Ready to explore the world while staying connected with Verizon? Traveling internationally can be an incredible experience, and ensuring your phone works seamlessly abroad is key to making the most of it. Don't get caught without a connection or hit with surprise charges! This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about using Verizon internationally, step by step.
Your Passport to Global Connectivity: A Step-by-Step Guide to Using Verizon Internationally
Before you pack your bags and head off on your adventure, let's make sure your Verizon service is ready to travel with you.
Step 1: Discover Your Travel Needs & Device Readiness
First things first, let's assess your travel style and device capabilities. Are you a casual traveler needing basic communication, or a digital nomad requiring constant data? Knowing this will help you pick the perfect plan.
Sub-heading: Assess Your Travel Style
Short Trip (under 9 days): TravelPass might be your best bet, offering daily access to your domestic plan.
Long Trip (9+ days) or Frequent International Traveler: An International Monthly Plan could be more cost-effective.
Specific Calling Needs: If you primarily call one country, Global Choice or Global Calling Plus might be ideal.
Occasional Use: Pay-as-you-go rates are an option, but often the most expensive.
Sub-heading: Verify Your Device is World-Ready
Not all phones are created equal when it comes to international travel. Verizon uses a "World Device" designation for phones compatible with international networks (GSM and LTE).
Check Online: Visit the Verizon Wireless Trip Planner at
vzw.com/tripplanner My Verizon App:
Open the My Verizon Mobile app.
Select the Device tab.
Choose International Ready Check.
Enter your destination and follow the prompts to verify device hardware, international data plan status, and settings.
Customer Service: Dial *611 from your Verizon phone or 1-800-922-0204 from any phone in the U.S. to speak with a representative.
If your device isn't a World Device, consider upgrading or exploring alternatives like a local SIM card or eSIM.
Step 2: Choose Your Verizon International Plan
Verizon offers several options to keep you connected abroad. Let's break them down.
Sub-heading: Verizon TravelPass®
This is the most popular option for short-term international travel.
How it Works: For a daily fee, you can use your domestic talk, text, and data allowances in over 210 countries and destinations. You're only charged on the days you actually use your phone abroad.
Cost: Typically $12/day in most countries, and $6/day in Canada and Mexico (though Canada and Mexico are often included in Unlimited plans).
Data Allotment: Usually includes a certain amount of high-speed data (e.g., 5GB), after which speeds reduce to 3G.
Ideal for: Weekend trips, short vacations, or occasional international travel where you want the convenience of using your existing plan.
Sub-heading: International Monthly Plan
For longer trips or more consistent international usage, this plan can offer better value.
How it Works: Provides a set amount of data, talk, and text for a monthly fee.
Cost: The $100 International Monthly Plan typically offers unlimited data (with a high-speed allowance), unlimited text messaging, and 250 minutes.
Ideal for: Extended stays (9 days or more) where you need predictable costs and more generous allowances. You can choose a one-month plan or have it renew monthly.
Sub-heading: International Calling Plans (for calls from the U.S.)
These plans are designed for making calls from the United States to international numbers.
Global Choice: For $10/month, you can choose a specific country and get a bundle of minutes (e.g., up to 300 minutes). Ideal if you frequently call one particular country.
Global Calling: For $5/month, get unlimited calls to Mexico and Canada, plus discounted rates to over 220 other countries.
Global Calling Plus: For $15/month, offers unlimited calls from the U.S. to landlines in over 60 countries and discounted mobile call rates in over 30 countries.
Important Note: These plans are for calls made from the U.S. to other countries, not for using your phone while you are abroad.
Sub-heading: Pay-As-You-Go Rates
If you don't add an international plan, or if you travel to a country not covered by TravelPass, you'll be charged per minute, per text message, and per MB of data.
Warning: These rates are typically very expensive and can lead to significant unexpected charges. For example, data can be $2.05/MB, and calls can be $1.79/minute or more depending on the country.
