Before you start

Passport and valid visa
Proof of local address in Mumbai
Passport photographs
A local reference or employer letter, depending on the operator

Step-by-step

1
Go to an official operator store, not a kiosk
Airtel, Jio and Vi all have company-owned stores that process foreign nationals routinely. Small retail kiosks often cannot, or will do it incorrectly, which surfaces later as a deactivated number.
In personWho: YouWeek 1
2
Bring more documents than you think you need
Passport, visa, FRRO registration if you have it, proof of local address, passport photographs, and an employer letter. Requirements vary by operator and by store, and having a full set avoids a second trip.
In personWho: You
3
Expect a short initial validity tied to your visa
SIMs issued to foreign nationals are commonly given a limited validity linked to visa duration, extended once documentation is verified or your visa is extended. Diarise the date; a deactivated number takes real effort to restore.
In personWho: You
4
Complete verification promptly
There is usually a verification call or an address check after issuance. Missing it deactivates the SIM. Answer the call, and be at the registered address if a physical check is expected.
In personWho: You
5
Link the number to your bank account for UPI
Your Indian mobile number is the key to UPI, which is how India pays for things. The number must be the one registered with your bank. Get this right the first time, because changing it later is its own process.
Mobile appWho: YouWeek 2
6
Buy data generously — it is extraordinarily cheap
India has among the lowest mobile data prices in the world. Unlimited or very high-allowance plans cost a few hundred rupees a month. There is no reason to economise here, and good mobile data substitutes for patchy home broadband.
Mobile appWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport and valid visa
FRRO registration certificate, where applicable
Proof of Mumbai address
Passport photographs
Employer letter or local reference, depending on operator

Things most newcomers don’t know

This is one of the strictest SIM regimes in this app, and the US is the opposite extreme.

India requires passport, visa, photographs, local address proof and often a reference for a foreign national to get a SIM, with a verification step afterwards. The United States requires nothing at all for prepaid. If you are moving between the two, the contrast is jarring in both directions.

Source: Department of Telecommunications

Your SIM's validity is tied to your visa, and it will be cut off.

Numbers issued to foreign nationals commonly carry a validity linked to visa duration. When the visa is extended, the SIM must be re-verified too — and people discover this when the number stops working, taking UPI, bank OTPs and two-factor authentication with it. Diarise it alongside the visa.

Source: community-reported

Losing your number means losing UPI and banking access.

Indian financial services are built around the mobile number: UPI, one-time passwords, account alerts. A deactivated SIM is not an inconvenience, it locks you out of payments. This is the strongest argument for using an official operator store and completing verification promptly.

Source: community-reported

Mobile data is so cheap it changes how you use the internet.

India has among the lowest data prices in the world, with high-allowance plans costing a few hundred rupees a month. Tethering, video calls and streaming on mobile are all economically trivial, which is why so much of Indian digital life is mobile-first.

Source: community-reported

Common mistakes to avoid

Buying a SIM from a small kiosk that cannot process foreign documentation correctly.
Missing the verification call or address check, and having the SIM deactivated.
Letting the SIM lapse with the visa and losing UPI and banking access with it.
Registering a number with your bank and then changing the number.
Economising on data, which costs almost nothing here.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.