Your bank still needs a US number. Here's the $8/month way to keep one.
The day your US number stops working is the day your bank can't reach you — and you can't move money. Chase, Vanguard, the IRS portal, Social Security: all of them send verification codes to a US phone number. A foreign number won't work. Google Voice usually doesn't either.
The fix costs $5–8 a month and takes about 30 minutes to set up. But only if you do it before you cancel your old carrier.
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Updated · Published
This page is educational. It explains how US retirees typically maintain phone access after moving abroad — not security advice for your specific accounts or situation. For high-value accounts, set up the strongest authentication method each institution offers.
One real US number solves the 2FA problem. Everything else is secondary.
For a typical retiree moving abroad — here's the whole picture in five bullets:
- Your US bank, brokerage, IRS portal, and SSA all send verification codes to a US phone number. Most won't deliver to Google Voice, and none will deliver to a foreign number.
- A real US mobile number on a cheap MVNO — like a $5–8/mo Tello plan — keeps receiving texts and calls over Wi-Fi anywhere in the world. Bank codes arrive exactly as they would at home.
- Port your number before you leave. Porting requires an active line on your old carrier. Once the number is cancelled or recycled, it's gone permanently.
- For local calls and data abroad, an eSIM (Airalo) gets you online in minutes before you land; a local contract SIM is cheaper once you have residency paperwork.
- Where your bank supports it, switch from SMS 2FA to an authenticator app — more secure, works anywhere, no carrier required.
Tello stays active long-term — it's your US number for bank codes, not a data plan. For data when you arrive, an Airalo eSIM gets you online before you land; a local SIM replaces it once you're settled.
See our Tello recommendation →"I'll just keep my current plan" — and why that doesn't work.
Most major US carriers have rules that eventually kill your number when you live abroad. They don't advertise this. You find out when the number is already gone.
~3 months
T-Mobile detects sustained non-US network use and may disable service when you reconnect. The exact timeline varies, but forum reports consistently point to around three months of living abroad as the trigger.
60 days
AT&T Prepaid recycles inactive numbers after 60 days. If you're not using the line — and abroad, you won't be on AT&T — your number goes back into the pool. Once recycled, there's no recovery.
90 days
Verizon's "Vacation Suspend" lets you pause service — twice a year, up to 90 days per pause. Useful for a trial run. Not a solution for full relocation. After 180 days of suspension across the year, you're paying full price or losing the line.
The real cost of "keeping" an expensive plan
A $90/month Verizon plan you forget to manage still costs $1,080 a year — and eventually gets cut off at 90 days, losing the number. A $5–8/month Tello plan keeps the number active indefinitely, over Wi-Fi, from anywhere. That's the math.
Google Voice works — until your bank says otherwise.
Google Voice is a VoIP number — it rides the internet, not a cell tower. Banks know the difference. Many institutions refuse to deliver short codes (the SMS verification texts) to VoIP numbers because scammers abuse them.
Institutions that often reject VoIP 2FA
- ✕Chase — most consistently reported rejection in expat forums
- ✕IRS online portals — ID.me verification often requires a real mobile number
- ✕Some regional banks — varies by institution and changes without notice
VoIP rejection is institution-by-institution and changes over time — what works today may not work after a security policy update.
Institutions that usually accept VoIP
- ✓Fidelity — Google Voice reported working, but authenticator app is available and better
- ✓Capital One — generally accepts VoIP for SMS
- ✓Vanguard — reportedly accepts, but hardware key (Yubikey) is available and more reliable
Even where Google Voice works for SMS, an authenticator app is more secure and more reliable long-term.
See the 2FA upgrade steps →The right role for Google Voice: secondary, not primary.
Google Voice is free and useful — for calls, voicemail, and accounts that accept VoIP. The problem is using it as your only US number. When your main bank rejects it, you're locked out. A real mobile number as your primary 2FA destination, with Google Voice as a backup for everything else, is a more reliable setup.
Tello.
Real mobile number.
$5–8 a month.