Only consider this option if you plan absolutely minimal usage and are fully aware of the per-use costs.
Step 3: Activate Your Chosen Plan
Once you've decided on the best plan for your trip, it's time to activate it. Don't wait until the last minute!
Sub-heading: Activating TravelPass®
My Verizon App/Website: On your international page in My Verizon, select "Add new plan" and follow the prompts.
Text Message: Simply text the word TRAVEL to 4004. TravelPass is also automatically added to lines with Unlimited Plus and Unlimited Welcome plans.
Recommendation: Activate it a few days before you leave, so it's ready when you land. You are only charged when you actually use your phone internationally.
Sub-heading: Activating International Monthly Plans
My Verizon App/Website: Go to your International plan page and select the desired monthly plan.
Customer Service: Call Verizon customer service (1-800-922-0204) to have them add the plan to your account.
Note: These plans typically start on the day you activate them and are good for 30 days, regardless of your billing cycle. If the 30 days span two billing cycles, the cost and allowance will be prorated.
Sub-heading: Enabling International Services (If Necessary)
For some older plans or accounts, you might need to ensure "International Services Enabled" is active on your line. Your account usually needs to be active for at least 34 days and in good standing. This can often be added through self-serve tools or by contacting Verizon.
Step 4: Prepare Your Device Settings
Even with a plan, your phone needs to be set up correctly to work abroad.
Sub-heading: Turn On Data Roaming
This is crucial! Your device needs to be able to connect to foreign networks.
iPhone: Go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Data Roaming and toggle it ON.
Android: Settings > Connections (or Network & Internet) > Mobile networks > Data roaming and toggle it ON.
Warning: Once data roaming is on, background data can trigger a TravelPass session. If you don't want this, consider turning off cellular data entirely when you don't actively need it.
Sub-heading: Enable Wi-Fi Calling
Wi-Fi Calling allows you to make and receive calls and texts over a Wi-Fi connection, even if you don't have cellular service. Calls made over Wi-Fi calling back to the U.S. are typically not billed (except for premium calls), and calls to international numbers are billed according to your international long-distance plan (if applicable).
How to Enable: Check your phone's settings under "Phone," "Cellular," or "Network & Internet" for a "Wi-Fi Calling" option. You may need to verify your E911 address with Verizon.
Benefit: It can save you money on calls when you have a stable Wi-Fi connection.
Sub-heading: Understand Dialing Instructions While Abroad
Calling the U.S. from Abroad:
Press and hold "0" on your keypad until the "+" appears.
Enter "1" (the U.S. country code).
Enter the 10-digit U.S. phone number.
Press Send.
Calling a Local Number (within the country you're in):
For GSM/LTE networks, generally dial the number as you would locally, or use the "+" followed by the country code and local number.
For CDMA networks (less common for international roaming now), you might need an exit code first, then the country code, area code, and local number.
Calling Other Countries (from the country you're in):
Press and hold "0" until "+" appears.
Enter the destination country code.
Enter the local number.
Press Send.
Tip: For numbers in your contacts, having them saved with the "+[Country Code][Full Number]" format often works seamlessly, regardless of your location.
Step 5: Monitor Your Usage & Manage Costs
Even with a plan, keeping an eye on your usage is essential to avoid surprises.
Sub-heading: Check Your Data Usage
My Verizon App:
Open the My Verizon app.
Depending on your plan, tap the "Mobile" or "Home" tab.
From the "Usage" section, view your usage for the current bill cycle. You can drill down to see usage per line.
For TravelPass, you'll receive a free text message notification within 2 hours of triggering a session, letting you know when your 24-hour session will end.
My Verizon Website: Sign in to your account and navigate to the "Usage details" section. For TravelPass, you can view session and usage details there.
Sub-heading: Set Up Usage Alerts
Verizon often sends automatic text alerts when you reach certain data or talk thresholds while abroad. Make sure your notification settings allow these alerts.
