# Eswatini travel eSIM guide

> Eswatini mobile guide: MTN's SIM registration with passport and proof of residence, Eswatini Mobile's emalangeni bundles, 5G in Matsapha and Manzini, 30-day visa-free entry and 999, 977 and 933.

Page: https://esimnest.com/eswatini/guide/

Eswatini has two mobile operators, MTN Eswatini and Eswatini Mobile, and the national regulator requires every SIM to be registered. MTN's registration page asks for an ID or valid passport, proof of residence not older than three months and a photograph taken by the agent, and warns that an unregistered number is disconnected. Both operators price in emalangeni. Eswatini Mobile says it has launched 5G in Matsapha and Manzini. This guide reads the operators' pages, the regulator's site and the UK Foreign Office, and says where a page did not describe a visitor product.

By eSimNest Team. Facts last checked 2026-10-02 against the sources listed at the end.

## Registering a SIM: the proof-of-residence question

MTN Eswatini's registration page says the Eswatini Communications Commission issued a regulation directing every mobile provider to register its customers' SIM cards, and that failing to register results in the number being disconnected. To register, it asks for your ID or valid passport, proof of residence not older than three months and a photograph captured by the agent, at an MTN outlet or from a VELA agent. A confirmation SMS follows, and dialling *1212# shows the registration status.

One person can register up to 10 numbers on one ID, and groups of at least 50 people can register together. The page does not say how a short-stay visitor with no local address should satisfy the proof-of-residence line, so ask at the shop what they accept before you rely on buying a SIM on arrival. The regulator, ESCCOM, describes itself as the authority for telecommunications, broadcasting and postal services and runs a separate registration portal that we could not read in full.

## Eswatini Mobile's data bundles

Eswatini Mobile's data bundle page lists daily, weekly and monthly bundles in emalangeni. At the time of checking, a 24-hour bundle cost E2 for 50 MB, E5 for 100 MB or E10 for 250 MB, and a midnight bundle cost E25 for 1 GB or E50 for unlimited data valid until midnight. Weekly bundles ran from E17 for 250 MB to E160 for 5 GB, and monthly bundles from E25 for 500 MB, split between day and night data, to E500 for 50 GB of anytime data.

The page does not describe a visitor SIM or say what registration is needed. Because some monthly bundles split their allowance between day and night, read which part is anytime data before choosing. The operator also sells a 5G home router, which a visitor would not use.

## MTN's Lula combos

MTN Eswatini's Lula combo page lists monthly combos. At the time of checking, E25 bought 1 GB of anytime data, 1 GB of bonus data valid 24 hours, 35 voice minutes and 50 SMS, E45 bought 2 GB with 70 minutes and 100 SMS, and E95 bought 6 GB with 140 minutes. Larger combos listed were E150 for 10 GB and E250 for 20 GB with 350 minutes.

These combos include voice minutes, split between on-net and off-net, which matters for a visitor who wants to be able to place a call. Neither the combo page nor the registration page mentions an eSIM, so we do not claim one.

## 5G in Matsapha and Manzini

Eswatini Mobile's homepage says it has launched a 5G network that brings next-level connectivity to Matsapha and Manzini, with more areas to follow. That is an operator claim, with no coverage map in the text we read, and it is not a statement that 5G reaches Mbabane or the national parks. The operator's coverage page gave us no readable text.

For visitors heading to Hlane or Mkhaya, or hiking in the Highveld, assume patchy signal and save offline maps. The Foreign Office adds that in the wet months from November to April, violent thunderstorms, heavy rain and hail are common in the highlands, with some flooding.

## Entry, passport stamps and driving

The UK Foreign Office says British visitors can stay up to 30 days without a visa, extendable by 30 days through the Ministry of Home Affairs, and that you should check the stamp in your passport carries the correct dates, since wrong dates can lead the authorities to bar re-entry for up to a year. It adds that air arrivals may need to complete a health form and that a yellow fever certificate is needed if you arrive from a listed risk country.

For driving, it says you need the 1949 international driving permit as well as your UK licence, that drink-driving limits are stricter than in England and that police run regular roadside checks. A vehicle not registered in Eswatini needs a customs declaration at the border and a road fund levy of 150 emalangeni, payable in South African rand. Rules differ by nationality, so check the high commission for your own passport.

## Emergency numbers

The UK Foreign Office lists 977 for an ambulance, 933 for fire and 999 for police in Eswatini. Our Eswatini plan page covers data before you arrive.

Emergency calls: Many travel eSIMs carry data only, and a data-only profile may not place a normal phone call. Keep a voice-capable SIM for emergencies, such as your home SIM or a local plan, and save the local emergency number from this guide.

Plans and current prices for Eswatini: [eSIM for Eswatini](https://esimnest.com/eswatini/).

## Questions

### Do I have to register a SIM in Eswatini?

MTN says the regulator requires it, and an unregistered number is disconnected. It asks for ID or passport, proof of residence under three months old and a photograph.

### How do I check my registration?

MTN says to dial *1212#, and a confirmation SMS follows registration.

### How much is MTN's cheapest monthly combo?

At the time of checking, E25 for 1 GB of anytime data, 35 voice minutes and 50 SMS.

### How much is Eswatini Mobile's daily data?

E2 for 50 MB, E5 for 100 MB or E10 for 250 MB for 24 hours, at the time of checking.

### Is there 5G?

Eswatini Mobile says it launched 5G in Matsapha and Manzini, which is an operator claim.

### How long can I stay without a visa?

The UK Foreign Office says up to 30 days, extendable by 30 days. Rules differ by nationality.

### What are the emergency numbers?

The UK Foreign Office lists 999 for police, 933 for fire and 977 for an ambulance.

## Sources

- [MTN Eswatini: SIM registration](https://www.mtn.co.sz/personal/vela-sim-registration/)
- [ESCCOM: Eswatini Communications Commission](https://www.esccom.org.sz)
- [Eswatini Mobile: data bundles](https://eswatinimobile.co.sz/data-bundles/)
- [MTN Eswatini: Lula combos](https://www.mtn.co.sz/mtn-lula-combos/)
- [Eswatini Mobile: homepage](https://eswatinimobile.co.sz/)
- [Eswatini Mobile: network coverage](https://eswatinimobile.co.sz/network-coverage/)
- [GOV.UK: Eswatini safety and security](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/eswatini/safety-and-security)
- [GOV.UK: Eswatini entry requirements](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/eswatini/entry-requirements)
- [GOV.UK: Eswatini getting help](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/eswatini/getting-help)
