Practical guide
How do I register a SIM card in Bahrain?
By Gaurav Agarwal · Updated 11 October 2026
Bring a valid passport, GCC ID or Bahraini CPR to an operator outlet. Staff run the document check, and you scan your fingerprint at the counter. Some operators offer an app eSIM, but the official pages do not say which app route accepts a passport, so check with the operator first.
01Which document do you need?
The TRA's SIM registration rule took effect on 12 July 2017. It covers prepaid and postpaid lines for consumers, companies and government bodies, according to Batelco's notice.
Your document depends on your nationality. The table combines Batelco's notice and Zain's page.
| Who you are | Document to bring |
|---|---|
| Bahraini national | Valid Bahraini ID (CPR or Smartcard) |
| GCC national | Valid national ID issued by a GCC state, or a valid Bahraini CPR (Batelco). Zain also accepts a valid passport. |
| Any other nationality | Valid passport, or a valid Bahraini CPR |
| Company or government entity | Copy of a valid Commercial Registration, an authorisation letter, and the signatory's CPR or Smartcard |
02How the counter registration works
The counter route needs you in person (TRA, 2018). stc and Batelco also offer app routes, covered below. The TRA says you need a passport or Smart ID, or a CR for business owners, and the process takes minutes. You only need to register once.
- Choose an operator outlet. Batelco's notice says any Batelco shop will do.
- Bring the document for your nationality from the table above.
- Hand over the document. Staff check it and start the verification.
- Place your finger on the scanner. The TRA requires a biometric scan for every SIM owner.
- Ask the staff to confirm the line is registered before you leave.
03Can a visitor register with a passport?
Yes, at the counter. Zain's page and Batelco's 2017 notice both accept a valid passport for non-GCC nationals, though neither page mentions visitors by name. The fingerprint scan still applies.
The official pages do not say whether a local address is needed. Ask the outlet before you go.
stc's visitor eSIM pack costs BD 8.500. You can buy it abroad and activate it after you enter Bahrain, in the mystc BH app. Zain's eSIM must be activated inside Bahrain for first use.
04Can you register in an app or get an eSIM?
The rules differ by operator, and the official pages do not all say which documents each route accepts.
stc eSIM: Use the mystc BH app. stc says there is no delivery and no fingerprint at activation. Instead, you pass a face recognition check, then install the eSIM. Steps are on stc's eSIM page.
stc Scan & Go: Buy a physical SIM from stc shops and partners for BD 0.300, which stc credits back to your line. In the app, scan the barcode, select a plan and complete identity verification. See stc's Scan & Go page.
Batelco: A 5 September 2023 announcement says the fingerprint step is now done digitally in the Batelco app, and you can get an eSIM within one minute. The announcement does not mention visitors or passport holders.
Zain: Its eSIM must be activated inside Bahrain for first use (Zain instant activation). Zain's verification page describes counter visits, not an app route.
05Which route is for you?
Find your situation in the first column. Each row uses only official operator or TRA facts.
| You are | Best route | What the official source says |
|---|---|---|
| A visitor with a passport and no CPR | An operator outlet for a SIM. Or stc's eSIM in the mystc BH app if you want to buy before you arrive. | Batelco and Zain accept a valid passport, and the TRA requires a fingerprint scan. The Batelco app route is not confirmed for passport holders. |
| A GCC national | An operator outlet, with your GCC ID. | Zain accepts a valid passport or a GCC-issued ID card. Batelco's notice lists a GCC national ID or a valid Bahraini CPR. |
| A resident with a Bahraini CPR or Smartcard | Any operator outlet. Or the Batelco or stc app route if you want an eSIM or a new number. | A valid CPR or Smartcard. Batelco allows up to 3 new numbers per CPR per month through its app. |
| A prepaid owner | Confirm your ID every 12 months on stc: dial *81114#, use the mystc BH app, or text your ID number to 81114. | stc says the TRA requires prepaid owners to confirm the registration ID yearly, or the line is interrupted. |
| A postpaid owner | Register at an outlet if you have not. Zain has disconnected unregistered postpaid lines. | Zain: reactivate at any Zain Experience Shop. Batelco asked postpaid customers to re-register from November 2017. |
| Over 60, disabled, or fingerprints that cannot be read | An operator outlet, with documents only. | The TRA exempts you from the scan and asks only for documents to prove identity. |
| A company or government entity | An operator outlet, with all three documents. | A copy of a valid Commercial Registration, an authorisation letter, and the signatory's CPR or Smartcard (Batelco). |
06Before you go: checklist
Run through this list before you leave, or screenshot it for a family member.
- Pick the original document for your nationality from the first table, and check it has not expired.
- If you want an app route, check your phone is eSIM-compatible and install the operator's app.
- Keep the numbers to hand: Batelco 196 and the TRA consumer line 81188.
- Plan for the fingerprint scan, unless you are exempt.
