Guide

EU roaming countries: where roam like at home stops in 2026

Roam like at home covers the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Ukraine and Moldova. Here’s where it stops in 2026 and when you need a travel eSIM.

Published October 1, 2026 · 8 min read · MoreSim editorial team

As of October 2026, EU roaming — “roam like at home” — covers 32 countries: the 27 EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, plus Ukraine and Moldova since January 1, 2026. Inside that zone a SIM from an EU or EEA operator uses its home allowance at no extra charge. Outside it are the UK, Switzerland, Turkey, the Western Balkans, Andorra, Monaco, Morocco and satellite networks on ships and planes.

Which countries are covered by EU roaming in 2026?

As of October 2026, roam like at home works in 32 countries, according to the European Commission’s roaming page (last updated July 13, 2026). The rule comes from Regulation (EU) 2022/612, and the Commission says it now runs until 2032. Here is the full list of EU roaming countries:

• EU member states (27): Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
• European Economic Area (3): Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
• Since January 1, 2026: Ukraine and Moldova. The Council of the EU approved both extensions in July 2025, and the rule works both ways: EU SIMs in Ukraine and Moldova, Ukrainian and Moldovan SIMs in the EU.

EU territory far from the mainland counts too: the Canary Islands, the Azores, Madeira, French overseas regions such as Réunion and Guadeloupe, and Finland’s Åland Islands are all EU, so roam like at home applies there. Overseas territories outside the EU, such as French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Aruba or Curaçao, follow your operator’s own terms.

The rule protects SIMs from EU and EEA operators. A UK, US or Swiss SIM in Spain or Italy runs on its own operator’s roaming terms, not on EU rules.

Where does roam like at home stop?

Roam like at home stops at the edge of the EU, the EEA, Ukraine and Moldova. Many operators extend their offers further, the EU’s Your Europe portal notes, so the table shows what the rules guarantee, not what your contract adds.

Is Switzerland, the UK or Turkey in EU roaming?

No: Switzerland, the UK and Turkey are all outside roam like at home as of October 2026, so the cost depends on your operator’s own tariff.

Switzerland isn’t in the EU or the EEA, so EU roaming rules don’t apply there, even though the EU roaming zone surrounds it. Some EU operators put Switzerland into a Europe zone of their own, others bill it separately. Our Switzerland guide covers mobile data in the Alps and on trains.

The UK has left the EU, and the Commission says roam like at home no longer applies there, though some operators kept the benefit. The same goes for Gibraltar and the Channel Islands. Our UK guide explains the options for visitors.

Turkey isn’t covered either: an EU SIM roams there on its operator’s non-EU rates, so check them before you land in Antalya or Istanbul.

Will EU roaming reach the Western Balkans?

Not yet: as of October 2026, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia are outside roam like at home. On February 25, 2026, the Commission proposed opening negotiations with all six; the Council has since authorized the talks, and the Commission’s roaming FAQ says there is no set deadline.

Meanwhile, a voluntary agreement between EU and Western Balkan operators caps retail data roaming prices; it lowers bills but isn’t roam like at home. For a road trip through the region, see our guide to Serbia and the Balkans.

Why can your phone roam by accident at a border or at sea?

Near a border your phone may join a foreign network outside the zone if its signal is stronger. Common examples are Greek islands facing the Turkish coast, the Swiss border around Basel and Lake Geneva, and the Strait of Gibraltar, where Moroccan networks can reach the Spanish shore.

Ships and planes are the second trap. EU rules cover land networks only, so you still roam like at home in a harbor, on a river or along the coast. On open water or in flight your phone may join an onboard satellite network, which isn’t covered and is usually expensive; your operator must text you, with an automatic cut-off once roaming charges reach a limit set by EU rules.

What does fair use mean on EU roaming?

Fair use is the safeguard that lets an operator limit roam like at home in two cases: very cheap or unlimited data, and stays abroad that outweigh time at home. The Commission says the data limit should cover most, if not all, roaming needs.

• Data limit. On an unlimited or very cheap plan, the roaming data cap must be at least twice your monthly price excluding VAT divided by the EU wholesale cap per GB. The operator must tell you the limit in advance.
• Over the limit. You can keep using data for a small per-GB surcharge capped by EU rules, falling again in 2027.
• Long stays. Roam like at home is for periodic travel. If over four months you spend more time abroad than at home and use your SIM more there too, the operator can ask you to explain within 14 days and then add surcharges.

If you’re charged extra inside the zone, complain to your operator first, then to your national telecoms regulator.

When does an EU resident need a travel eSIM?

An EU resident rarely needs a travel eSIM inside the zone; it earns its place when the trip leaves the zone or outgrows fair use:

• Roaming outside the EU: the UK, Switzerland, Turkey, the Balkans, Morocco, Andorra, Monaco or the Faroe Islands, unless your operator includes them.
• Long stays for study, remote work or a winter abroad, where the four-month check can kick in.
• An unlimited or budget plan with a low roaming data cap.
• A cruise with ports outside the EU, such as in Turkey, Montenegro or Morocco.

As of October 2026, the MoreSim “Europe” plan lists 47 countries, including most of the places roam like at home misses; the rest have their own country plans:

MoreSim plans are mobile data only, with no phone number: you call through messaging apps where they aren’t restricted, and bank texts keep arriving on your home SIM. Check the plan card’s country list against your route. The eSIM works as a second line, and the plan starts counting on first connection in the destination. You can buy on moresim.online or in the @moresim_bot Telegram bot, which works in 40 languages, and the QR code arrives in the chat in about 30 seconds. Pay with Telegram Stars from any country, right in the bot; bank card and SBP payments currently work with cards issued in Russia.

Before you cross the border: a checklist

Check the country, your fair use limit and which network your phone joins before you cross:

1. Find your destination above: EU, EEA, Ukraine or Moldova means roam like at home covers an EU SIM.
2. Outside the zone, check your operator’s roaming page for that exact country, microstates included.
3. Look up your fair use data limit in your contract or in the welcome text.
4. On a ferry, cruise or flight, turn data roaming off at sea and in the air.
5. If you add a travel eSIM, install it at home over Wi-Fi. On arrival, turn on data roaming for the eSIM line: most travel eSIMs connect to a local carrier’s network as roaming SIMs, so without it you won’t get data.
6. On your home SIM, turn off mobile data so your internet doesn’t run through your home carrier. Keep the line on for bank texts if your operator offers roaming there.