Tello is a T-Mobile MVNO — not VoIP, not a workaround. It's a real carrier-network number that receives SMS short codes exactly as a domestic number would. Enable Wi-Fi calling and your bank's verification text follows you to Lisbon or Athens as reliably as it did from your kitchen.
- Real T-Mobile network number — not VoIP — bank short codes deliver
- Wi-Fi calling included — works over any Wi-Fi connection abroad
- $5–8/month — keep the number active indefinitely
- Port your existing number — same number, new carrier, no disruption
- No contracts — pay month-to-month, cancel anytime
Affiliate link — we earn a commission if you sign up, at no cost to you.
What it actually costs
Tello plans
Month-to-month · no contract
Most retirees abroad choose the $5/mo Talk & Text Basic — enough to receive verification codes and make the occasional call, while relying on a local SIM for data. The $8/mo Talk & Text is worth it if you call the US regularly.
Port before you fly. Five steps, once.
The setup takes about 30 minutes. Do it while you're still in the US — you need your old carrier active to port the number out.
From your current carrier
Call or log into your current carrier's app and request your account transfer PIN (also called a port-out PIN or authorization code). Keep your account active — don't cancel it yet.
Request the port
Choose your plan, then enter your existing number and port-out PIN during sign-up. The port typically completes within a few hours. Your old line will stop working once the transfer is done.
Then test before you leave
In your phone's settings, turn on Wi-Fi calling for Tello. Then trigger a 2FA login with one of your banks — confirm the code arrives. Do this while you're still in the US, not on the day you fly.
What about US Mobile or Mint Mobile?
US Mobile is a reasonable alternative. Their Light plan ($6/mo) is comparable to Tello's entry tier, and they run on both T-Mobile and Verizon networks, which can matter for coverage in some areas. Worth considering if you want a backup network option.
Mint Mobile — we don't recommend it as your primary 2FA number. Forum reports suggest Wi-Fi calling works, but SMS short-code delivery is less consistent than Tello's. For a page built around "your bank's code will definitely arrive," Mint's track record in this specific use case isn't as clean.
Google Fi has no affiliate program, but more importantly, it's a more expensive option (~$25/mo minimum) with no clear advantage over Tello for the keep-the-number use case. Skip it for this purpose.
Where you can do better than SMS.
SMS 2FA is the weakest form of two-factor authentication. For accounts where a stronger option exists, use it — it's more secure and it doesn't depend on any carrier working at all.
Authenticator app
Both support standard TOTP authenticator apps — Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, Authy. Set these up before you move. A time-based code from an app works on airplane mode, no carrier required.
Enable in account security settings under "two-step verification."
Hardware security key
Vanguard supports FIDO2 hardware keys (Yubikey) but not standard authenticator apps. A Yubikey is a physical USB or NFC key that signs your login — no phone, no code, no carrier. The most secure option available.
Vanguard also accepts SMS if you prefer not to use a hardware key — your Tello number works there.
SMS — use your Tello number
The IRS online portal (IRS.gov), the SSA My Social Security portal, and most US banks still rely primarily on SMS. No authenticator option is available. This is exactly why the Tello number matters — it's your backstop for the accounts that haven't upgraded.
The IRS uses ID.me for identity verification, which requires a real mobile number.
The practical setup: authenticator app for Fidelity and Schwab, Yubikey for Vanguard (optional but strong), Tello number for everything that only supports SMS — Chase, IRS, SSA, Medicare portals.
What to do for data when you actually get there.
Your Tello number handles US bank codes over Wi-Fi. For local calls, data, and a local number to give your landlord, you need a separate solution. Here's how retirees typically sequence it.
Activate before you land
Services like Airalo and Holafly let you buy a local eSIM data plan from your phone before you board. You land with data working, no airport SIM hunt. Airalo's the larger of the two — 20M+ travelers, 200+ destinations.
Airalo → (opens in new tab) (use code UNLIMITED4YOU) · Holafly as backup if needed.
Cheap, bought at any phone shop
Most countries sell prepaid SIMs at supermarkets, phone shops, or carrier stores for €10–20 with a data allowance. Requires passport or national ID. Gives you a local number for the landlord, utilities, and local services.
