Looking for an eSIM for Bahrain? If you're visiting, the easiest option is a Bahrain travel eSIM: you buy it online, install it at home and it connects when you land. Bahrain's three mobile operators, Batelco, stc Bahrain and Zain Bahrain, also offer eSIM, but you need to be in Bahrain to activate it, and every local line is registered to your ID. This guide covers each eSIM provider in Bahrain, what you need as a visitor, and how to pick a plan for your trip.
Short on time? These are data-only Bahrain eSIMs you can buy now and install before you fly. Pick the one that matches the length of your trip.
Data-only plans for Bahrain · 5 GB, 10 GB or 20 GB · See all Bahrain eSIMs · Visiting more countries? Find your destination
eSIM providers in Bahrain: the SIM card name list
Bahrain has three mobile operators, so there are three SIM card names to know: Batelco, stc (formerly VIVA) and Zain. All three support eSIM, and Apple lists all three among the Bahraini carriers that activate eSIM on iPhone, including on prepaid plans for international travelers (Apple: carriers that offer eSIM service).
- Batelco: new prepaid and postpaid eSIM lines in the Batelco app, with an ID scan and a selfie check.
- stc Bahrain: instant eSIM in the mystc BH app, with face recognition. stc also has a visitor plan.
- Zain Bahrain: eSIM through Zain stores, the Zain app and its eShop, activated inside Bahrain.
- Travel eSIMs: sold online by providers like SimOptions. Data only, no store visit, no local ID check.
Here is what each operator says about its eSIM.
Batelco eSIM
Batelco, the Bahrain Telecommunications Company, is now part of the Beyon group and goes by "Batelco by Beyon". Its eSIM page says you can activate a new prepaid or postpaid line as an eSIM in the Batelco app.
How to get a Batelco eSIM
- Download the Batelco app.
- Choose a new line.
- Take a selfie and scan your ID. Your face has to match the ID document.
- Install the eSIM from your phone's settings or by scanning the QR code in the app.
A few rules to know: you can install the eSIM anywhere, but it only activates in Bahrain. Turn off any VPN during the process. The page doesn't say which ID documents visitors can use, so check in the app or at a Batelco shop with your passport.
stc Bahrain eSIM
stc Bahrain, called VIVA Bahrain until its rebrand in 2019, is part of the Saudi stc Group. Its eSIM page offers an "instant eSIM" that you get only in the mystc BH app.
How to get an stc eSIM
- Download the mystc BH app.
- Choose a prepaid or postpaid plan and select instant eSIM.
- Verify your identity with face recognition. It fails if your ID has expired, your face doesn't match the ID, or you use a VPN.
- Install the eSIM directly or with the QR code from your order email.
You can buy before you travel, but stc says installing and activating the eSIM only works from inside Bahrain. Keep the app open and stay on Bahrain's network while it activates. stc lists a visitor plan with data and Gulf roaming on the same page. Check the plan details in the app, since they change.
Zain Bahrain eSIM
Zain Bahrain is part of the Kuwait-based Zain Group. According to its website, you can get a prepaid plan in the Zain app, on the Zain eShop or in a Zain store, and you must activate your eSIM inside Bahrain before you use it for the first time.
For new lines in its stores and at approved resellers, Zain asks for a fingerprint scan and a valid ID: a passport or a Bahraini ID (CPR) for non-GCC nationals, a passport or a GCC ID card for GCC nationals (Zain: SIM registration).
Can tourists get a local eSIM in Bahrain?
Yes, but only once you're in Bahrain, and only with ID. Every mobile line in Bahrain is registered to a person. The rules come from Bahrain's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA):
- Registered sellers only: SIM cards are sold only through the operators' outlets and resellers approved by the TRA (Zawya: TRA SIM registration regulation).
- ID check: visitors who aren't GCC nationals register with a valid passport. Residents use their CPR, the Bahraini ID card (Batelco: line registration).
- Biometric check: in stores, your fingerprint is scanned after the ID check (Identity Week: Bahrain biometric SIM registration). In their apps, Batelco and stc use a selfie or face check instead.
- Prepaid limit: you can have up to 10 prepaid lines per operator.
A local line makes sense if you live in Bahrain, stay for months, or need a Bahraini number for local services and bank codes. For a holiday, a business trip or a Formula 1 weekend, a travel eSIM saves you the ID check and works the moment you land.
Bahrain travel eSIM: get connected before you fly
A travel eSIM is a data plan you buy online. You get a QR code by email, install it on Wi-Fi at home, and it connects when you arrive. Here is what the SimOptions Bahrain plans include, according to their plan details:
- Network: the Bahrain plan page says the plans run on the stc network, with 4G and 5G where available.
