What is the best option to bring your US phone number to VN?

I have T-Mobile with a plan for people over 50. It includes international roaming at no extra cost. It's about $50 per month.

Google voice isn't always available in Asia .. or ar least in some countries here.

Skype does have a US number service but I'm unsure it has SMS.

Perhaps a virtual SIM card is worth exploring.

@pogiwayne Thanks for the info. Someone else told me the same thing.

@Fred Thanks Fred for the info!

@qnbui

We use USA Lycamobile, free texts for bank verify codes. 19 USD /mo.

For VN we use VN internet on phone  2 VN numbers and Zalo. Cheap way to go!

I also use my T-Mobile plan, though I have a business # and it costs $20 more than pogiwayne is paying.

The key to using a Google Voice number here (with the banks I use)  "appears" to be FIRST establishing a number through a US carrier & registering it with your bank (so it can be verified through the carrier) and THEN porting that number to Google Voice.

US Bank didn't work for me here when I attempted to use a Google voice number that had not been registered with them in advance.

However, I had a Skype number that I had purchased and I was able to use that with Charles Schwab.

Everything is linked to my T-Mobile number now (since my last stateside visit) and it works seamlessly.

@OceanBeach92107

@Mac68

Thanks for the info!

I use a messaging service called NumberBarn. It's about $10 a month. When I cancelled my US phone carrier, I transferred the phone number ("parked it") to them. It will forward text messages to my email (great for verification codes) and voice mail recordings to my inbox.

I also use T-Mobile. My plan is pretty old but I dont get charged any extra for texts here. On top of that I can make unlimited calls to the US on WiFi without being charged any international fees. Not sure what the deal is with Google Voice because I also use google voice for my business number and never had a problem getting texts or confirmation codes.

If you want the cheap route, just sign up with Tello for about $5-6 per month and then use Wi-Fi calling feature on the phone (unlimited txt).  AFAIK, some US banks will not accept voip (Gvoice, Numberbarn) phone numbers for verification, for ex: Chase, Capital One, Wells Fargo.....

@yng68bld Thanks for the info but if I'm using something like Tello or Mint or... I will need to use their Sim card or ESim so that would mean I would need another phone for VNese Sim card.

Most US modern phones now have the capability of dual sims with either one physical, and one esim.  I know the new iPhone only has 2 esims.  If you truly need cell sms for verification then there is no way around it.  It is truly a hassle with some banks especially Chase/Capital One when it comes to real cell numbers.  Capital One made me sent a pic of my ID and emailed to them as proof when I was in VN in 2017.

@yng68bld Thanks for the info!

Hello, just wondering what is the best option to bring your US phone number to VN? It would be mostly used to receive verification codes and phone calls. I thought about porting my cell number to Google Voice but I tested using my google voice number couple years back to see if I can receive verification codes through it but it didn't go through. Maybe the banks I was testing with didn't allow verification codes to be sent to Google Voice phone numbers. I can test again but just wondering what people are using other than bringing a phone just for their US number and pay roaming fees.Thanks for any info!   -@qnbui

If you'll be using your phone (with a new VN phone number)  mostly for bank verification codes, is there any reason you couldn't simply add a telephone number to your list? Do United States banking rules not allow this, perhaps? If permitted, you could use two SIM cards in your phone.

Here's a screen snip showing what (sometimes)  appears when I want to access my bank online.

There had been 6 numbers there but I've removed 3 (two were mine from Canada 6-7 years ago and another from a VN "ex" ~6 years back).

Two of the three numbers shown are that of my GF, the other of a good friend living in Thailand. I don't own a phone. I can select to either receive a phone call or a text to any of the current 3 numbers listed. I believe there is a limit of 10 numbers I can list.

(in this shot I've cut the final 4 identifier digits from each of the three phone numbers)

After the 911 incident, the US started to monitor all banking activities and restricted most banking to US addresses and cell numbers only.  If the banks find out that you are living in a foreign country, they will shut it down.  Happened to a few friends of mine.  For US expats, it is always a good idea to have a US mailing address, real cell number and also someone that they can trust to be on the bank accounts.

After the 911 incident, the US started to monitor all banking activities and restricted most banking to US addresses and cell numbers only.  If the banks find out that you are living in a foreign country, they will shut it down.  Happened to a few friends of mine.

Wow. Just...wow.

  For US expats, it is always a good idea to have a US mailing address, real cell number and also someone that they can trust to be on the bank accounts.       -@yng68bld

So, I pray you're not telling me that in order for a United States expat to maintain their home bank account(s) that they must...what? Commit fraud?

https://creativeplanning.com/internatio … ng-closed/

Fraud to keep an otherwise perfectly legal, harmless, account - Looks that way.

There we have the usual political crap hurting totally innocent people for no reason.

They're abroad - They must be terrorists - The level of idiocy is stunning.

@Fred I had one of my bank accounts closed at random without notice because they noticed I was abroad for more than 30 days. Without even telling me they closed the account and mailed a check to the last address they had on file. Thank god it wasnt much and thank god the check got rerouted to my moms house but I was pretty pissed about it.

Just curious when you let your bank know you'll be out of the country so they don't freeze your card when you take out money in VN, did you let them know how long you'll be gone or that you'll be out of the country?

I told them when I would be here. Not sure what difference it made. Years ago someone scammed my atm card. And withdraw everywhere across Mexico at the same time!!!! I bank at a credit union.

I've been here five  years.  All my banking is in the US.  Including a bank, two major investing houses and a couple of credit cards.  They know I am in Viet Nam and it has never been a problem.  Use ATM or credit cards without any hassle.  They are registered for my home in Texas.  Yes.  I keep a US phone number and a VNese phone number on a dual sim phone.  I use ATT for US.  Yeah the OTP is annoying.  That is the only time I turn on the US sim while in Asia.   I use skype for calls to US.  Never had a problem.  Now dealing with the VA.....that's another story entirely.

Even in the US, dealing with the VA has never been easy.  I am an army vet with very limited use of the VA system but whenever I had to deal with it, I tried to start things early and be ready for the long wait.

    Just curious when you let your bank know you'll be out of the country so they don't freeze your card when you take out money in VN, did you let them know how long you'll be gone or that you'll be out of the country?
   

    -@qnbui

I use a credit union and Charles Schwab for my banking. I go online and tell them of my travel plans. I have occasionally received a text msg asking if I made a purchase but a quick yes keeps the card from being locked.