Note: In the EU, any SIM roams free across all EU countries — a Portuguese SIM works in Spain, France, Italy at no extra cost.
Best long-term price
Contract plans are cheaper per GB but typically require residency paperwork — your tax ID number (NIF in Portugal, NIE in Spain, AFM in Greece). Once you have residency sorted, the monthly cost for unlimited local data often drops to €15–25.
Country-specific SIM registration requirements (which documents, which carriers, which stores) are covered in each country guide. The setup above applies broadly; specifics vary by destination.
Two numbers, two lists. Here's who gets which.
US financial life
- —Banks and brokerages (Chase, Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard)
- —IRS online portal and ID.me verification
- —Social Security My Account portal
- —Medicare.gov and any CMS portals
- —Any US account you had before moving
Local life in your new country
- —Landlord, property manager, building contacts
- —Local doctor, pharmacy, and health providers
- —Utilities, internet, local bank account
- —Local services, delivery apps, transportation
- —Neighbors and local contacts
Family and friends: honestly, it doesn't matter — most family chats migrate to WhatsApp within the first month abroad, which works on either number or just data.
One related piece: your US number is what your bank reaches you at, but your IP address is what they see when you log in — and a foreign IP triggers its own fraud flags. Worth pairing this setup with a VPN that gives you a stable US IP. Read the VPN guide →.
Eight things to do, in this order.
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Confirm your phone is carrier-unlocked
A locked phone won't accept a foreign SIM or activate a foreign eSIM. Contact your US carrier and request an unlock — most do it for free once your contract is paid off. iPhones bought outright from Apple are unlocked by default; carrier-purchased ones usually aren't. Do this first, before anything else.
-
Confirm your phone supports eSIM
If you're planning to use Airalo or a local eSIM abroad, your phone needs to support it. Most US iPhones from the XR (2018) onward do. For Samsung and other Android phones, go to Settings → Connections → SIM manager — if you see an 'Add eSIM' option, you're set.
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Get your port-out PIN from your current carrier — while still in the US
Call your carrier or log into their app and request the account transfer PIN. Keep the account active. This is the one step that has to happen before you cancel anything.
-
Sign up for Tello and port your number
Choose the $5/mo Talk & Text Basic (or $8/mo if you call the US regularly). Enter your existing number and port-out PIN during sign-up. The port typically completes within a few hours.
See Tello plans → -
Enable Wi-Fi calling on your phone
In your phone's settings, turn on Wi-Fi calling for the Tello line. Then trigger a real 2FA login with your main bank and confirm the code arrives. Do this before you leave the US.
-
Set up an authenticator app for Fidelity and Schwab
Download Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, or Authy. Enable it in each brokerage's security settings. This works without any carrier signal — more reliable than SMS for high-value accounts.
Which accounts support authenticator apps → -
Buy an Airalo eSIM before your flight
Get a data plan for your destination country or region. Activate it before you board. You'll have working data the moment you land — no airport SIM hunt needed. Use code UNLIMITED4YOU at checkout.
Buy an Airalo eSIM → (opens in new tab) -
Get a local prepaid SIM within your first week
Buy at a local carrier store or supermarket. Bring your passport. This becomes your local number for the landlord, utilities, and everyday life. Upgrade to a contract plan once you have your residency tax ID.
Phone setup done. Next: make sure your US income actually reaches you abroad.
Social Security, pensions, and IRA distributions need a pipeline that works internationally — without losing $1,400 a year in bank wire fees and hidden exchange rate markups. Our banking guide covers the setup most retirees land on.
Read the banking guidePrimary sources
- Tello Help Center — Number Transfer (porting requires an active line)
- Tello — How to Keep Your US Number While Abroad (Wi-Fi calling)
- The Finance Buff — Google Voice for 2FA (VoIP rejection by banks)
- The Finance Buff — Authenticator apps and hardware keys at Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard
- Mills Wealth Advisors — Avoid Google Voice for bank authentication