How to Get a US Phone Number When You Live in Another Country

People abroad need a US number for all sorts of reasons: an app that only launches in the US, a service that wants a +1 number at sign-up, family or clients in the States, or simply keeping a US presence after moving away. The right answer depends on one question more than any other: do you need the number for a single verification, or do you need to keep it, call from it and receive texts for months or years? This guide walks through each option honestly, including where each one tends to fail.

What are the options for a US number from abroad?

There is no single best way to get a US number from another country. Each option trades off cost, how long you keep the number and how widely apps accept it for verification.

Line type matters most for verification. Apps that check numbers during sign-up often refuse VoIP lines, so a VoIP number that works fine for calling may be useless for creating an account.

Can I use Google Voice or TextNow from outside the US?

Google Voice is designed for people in the US and generally asks for an existing US number to link during setup, which is a catch-22 if you're already abroad. Once set up, many people keep using it while traveling, but Google may restrict accounts or reclaim numbers that sit unused. TextNow is easier to start with, but its numbers are recycled after a period of inactivity.

The bigger issue is verification. Both services provide VoIP numbers, and many apps, including popular messaging and social apps, refuse VoIP numbers at sign-up. If your goal is to verify an account, a VoIP number is the option most likely to fail.

Should I get a US eSIM or SIM card instead?

If you need a US number you'll keep, a mobile line is the more reliable choice. Some US carriers and travel eSIM providers sell plans that include a US number, and many phones can hold an eSIM alongside your home SIM. Availability, identity requirements and whether a plan includes a number at all vary by provider, so read the details before paying; many data-only travel eSIMs come without a phone number.

A physical US prepaid SIM works too if you can buy one on a trip or have one sent to you. Keep it topped up, because prepaid numbers that go unused or unpaid are eventually disconnected and reassigned.

Step by step

1. Decide what you needChoose a kept number (eSIM, SIM or VoIP app) if you'll call or text, or a rented number if you only need one code.
2. Choose the service and United StatesIn the Noir SMS dashboard, pick the app you're verifying, or Any other, and select United States.
3. Enter the number in the appSelect United States (+1) in the app and type the 10-digit number without a leading 1.
4. Wait for the codeThe SMS appears in your dashboard with a sound alert. If none arrives in 20 minutes, you're refunded automatically.
5. Secure the accountAdd your email, an authenticator app or your own number so you don't depend on the temporary number.

When is a rented US number the right choice?

If you only need to receive a verification code once, a rented number is the simplest route and works from anywhere with a browser. On Noir SMS you choose the service you're verifying, select United States, and buy a number for that one verification. The code appears in your dashboard automatically with a sound alert.

Noir SMS numbers are mobile numbers from carriers rather than VoIP lines, so they usually work where Google Voice or TextNow numbers are refused. No app accepts every number, though. Each number is reserved for 20 minutes, and if no SMS arrives you're refunded to your balance automatically. You can't pick the area code or city, and the number can't make calls or send texts.

• Good for: signing up to an app or service that requires a +1 number.
• Not good for: a number you'll keep, use for calls, or rely on for account recovery.
• Always: use it only for your own legitimate accounts and within each platform's terms.

What should I do after verifying with a temporary US number?

Temporary numbers are recycled by the provider later, so treat them as a way through sign-up, not as your account's long-term contact. Right after verifying, add an email address, an authenticator app or a passkey, and add your own number if the account matters to you. That way, losing the temporary number never locks you out.

Also note that a US number doesn't make a service available in your country if it's restricted by region, and it isn't a way around identity checks. Noir SMS doesn't allow use for banking, fintech, crypto exchanges or other KYC checks.