How to keep your Australian mobile number overseas
Updated 30 October 2026
Moving overseas doesn't mean giving up your Australian mobile number. You can keep it, and you'll probably want to. Banks, myGov and apps like WhatsApp often send their codes to it.
There are three main ways to keep it. Stay on your Australian plan, keep a cheap prepaid service active, or bring your number to an app like NumberNest. Each has its own costs and risks.
Can I keep my Australian number if I move overseas?
Yes. You can usually keep your number when you change telcos, as long as the service is still active. Don't cancel your service first. A disconnected number can be gone for good.
Your options at a glance
| Option | Monthly cost | Messages and codes | Calls | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stay on your Australian plan | Your plan, plus roaming | Arrive on your phone | Ring on your phone, roaming charges apply | Paying for a plan you barely use |
| Cheap prepaid service | A recharge every few months | Arrive while the SIM is in a phone | Ring on your phone, roaming charges apply | Losing the number if you miss a recharge |
| Bring your number to NumberNest | $12.99 | Arrive in the app | Ring in the app over the internet | Not open yet, join the waitlist |
Stay on your Australian plan
The simplest option. Nothing changes, and your number keeps working.
The catch is cost. You keep paying for calls and data you won't use. Overseas, most plans charge for roaming with a daily pass. Telstra's International Day Pass, for example, charges for each day you use your service overseas. Check your telco's roaming page for the country you're moving to.
Keep a cheap prepaid service
Move your number to prepaid before you go, then keep the SIM in a phone overseas. If your phone takes two SIMs, you can use it next to your local one.
You have to keep recharging, though. Telcos disconnect prepaid numbers that aren't recharged in time.
- Telstra: you have 6 months to recharge after your recharge expires. After that, your service is deactivated and you lose your number.
- Vodafone: recharge within 120 days of your last recharge expiry date, or you're disconnected.
- Optus: recharge within 186 days of your recharge expiry to keep the service active.
Set a reminder well before each deadline, and keep some credit on the service.
Moving your number needs a code sent to it
Before your number moves to a new telco, they have to check it's really yours. One way they do this is to text a one-time code to the number, which you then enter.
So if you might move your number, keep your Australian SIM working until you have. The easiest time is before you leave.
Bring your number to NumberNest
NumberNest keeps your Australian number in an app, so you don't need an Australian plan or SIM.
- Messages and pictures arrive in the app, on your phone and on the web.
- Calls ring in the app over the internet, wherever you are.
- Missed calls go to voicemail, and you can read each one as text.
- It costs $12.99 a month for each number, including tax.
To bring your number, you give NumberNest your account number, whether it's prepaid or postpaid, the account holder's name and address, your latest bill and two forms of Australian ID. Prepaid also needs your date of birth. The transfer moves your number across, and your old plan ends.
NumberNest isn't open yet. Join the waitlist to hear when it opens for Australian numbers.
Bank codes and logins
This is the main reason most people keep their number. Before you go:
- List the accounts that text you a code. Banks, myGov, PayPal, Google and WhatsApp are common ones.
- Check each one can still reach you. Some let you switch to an app or email instead of texts.
- Don't cancel your Australian number until you've moved every account off it, or moved the number somewhere that keeps it.
Wherever your number ends up, send yourself a test code from each important account before you leave.
Things to do before you leave
- Decide which option suits you.
- If you're moving your number, do it while you're still in Australia and your SIM is working.
- Find your account number. It's on your bill or in your online account.
- Turn on roaming or add a day pass if you're keeping an Australian SIM.
- Set a reminder to recharge a prepaid service before its deadline.
Common questions
Can I keep my mobile number if I move overseas?
Yes. Keep your Australian plan, keep a prepaid service active, or bring the number to an app like NumberNest.
How do I keep my mobile number active while overseas?
Keep paying your plan, or recharge a prepaid service before its deadline. Telstra gives you 6 months after a recharge expires, and Vodafone gives you 120 days.
What's the cheapest way to keep an Australian number?
Bring it to an app like NumberNest for $12.99 a month. Your number stays active with no SIM, no plan and no reminders. A prepaid service can cost less, but you lose the number for good if you miss a recharge.
Can I move my number once I'm already overseas?
Often, but it's harder. The new telco may need to text a code to your number, so your Australian SIM has to be working and in a phone.
What happens if my number is disconnected?
Telstra says you lose the number once your prepaid service is deactivated. Don't let a service lapse before your number has moved.