When should I install my USA eSIM?
Install before you fly, using reliable internet. For the USA plans shown here, the 30-day validity starts when the eSIM first connects to a supported network in the United States—not when you install it at home.
The unused activation window is 180 days. This is time to start the plan, not extra days of mobile data. Ask support if you are unsure which start-by date applies to your order.
Choose a USA plan ↓My US QR code is on this phone. How do I install it?
Use a supported same-phone method or your order’s manual details; you do not need to scan your own screen. First check whether the US profile is already installed. Keep a stable internet connection during installation.
Use the unlocked, eSIM-compatible phone that will use this order. Open your own installation email, not a screenshot from another traveller. Adding the travel line does not transfer your home number. Do not choose a home-SIM conversion or transfer option.
A US profile is already listed — should I scan again?
Do not install it again just because it shows no service before travel. Match the profile to your private order instructions; a label alone is not proof. Keep it installed. For the current US plans, the validity starts at the first supported-network connection in the US, not when the profile is added.
Use the US arrival settings ↓iPhone · QR on this screen
- On iOS 17.4 or later, touch and hold the QR code in the default email app or browser and choose Add eSIM if offered. If that option is absent, use manual entry from Settings → Cellular / Mobile Data → Add eSIM.
- For manual entry, use the separate SM-DP+ address and activation-code fields from your OrientPass email. Do not paste the complete Android LPA code into either field. Follow the prompts, then check that a new profile appears in Cellular / Mobile Data.
Detailed installation steps for my phone →Official phone instructions ↗Samsung Galaxy · enter the full code
- Open Settings → Connections → SIM manager → Add eSIM → Scan QR code → Enter activation code. Menu names vary by model and software.
- Paste the complete Android activation code from your OrientPass email, including LPA:1 and its separators. You are adding a travel line; keep the existing home SIM. Finish setup and check that the new profile is listed.
Detailed installation steps for my phone →Official phone instructions ↗Google Pixel · manual-entry fallback
- Open Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → Add SIM → Set up an eSIM. Some versions say Download a SIM instead. On the QR screen, look for the manual-entry or Need help? option.
- Use the complete Android activation code from your OrientPass email, including LPA:1 and its separators. If your screen differs, follow the linked detailed guide; do not guess a code or substitute an order reference, APN or phone PIN.
Detailed installation steps for my phone →Official phone instructions ↗The code is missing, rejected or already used
Pause repeated scans and check whether the profile was already added. Reconnect to reliable internet and use the installation-help branch below. Keep the exact error and phone model for support. Do not delete an installed profile or buy a replacement just to retry a code; reuse or transfer is not guaranteed.
Check the installation error →Keep your QR code, SM-DP+ details and activation code private. Never paste them into this webpage, a public forum or an online QR decoder. If you need a second screen, use a trusted device. This guide does not check or install your eSIM.
Same-phone steps reviewed on 22 October 2026 using Apple, Samsung and Google guidance and our installation-email format. No physical handset or network test.
Before departure and on arrival
- 1
Before your flight
Check eSIM support and carrier unlock. Install from your private order email over stable Wi-Fi, label the line USA, then leave it off until arrival. Save the instructions offline; keep the QR code private.
- 2
After landing in the USA
Turn on the USA eSIM and select it for mobile data. Enable data roaming on this travel line as instructed. If using it instead of your home plan, disable home-line data roaming and automatic mobile-data switching. Menu names vary by phone.
- 3
Check the connection
Briefly turn Wi-Fi off and open a small webpage. It uses some plan data. Once the first supported connection starts the plan, switching the line off does not pause its validity. Contact support with your order reference if you need the exact expiry checked.
Open phone-specific installation steps ↑Installed, but still no internet?
Before arrival, installation alone does not establish a USA mobile connection. After arrival, check the selected data line, its roaming setting and local coverage, then restart the phone. Use only the APN from your order instructions. Do not delete the eSIM or buy a replacement as your first fix; reconnect to Wi-Fi and contact support if it still fails.
Get connection help →After landing: choose your phone and save the steps
Choose your phone to see its data-line menu and download a USA arrival card before flying. Open the saved file in flight mode to check it works. It contains public instructions, not your private installation code.
Use an eSIM-compatible, unlocked phone. Menu names vary with software and region. The file is for an already installed USA eSIM; it does not install one or replace your private order instructions. If saving fails, take screenshots of the displayed steps before departure.
iPhone
- Open Settings → Cellular (or Mobile Data) → Cellular Data and choose your installed USA travel eSIM.
- For that travel line, enable Data Roaming as instructed. Keep home-line Data Roaming off and turn Allow Cellular Data Switching off.
- If an iOS travel-eSIM prompt appears, confirm the intended data line. Keeping both lines on can still incur home-provider charges.
Save this phone’s USA steps (.txt) ↓iPhone · Sources and plan scope ↗Samsung Galaxy
- Open Settings → Connections → SIM manager (or SIM card manager). Enable your installed USA eSIM and select it under Mobile data.
- Follow the order’s roaming instructions for the travel eSIM. Keep home-line data roaming off. Check any automatic data-switching option using your model’s Samsung guide.
- If the menu or SIM combination differs, stop and check the guide for your exact model; eSIM support alone does not establish simultaneous-line support.
Save this phone’s USA steps (.txt) ↓Samsung Galaxy · Sources and plan scope ↗Google Pixel
- Open Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → Mobile data and choose your installed USA eSIM.
- Follow the travel-line roaming instructions; keep home-line data roaming off. In SIMs, turn Automatic data switching off where available.
- Data during calls varies by Pixel model. Disabling automatic switching can limit dual-line call features; it does not guarantee free home-line calls.
Save this phone’s USA steps (.txt) ↓Google Pixel · Sources and plan scope ↗After saving, open the file from Files or Downloads with flight mode on. This webpage itself is not available offline. Do not put your QR code into a public note.
After arrival, turn flight mode off, briefly turn Wi-Fi off and open a small webpage. This uses some data. If it fails, reconnect to Wi-Fi, check the chosen data line and its roaming setting, then restart. Keep the eSIM installed; use only the APN from your order instructions. Contact support with your order reference if it still fails.
Home-line calls and SMS retain your provider’s conditions. Selecting travel data does not make them free; check the Germany, Austria or Switzerland carrier links below before travelling.
These are data-only USA plans: no US phone number or SMS service, and no Canada or Mexico coverage. Calls and SMS on your home line remain subject to your own carrier’s terms. Coverage and speed depend on your location, network and phone.
Check your home plan before buying
You may already have suitable USA roaming. Check your allowance and charges first. These are examples for travelers based in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, not rules for every carrier.
- Germany · Telekom ↗
Check your tariff’s included roaming allowance and Travel & Surf or Travel Mobil options for the USA.
- Austria · A1 ↗
Check your active Roaming Pass or other option, USA coverage and usage in Mein A1. Eligibility and charging depend on your tariff.
- Switzerland · Swisscom ↗
Use Cockpit to check included roaming credit, USA packages and your roaming spending limit.
Sources and plan scope
OrientPass editorial review · 2026-10-20. Activation and unused-window details were checked against the supplier records for the currently listed USA plans. This is supplier documentation, not an on-location network test. Other providers’ activation rules may differ.