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O2 UK SIM card: pay as you go and eSIM for visitors

O2 sells pay as you go SIMs and eSIMs online and in stores. What its pages say on price, 5G and ID, and what they leave out.

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Is an O2 UK SIM card a good choice for a visitor?

It is workable, with some gaps. An O2 UK SIM card for a visitor means an O2 pay as you go SIM or eSIM, which you can order online or buy at an O2 store. The pages we read say nothing about visitors or ID. We read O2's pages on 8 October 2026; this is desk research, not a test. The UK hub covers the other networks.

What does O2 pay as you go offer?

O2's pay as you go page shows two kinds of offer, Big Bundles and a Rolling plan. The only price visible when we read it was £30 for the Rolling plan, which includes up to 500 international minutes to over 42 countries and free EU roaming for up to 25 GB in the Europe Zone. The deal listings had not loaded, so we have no other prices, data amounts or validity. Check O2's pay as you go page for current offers.

O2 prepaid eSIM

An O2 prepaid eSIM is available for all Big Bundle and Rolling plan offers, ordered online or at an O2 store. O2's eSIM help page says a pay as you go eSIM can be ordered online or bought at any store, that each QR code can be used once and is locked to the device, and that you can check your phone by dialling *#06# and looking for an EID. If you delete the eSIM by accident, O2 says to visit a store with photo ID such as a passport.

What ID does O2 need?

The pay as you go page does not mention ID, and the eSIM page mentions it only in the deleted-eSIM case. We cannot say what a visitor is asked at purchase.

O2 coverage

O2 says 5G is available on all pay as you go plans with a 5G-ready phone, and that 4G Calling and Wi-Fi Calling work on compatible phones. It links to a coverage checker and gives no population percentage on the pages we read. It also makes no statement about visitors.

The O2 international page is not for visitors

O2's international page is written for O2 customers going abroad: free roaming across 45-plus European countries and bolt-ons beyond. It does not cover people arriving in the UK.

O2 against a travel eSIM

A travel eSIM is bought before you fly with no shop visit. O2 gives you a UK number and a store network, but the visitor route is unstated. See our UK SIM card comparison and cheapest eSIM page. Other UK networks: EE, Three UK and Vodafone UK.

Common questions

Can tourists buy an O2 SIM card in the UK?

O2 says a pay as you go SIM can be ordered online or bought at an O2 store. Its pages do not mention visitors or ID, so we cannot confirm what a tourist is asked. Check at the store or in the order steps.

Does O2 have a pay as you go eSIM?

Yes. O2 says an eSIM is available for all Big Bundle and Rolling plan offers, ordered online or at an O2 store. Each QR code can be used only once and is locked to the device you install it on.

What does an O2 pay as you go plan cost?

The only price visible when we read the page on 8 October 2026 was £30 for the Rolling plan, which includes up to 500 international minutes to over 42 countries. Other deals had not loaded, so check O2's site.

Does O2 have 5G on pay as you go?

O2 says 5G is available on all pay as you go plans with a 5G-ready phone. It links to a coverage checker and gives no coverage percentage on the pages we read.

Does an O2 SIM roam in Europe?

O2 says its Rolling plan includes free EU roaming for up to 25 GB in the Europe Zone, and its international page lists free roaming in over 45 countries. Those pages are written for O2 customers abroad, so check terms for your plan.

Sources and further reading