- Data only: no Bahraini phone number, no calls or SMS. You call and message with apps like WhatsApp, FaceTime or iMessage.
- Activation: once installed, the eSIM activates automatically when you reach Bahrain.
- Top-ups: available if you run low on data.
- Expiry: if you don't use the eSIM within a year, it becomes invalid.
- Coverage: Bahrain only. Crossing the King Fahd Causeway to Saudi Arabia, or flying on to Qatar or the UAE? Look at Middle East eSIMs, which cover Bahrain and other Gulf countries.
Not sure what you can do without a local number? See how to make phone calls with a data-only eSIM.
How much data do you need for Bahrain?
The Bahrain plans range from 1 GB for 3 days to 60 GB for 90 days. As a rough guide:
- A stopover or a weekend in Manama: 3 GB or 5 GB is enough for maps, messages and ride-hailing apps.
- One to two weeks: 10 GB for 7 days or 20 GB for 15 days.
- A month or more, or remote work: 50 GB for 30 days, or 60 GB for 90 days.
Staying for a month or working online while you're there? The 50 GB plan gives you room for video calls and uploads.
How to set up your Bahrain eSIM
- Check your phone. It must support eSIM and be unlocked. Dial *#06#: if you see an EID, your phone supports eSIM. More in our guide to checking eSIM compatibility.
- Buy your plan and wait for the QR code by email.
- Install it on Wi-Fi before you fly. On iPhone, open the Camera app, scan the QR code, tap Cellular Plan Detected, then Continue and Add Cellular Plan (Apple: Set up eSIM on iPhone). Step by step for iPhone and Android: how to install an eSIM.
- Label the line "Bahrain" so you can tell it apart from your home line.
- When you land, make the travel eSIM your data line and turn on data roaming for it.
Not connecting after you arrive? Go through our eSIM activation fixes.
Local eSIM or travel eSIM: which one is right for you?
A Batelco, stc or Zain eSIM fits if
- You live in Bahrain or stay for several months.
- You need a Bahraini phone number for calls, local services or apps.
- You're fine with activating it in Bahrain and going through an ID and face or fingerprint check.
A travel eSIM fits if
- You're on holiday, a stopover or a business trip of a few days to a few weeks.
- You want data the moment you land, for maps, taxis and messages.
- You'd rather skip the ID check and the activation steps on arrival.
- You want to keep your home number on your phone at the same time.
Tips for staying connected in Bahrain
- Keep your home line on. Most eSIM phones run two lines at once. Keep your home number for calls and security codes, and use the travel eSIM for data. See how to set up a dual eSIM.
- Turn off data roaming on your home line so it doesn't use data abroad. Here's how to manage data roaming.
- Install before you travel. You need an internet connection to download an eSIM, so do it on Wi-Fi at home.
- Planning a Gulf trip? Our guides to eSIM providers in Saudi Arabia and eSIM providers in Qatar cover the neighbours.
FAQs
Which eSIM is best for Bahrain?
It depends on your stay. For a visit, a travel eSIM is the simplest: you buy it online, install it before you fly and it works when you land. If you live in Bahrain or need a local number, pick a Batelco, stc or Zain eSIM.
Does stc Bahrain offer eSIM?
Yes. stc Bahrain offers an instant eSIM in the mystc BH app, for prepaid and postpaid plans, with face recognition. You can only install and activate it from inside Bahrain.
Does Batelco offer eSIM?
Yes. You can open a new prepaid or postpaid Batelco line as an eSIM in the Batelco app, after a selfie and an ID scan. It activates once you're in Bahrain.
Can I get a Bahrain eSIM before I arrive?
With a travel eSIM, yes: you install it at home and it connects when you reach Bahrain. With Batelco, stc or Zain, you can sometimes order ahead, but the eSIM only activates inside Bahrain.
What do I need to register a SIM or eSIM in Bahrain?
A valid ID and a biometric check. Visitors from outside the GCC use their passport, residents use their CPR card, and GCC nationals can use their GCC ID. With a travel eSIM, you buy online and skip the store visit.
Do I get a Bahraini phone number with a travel eSIM?
No. The SimOptions Bahrain plans are data only. You can still call and message with WhatsApp, FaceTime or iMessage, and keep your home number on your phone.
Does a Bahrain eSIM work in Saudi Arabia?
No. The Bahrain plans cover Bahrain only. If you're crossing the causeway or visiting other Gulf countries, look at Middle East eSIMs or find your destination.