Indian SIM card: payment by Carte Bleue

Hi there,

Like every time I travel to India, I get an Indian phone line to have phone access and 4G at a ridiculously low cost compared to what my French operator charges me. Unfortunately, this year, my online purchases (transport bookings on Cleartrip or IRCTC...) aren't going through because my bank requires SMS verification on my French line, which I don’t have ;(( Before, I had the option to receive the verification code by email, but not anymore. My bank isn’t responding to my requests to update my phone number... So now, I’m stuck. I tried opening a Paytm account since PayPal doesn’t work in India, but again, I need to verify my card with an SMS code... I also tried funding my Paytm account via a PayPal transfer, but apparently, that’s not possible. Does anyone have a solution to my problem?

Thanks, Fred

Hi there,

Yes, this issue with SMS verification codes really complicates things for travelers, since French banks don’t send codes to foreign numbers.

For making online reservations, a PayTM account seems like a good solution (though I haven’t tried it yet):

- You can find someone with a PayTM account and ask them to send you a certain amount in exchange for cash

- Some ATMs let you top up your PayTM account (I’ve never tried this, but I’m considering it for my next trip). I know of one if you’re in Delhi: at the Central Secretariat metro station (yellow/violet line).

If you come up with another idea later, feel free to share it here 😉

hi just a quick question... I think there's a way to sync SMS from your mobile plan with your PC... on Orange (for example), and then check them on your account, right? Or am I maybe talking total nonsense... 😉

Thanks for your replies. I’ll definitely try to find an Indian shop to top up my Paytm account. We’ll see if it works since Paytm also requires a bank account plus a document like Aadhaar or a passport (but French passport numbers don’t go through...). With RED SFR I couldn’t find a way to get SMS on my PC... I’ll keep you posted if I find a solution...

Fred

The SMS2mail app works in a very simple way: it monitors the SMS arriving on your phone and sends them to the email address you’ve specified (Gmail, but not only!). If you ask nicely, it’ll also forward your outgoing texts. I just found this... not sure how good it is.......

The Sms2Mail app can forward all incoming text messages from your device to an email account. Sms2Mail is a user-friendly and very easy-to-use app. It comes in handy when you need an OTP for a transaction or verification and don’t have access to your mobile device.

I had looked into that kind of SMS2mail app, but I can’t find anything recent that confirms it works :((

Fred

Like many of you, you probably think it’s not possible to check SMS messages away from your phone. Well, sorry to disappoint, but that’s not true. Several apps offer a free service that automatically forwards a copy of your texts to your email inbox. Google’s Play Store has dozens of apps that can handle this kind of task. For this tutorial, we’ve chosen the sms2mail app. As the name suggests, it lets you access your SMS messages away from your phone via your webmail.

keep me posted because I'm heading to India in October and also use an Indian SIM card during my stays.....in my previous trips I never had too many issues paying on Booking or similar sites....but sites like Cleartrip are indeed different.......best regards.

Oh no! PayTM accounts now also require an Aadhaar...

Philg01's idea of using an app to receive SMS is probably a good one. I didn't know that existed. It would've saved me some complications in the past... 🤪

I'm not sure these apps will work given the low number of downloads... Fred

traveling with two mobile phones. One for the Indian SIM card, a second one with our home SIM just to receive the code.

Hello, As Mark mentioned, you need two phones—or, like us, a smartphone that can take two SIM cards. That way, we can use both the Indian and French SIMs. If your smartphone doesn’t support dual SIMs, you can always buy a phone locally... Safe travels! Anne

Hi,

I contacted the credit card emergency number and my bank’s customer service... but they couldn’t change my phone number remotely! I finally solved the problem when I discovered my phone supports dual SIM cards! So I can keep my Indian 4G and still receive SMS codes on my French phone. A dual-SIM phone or two separate phones really is the best solution. Especially since, in theory, receiving SMS abroad from France is free (well, with RED SFR at least). Thanks, Fred

Well, great... that's indeed the best solution... I'm happy for you, enjoy the rest of your trip! Anne

Actually, the dual SIM does seem like the best solution (the simplest one, at least)......and from what I’ve found online.... receiving SMS abroad is free on many plans, unlike MMS and calls.......best regards.... have a great trip

Hello, I’m jumping into your discussion a bit late. I’m heading to India on November 8th. I’m a woman of a certain age, so... Your answers often leave me puzzled. I haven’t booked anything in advance except for a few hotel nights, because in India you can always find solutions—even if it means paying 3 extra rupees.

Wi-Fi is almost everywhere, and I don’t even think I’ll get a SIM card since hotels are happy to make calls for us in Hindi. Am I talking nonsense??? What worries me more: I read that Visa, Mastercard, etc., have become illegal. ??? Is that just another internet exaggeration, I hope? Otherwise, what’s the solution for long stays? Thanks in advance for your replies

Apart from this article, I don’t see any other information confirming this issue with French debit cards: https://www.lesechos.fr/finance-marches/banque-assurances/0302419845627-en-inde-visa-mastercard-et-american-express-sont-desormais-hors-la-loi-2214106.php In my opinion, there’s nothing to worry about—I’m still checking with friends who are there just in case... FRed

Hi, I'm in Gujarat right now. Arrived in India on October 17th. I was able to make an ATM withdrawal without any issues at Mumbai airport. Haven't tried again since.

My friends withdrew cash with their Mastercard just yesterday...

Fred

Phew, thanks everyone, good news!

Hi, just a quick question—how can I get a brand-new SIM card? Recently, JIO sold me a SIM, and I kept getting fraud calls, plus apps like Ola and Uber were blocked. Thanks for your help!