Sub-heading: Tips for Saving Money
Use Wi-Fi whenever possible: Connect to trusted Wi-Fi networks for Browse, streaming, and using Wi-Fi Calling.
Utilize VoIP Apps: Apps like WhatsApp, Skype, and Google Voice allow you to make calls and send messages over Wi-Fi or data, often at much lower costs or for free to other app users.
Download content offline: Download maps, movies, music, and documents before you leave or when you have Wi-Fi access to reduce data usage while roaming.
Disable background app refresh: Many apps consume data even when not actively in use. Turn off background refresh for non-essential apps in your phone settings.
Turn off automatic updates: Ensure app updates are set to Wi-Fi only.
Step 6: Troubleshooting and Support While Abroad
Sometimes things don't go as planned. Here's how to get help.
Sub-heading: Common Issues & Quick Fixes
No Service or "E" (Edge/2G) Connection:
Restart your phone: This can often force your phone to search for a stronger network.
Manually select a network: Go to your phone's cellular settings (Network Selection) and turn off "Automatic." Your phone will search for available networks. Try selecting different ones until you find one that works well. Verizon often roams on multiple partners in a country.
Check coverage map: Verify that Verizon has coverage in your specific location.
Slow Data Speeds: You might have used up your high-speed data allowance for TravelPass or your monthly plan, and speeds are now throttled.
Sub-heading: Contacting Verizon Customer Service
From your Verizon phone (while abroad): Dial +1-908-559-4899. This is a toll-free number when dialed from your Verizon Wireless phone in a GSM or LTE network.
From a landline (while abroad): You'll need the international exit code for the country you're in, then 1-908-559-4899. (e.g., from the UK, it would be 00-1-908-559-4899).
Via Wi-Fi Calling: If you have Wi-Fi access, use Wi-Fi Calling to dial *611 or 1-800-922-0204 (U.S. customer service numbers) as if you were in the U.S.
My Verizon App/Website Chat: Use the chat feature in the My Verizon app or on the website if you have an internet connection.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 10 common questions about using Verizon internationally:
How to check if my Verizon phone will work internationally?
You can use the Verizon Wireless Trip Planner at
How to add an international plan to my Verizon line? You can add a plan via the My Verizon app, the My Verizon website (under "Manage International Services"), or by texting TRAVEL to 4004 for TravelPass.
How to call the U.S. when I'm abroad with Verizon? Dial +1 followed by the 10-digit U.S. phone number. (Hold "0" on your keypad until the "+" appears).
How to check my Verizon international data usage? You can monitor your data usage in real-time through the My Verizon app or by logging into your account on the My Verizon website.
How to avoid high international roaming charges on Verizon? The best way is to choose an appropriate international plan (like TravelPass or an International Monthly Plan), utilize Wi-Fi whenever possible, and use VoIP apps for calls and messages. Consider turning off cellular data when not actively in use.
How to enable Wi-Fi calling on my Verizon phone for international use? Go to your phone's Settings > Phone (or Cellular/Network & Internet) and look for "Wi-Fi Calling." Ensure it's toggled on and your E911 address is updated with Verizon.
How to know if TravelPass is active on my Verizon account? TravelPass is automatically added to Unlimited Plus and Unlimited Welcome plans. For other plans, you'll receive a text message notification within 2 hours of your first international usage in a TravelPass country, confirming the session has started.
How to contact Verizon customer support while traveling internationally? Dial +1-908-559-4899 from your Verizon phone while abroad, or use Wi-Fi Calling to dial *611 or 1-800-922-0204. You can also use the My Verizon app or website chat.
How to ensure my apps don't use excessive data abroad? Turn off background app refresh for non-essential apps, set app updates to Wi-Fi only, and consider disabling cellular data for apps you don't need while roaming.
How to make international calls from the U.S. with Verizon? For calls from the U.S. to other countries, consider adding a Global Choice, Global Calling, or Global Calling Plus plan to your Verizon account for discounted or bundled rates. Dial 011 + country code + local number for most international calls from the U.S.
