How to get a UK mobile phone number for Paypal registration/OTP?

[simon43]

I have a Thai Paypal account, and that will soon be closed, thanks to the published requirement to have a Thai ID number.

 

I do have a need to use Paypal from time to time, (I have Payoneer and Stripe, but many online payments really do need Paypal), and one solution would be to register a new Paypal business account in the UK, because I'm British and I have a UK ltd company that is used with my Stripe account to receive WeChat payments from my students in China.

 

But I will need to provide a UK mobile number for registration and receipt of PIN text messages.

 

So I need a solution which will provide me with a 'virtual' UK mobile number that forwards text messages to my Thai mobile number.

 

Does anyone know of such a solution?

 

Thanks - Simon

[proton]

get a tax card, it will have a Thai ID number if that is al you need

[Liverpool Lou]

10 minutes ago, proton said:

get a tax card, it will have a Thai ID number if that is al you need

That's a way for him to get a UK mobile number?  I'll give it a try also.

[phetphet]

If you have an amazon account, you could order one from Amazon UK (www.amazom.co.uk) and have it delivered to you here.

 

You just have to add your Thai address to your account. I often buy from  both Amazon UK and  Amazon US and have things sent here.

 

You probably want to look for one that already has some credit on it so you can use it straight  away..

 

Some examples:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=uk+sim+card&crid=3K9QAMSFDRLKG&sprefix=UK+sim+card%2Caps%2C273&ref=nb_sb_ss_pltr-ranker-acceptance_1_11

 

Other than that. Get somone in the UK to buy one and post it to you.

 

HTH

 

Edited October 27, 2022 by phetphet

[doctormann]

You could get a UK SIM from GiffGaff - https://www.giffgaff.com/

This works in Thailand.

Minimal cost - just need to put a small credit on the SIM and then make the occasional SMS or phone call to keep it active.

 

[sometimewoodworker]

18 minutes ago, proton said:

get a tax card, it will have a Thai ID number if that is al you need

To use PayPal Thailand after November  you must have an NDID. Non Thai nationals can not enrol in the NDID 

 

Quote

PayPal is using the National Digital ID (NDID) platform as a sole means of verifying the identity of customers seeking to use PayPal Thailand personal accounts (including existing account holders whose accounts will be transferred to PayPal Thailand). For the time being, a Thai national ID is required to enroll in NDID (other forms of identification which do not have a 13-digit Thai national ID number, such as a non-Thai passport, work permit, non-Thai Identification card (pink ID), or Thai Permanent Resident Permit cannot be accepted).

So the only way is for a Thai national to allow you to use their account.

[sometimewoodworker]

It is also likely that PayPal U.K. will have identity requirements that cannot be met by someone not resident in the U.K. so just having a U.K. address, phone number and credit/debit card are unlikely to allow use of a U.K.  PayPal account. 
 

I haven’t bothered to check as I don’t make enough use of PayPal to go through the hoops.

[phetphet]

18 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

It is also likely that PayPal U.K. will have identity requirements that cannot be met by someone not resident in the U.K. so just having a U.K. address, phone number and credit/debit card are unlikely to allow use of a U.K.  PayPal account. 
 

I haven’t bothered to check as I don’t make enough use of PayPal to go through the hoops.

I think if one already has a UK Paypal account, it can continue to be used if no longer UK resident. I still use mine connected to my UK bank account.

But as for applying for a new account while non resident it would be neccessary to check the current requirements.

[Pi Tao]

You can get phone number, from eveywhere you want, with Skype.

 

[thoengthaied]

1 hour ago, proton said:

get a tax card, it will have a Thai ID number if that is al you need

Please explain. Are you talking about keeping the Thai Paypal account or what?

[sometimewoodworker]

37 minutes ago, phetphet said:

I think if one already has a UK Paypal account, it can continue to be used if no longer UK resident.

Almost certainly true at the moment.
 

Though from the way PayPal is dealing with the Thai situation I would not be making long term plans, since I have been using my PayPal registered in Thailand for years but now all non Thai nationals are being kicked off before Christmas 

[sandyf]

1 hour ago, doctormann said:

You could get a UK SIM from GiffGaff - https://www.giffgaff.com/

This works in Thailand.

Minimal cost - just need to put a small credit on the SIM and then make the occasional SMS or phone call to keep it active.

 

I would agree. I had a GiffGaff sim sent to me here in Thailand and I activated here before flying to the UK.

[Mike Teavee]

3 minutes ago, sandyf said:

I would agree. I had a GiffGaff sim sent to me here in Thailand and I activated here before flying to the UK.

Same here, great service & very cheap to run. 

[Andrew Dwyer]

+1 for GiffGaff 

An SMS every 6 months will keep it active, a minimum top up of £10 to activate I believe, had mine for years.

[Gaccha]

With this GiffGaff, I can order a SIM from Thailand, activate it and use from Thailand, without stepping foot in the UK?

 

Is this something special or is it that GiffGaff are convenient because they'll send the SIM and allow it to be topped up from Thailand? (I.e. why GiffGaff in particular? What snag do they overcome?)

 

(My problem is one of the financial platforms I use have added a UK phone number as a requirement to access my accounts. They know I'm not in the UK)

[richard_smith237]

On 10/27/2022 at 9:03 AM, Pi Tao said:

You can get phone number, from eveywhere you want, with Skype.

 

Will that Skype Virtual number forward on text messages to your Thai number ?

[doctormann]

16 minutes ago, Gaccha said:

With this GiffGaff, I can order a SIM from Thailand, activate it and use from Thailand, without stepping foot in the UK?

 

Is this something special or is it that GiffGaff are convenient because they'll send the SIM and allow it to be topped up from Thailand? (I.e. why GiffGaff in particular? What snag do they overcome?)

 

(My problem is one of the financial platforms I use have added a UK phone number as a requirement to access my accounts. They know I'm not in the UK)

Certainly can!

 

'Special'?  I don't know - there may be other options but GiffGaff works for me and for many others.  I got into the situation where my UK bank (Barclays) would only send OTP by SMS to a UK mobile number, hence the requirement for a UK SIM.

 

I have been using GiffGaff now for many years without any problems.  I recommend that you try it as the cost is minimal.

 

[nigelforbes]

Order a SIM from GiffGaff, they'll mail it to you here.

[Eddie45]

I need a UK sim card to receive texts from my bank so I can access my accounts. I will only need to access them about once every 2 weeks. If I get a GiffGaff Sim card do they charge a daily roaming charge like Vodafone when you switch your phone on which has the GiffGaff Sim Card in it.

[tomazbodner]

On 10/28/2022 at 10:37 AM, richard_smith237 said:

Will that Skype Virtual number forward on text messages to your Thai number ?

Hmm, no. Unless it is a US Skype number. Others won't receive SMS, only calls.

[topt]

On 1/17/2023 at 7:34 PM, Eddie45 said:

I need a UK sim card to receive texts from my bank so I can access my accounts. I will only need to access them about once every 2 weeks. If I get a GiffGaff Sim card do they charge a daily roaming charge like Vodafone when you switch your phone on which has the GiffGaff Sim Card in it.

No. As long as you disable data on that sim if dual sim or on the phone if the only sim in it.

No charge to receive SMS.

I have Asda sims and that is how it works with them. Surprised, or not really, that Vodafone is different.