM.
Share the right number with the right people, and update your accounts one by one.

Top countries for expats

Numbers in stock as of 2026-11-02. Every number costs $1.80/month, billed yearly.

Country	Number types in stock	Price
United States (+1)	Mobile 12 · Local 25 · Toll-free 3	$1.80/mo billed yearly
United Kingdom (+44)	Mobile 13 · Local 14 · Toll-free 6	$1.80/mo billed yearly
India (+91)	Mobile 12 · Local 23 · Toll-free 5	$1.80/mo billed yearly
Germany (+49)	Mobile 8 · Local 23 · Toll-free 2	$1.80/mo billed yearly
United Arab Emirates (+971)	Mobile 8 · Local 24 · Toll-free 6	$1.80/mo billed yearly
Spain (+34)	Mobile 9 · Local 26 · Toll-free 4	$1.80/mo billed yearly

Included on every plan

Unlimited incoming SMS
Unlimited incoming calls
500 outgoing SMS per month
1,000 outgoing minutes per month
SIP credentials, call forwarding and web dialer
Keep your number as long as you want
Works with WhatsApp, Facebook, Google, Telegram and thousands more
7-day replacement guarantee — free new number if it doesn't work for you
7-day money-back guarantee if the number is unused

Numbers from $1.80 per month, billed yearly ($21.60 per year). Pay with USDT or USDC.

expats numbers — FAQ

Can I keep my old phone number from home?

We do not offer porting of existing numbers. You can get a new real number in your home country to use alongside or instead of the old one.

Will my home bank accept this number?

Check with your bank before you change the number on your account. Our numbers receive SMS and calls like a SIM, and if a service doesn't accept yours, you can replace it free within 7 days.

Do I need a residence permit or local address?

No. Sign-up requires only an email address.

Can my family call me cheaply?

If you hold a number in their country, they dial it like any domestic number. Their own carrier sets the cost of the call.

Can both numbers ring one phone?

Yes. Add both to one SIP app or forward both to the same phone.

What if I move again?

Your numbers are not tied to a SIM or address, so they move with you.

Is there a refund if the number does not suit me?

Yes. If it doesn't work for you, replace it free within 7 days, and if it has not been used for any call or SMS, you can get a full refund within 7 days of purchase.