Colombia eSIM Setup, Step by Step
Setting up an eSIM for Colombia is genuinely a few-minute job, and almost every problem people hit comes from doing the right steps in the wrong order. The reliable sequence is simple: install at home on wifi, configure your lines, and switch the data on only after you land. Get that order right and you are online before you leave Bogota or Medellin airport. This guide walks it for both iPhone and Android, then heads off the three errors that cause nearly every problem.
Installing is not activating. The single idea that prevents most eSIM headaches is understanding that you can add the profile weeks early and the clock only starts when you choose.
Before you start: check your phone is eligible
Two things must be true. Your phone has to support eSIM, which covers essentially every iPhone from the XS onward and most flagship and mid-range Android phones from recent years. And it has to be carrier-unlocked, meaning not locked to a single home operator. If you bought your phone outright or have finished a contract, it is almost certainly unlocked. If you are unsure, your home carrier can confirm, and it is worth checking before you travel rather than discovering a lock after landing in Colombia.
On iPhone, go to Settings, General, About and look for an Available SIM or EID entry. On Android, search the settings for eSIM or look under network and SIM settings for an option to add a data plan. If the option exists, your phone supports eSIM. The unlock status is separate and best confirmed with your carrier.
Step by step: the sequence that never fails
When your eSIM is delivered, add the profile over a stable wifi connection, before you fly. Scan the QR code or use the in-app install. This loads the profile but does not start your data allowance.
Give your home SIM and the Colombia eSIM clear names, such as Home and Colombia. This makes the next steps unambiguous and stops you toggling the wrong line.
Before or just after landing, set the Colombia eSIM as your mobile data line, and switch off data roaming on your home line so it cannot bill you. Keep the home line on for its calls and texts.
Enable the Colombia eSIM once you are in the country. It connects to Claro, Movistar and Tigo, activation begins, and you are online. Toggle data roaming on for the Colombia line specifically, since a travel eSIM technically roams onto the local network.
A travel eSIM connects to a Colombia network as a roaming partner, so the data roaming switch must be ON for the eSIM line for it to work. This feels wrong because we are trained to keep roaming off. The trick is that it applies per line: roaming OFF on your home line to avoid home-carrier charges, roaming ON for the Colombia eSIM line so it can use the local network. Setting them both the same way is the most common setup error.
iPhone specifics
On iPhone the eSIM lives under Settings, Cellular or Mobile Data. After installing, tap the Colombia plan to rename it, set it as the data line, and toggle Data Roaming on for it. Under the home line, turn Data Roaming off. iPhones handle two active lines cleanly, so you keep iMessage and calls on your home number while data flows through the Colombia plan.
Android specifics
Android wording varies by manufacturer, but the path is similar: Settings, then Network and internet or Connections, then SIMs or SIM manager. Add the eSIM, name it, set it as the mobile data SIM, and enable roaming for that SIM while disabling it for the home SIM. Samsung, Pixel and most recent flagships support this dual-SIM setup without trouble.
The three errors that cause almost every problem
- Roaming off on the eSIM line. The travel eSIM needs roaming enabled to use the Colombia network. If you have data but no connection, check this first.
- Data line still set to home. If the phone is still using the home SIM for data, you will be on expensive roaming or no data. Confirm the Colombia eSIM is the selected data line.
- Installing after landing without wifi. Scanning a QR code needs an internet connection you do not have yet. Install at home, or use the airport wifi if you must.
Toggle airplane mode on and off to force a fresh network search, confirm the Colombia eSIM line is enabled and set for data with roaming on, and check you have signal. A manual network selection, choosing Claro or Movistar by hand, occasionally helps in a fringe area. The airports and cities are well covered, so a failure there is almost always a settings issue.
A tip for trekking and Amazon-bound travelers
If your trip includes a trek or the Amazon, set up and fully test your eSIM in a city, Bogota or Medellin or the nearest hub, well before you head into the mountains or jungle. Once you are on a trail or river there is no signal to troubleshoot with and no way to scan a QR code. Confirm the eSIM is live in the city, download everything you need offline, then head off knowing your setup is sound for when you return to coverage.
Where we land
The whole game is order and the per-line roaming toggle. Install at home on wifi, label your lines, set data to the Colombia eSIM with roaming on for it and off for your home line, and switch it on after landing. Done in that sequence, setup is a thirty-second task on arrival. Our Colombia plans deliver the profile for install the moment you buy.
Plans for Colombia
Colombia eSIM plans
Prices in USD. Instant QR activation. Pick your data, land connected.
FAQ
When should I install my Colombia eSIM?
Install the profile at home over wifi before you travel, as soon as it is delivered. Installing loads the profile but does not start your data allowance, so there is no downside to doing it early. Installing after landing is the most common mistake, because scanning the QR code needs an internet connection you do not yet have.
Do I need to turn on data roaming for a Colombia eSIM?
Yes, for the eSIM line specifically. A travel eSIM connects to a Colombia network as a roaming partner, so data roaming must be enabled for the eSIM line to work. Keep data roaming off for your home line so your home carrier cannot bill you. The setting applies per line, which catches people out.
Will my Colombia eSIM work on my iPhone or Android?
It works on any eSIM-capable, carrier-unlocked phone, including essentially every iPhone from the XS onward and most recent flagship and mid-range Android phones from Samsung, Google and others. Check your phone supports eSIM in its settings and confirm it is unlocked with your carrier before traveling.
Can I keep my home number active with a Colombia eSIM?
Yes. The Colombia eSIM is a separate line, so your home SIM stays active for calls and texts on your home number while data runs through the Colombia eSIM. Just keep data roaming off on the home line so it does not incur charges, and set the Colombia eSIM as your data line.
My Colombia eSIM has no connection after landing. What do I check?
Check that data roaming is enabled for the eSIM line, the Colombia eSIM is the selected data line, and the eSIM is switched on. Toggle airplane mode to force a network search. If it still fails, try selecting Claro or Movistar manually in network settings. The airports are well covered, so it is almost always a settings issue.