07Two situations, step by step
A new arrival on a passport. Go to an operator outlet with a valid passport. Zain and Batelco accept it for non-GCC nationals, and you scan your fingerprint at the counter. To buy before you arrive, stc sells a visitor eSIM pack at BD 8.500, activated in the mystc BH app after you enter Bahrain.
A resident who finds an unknown line in their name. Ask each operator which lines sit under your CPR, then ask for the unknown one to be disconnected and report the misuse. Do not leave it: the TRA reports over a hundred travel bans from SIMs registered in victims' names.
08Limits, fees and exemptions
The TRA imposed no registration fee. Its 2018 deadlines have passed. Operators still charge for the SIM or plan, so check prices at the outlet.
| Item | What the official source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Registration fee | No fee imposed by the TRA | TRA release, 18 Feb 2018 |
| Zain prepaid limit | Maximum of 10 prepaid SIM cards per customer, from 12 July 2017 | Zain verification page |
| Batelco app limit | Up to 3 new mobile numbers under one CPR per month | Batelco, 5 Sept 2023 |
| Fingerprint exemption | Over 60, disabled, or unreadable fingerprints. Documents only. | TRA release, 2018 |
| Fingerprint mismatch | Update the fingerprint at the Information & eGovernment Authority outlets | TRA release, 2018 |
| stc visitor eSIM pack | BD 8.500 | stc eSIM page |
| stc Scan & Go SIM | BD 0.300, credited back to your line | stc Scan & Go page |
| Expired ID on a prepaid line | Update the ID details at any stc retail shop | stc revalidation page |
| Line terminated for not confirming ID | Visit an stc retail shop to request retrieval of the line | stc revalidation page |
09Never register a SIM for others, and check your numbers
Register lines only for immediate family. A Gulf Daily News report dated 31 July 2026 quotes Hidd Police Station chief Colonel Dr Osama Bahar, speaking on the Interior Ministry's Al Aman programme. He warned against registering SIM cards in your name for anyone other than immediate family, such as a spouse or young children. This is a news report of a police officer's advice, not the text of a rule.
The same report says that if a number registered to you is linked to fraud, police can summon and question you as the registered owner. It lists possible legal repercussions and travel bans, and says postpaid and data charges stay with the account holder.
The risk behind the warning is on an official page. The TRA's 18 February 2018 release says the scan guards against identity theft that can lead to financial liability and legal accountability. It reports over a hundred travel bans against identity theft victims and over 80 fraud cases from SIM cards registered in consumers' names without their knowledge.
Check your numbers. The report advises checking the numbers registered in your name regularly. If a line is unknown or misused, contact the operator at once and have it disconnected. Official pages do not offer a single list of every line under your CPR, so ask each operator which lines are in your name.
Moving a line that is in someone else's name. stc says that if a line is registered under another person's details, you visit a shop with the old owner to request a transfer of ownership to you.
- Write down every number you think is in your name.
- Contact each operator and ask which lines are registered under your CPR or passport.
- For any line you do not recognise, ask the operator to disconnect it.
- Report any misuse to the operator straight away.
10When must you verify, and what if you do not?
The TRA's 2018 and 2019 deadlines have passed. Each operator now states its own rules, summarised in the table below.
Zain says verification is compulsory in four cases: you are an existing or new customer, you change ownership, you update your profile (prepaid, postpaid or broadband), or you port to Zain. An unregistered postpaid line has been disconnected, and you reactivate it at any Zain Experience Shop. That notice covers customers subscribed before 12 July 2017.
stc says the TRA requires every prepaid line owner to confirm the ID used at registration every 12 months. You get a notice after your registration anniversary and have two months to confirm. If you miss it, the line is suspended and you cannot make or receive calls. You can confirm by dialling *81114#, in the mystc BH app, or by texting your ID number to 81114.
Batelco invited all mobile line owners to register at any Batelco shop, and asked postpaid customers to re-register from November 2017. Its notice lists no separate cases.
Next step: Pick your route in the table above, bring the document for your nationality, and expect a fingerprint at the counter. If you hold only a passport and want an app route, phone the operator first. For consumer questions, the TRA line is 81188.
Facts here come only from TRA and operator pages, last checked 11 October 2026. If a rule has changed, confirm it with the operator or the TRA on 81188.
| Operator | When you must verify | If you do not |
|---|---|---|
| Zain | New or existing customer, change of ownership, profile update, porting to Zain | Unregistered postpaid line disconnected. Reactivate at a Zain Experience Shop. |
| stc | Every 12 months for prepaid lines | Line suspended after the two-month notice. A terminated line can be retrieved in an stc shop. |
| Batelco | Register at any Batelco shop. Postpaid re-registration asked from November 2017 | Its notice states no consequence. |
11FAQs
What documents do I need to register a SIM card in Bahrain?
Bahrainis need a valid CPR or Smartcard. GCC nationals need a GCC-issued ID or a valid passport, or a Bahraini CPR (Batelco). Everyone else needs a valid passport or a Bahraini CPR. Companies need a copy of their CR, an authorisation letter and the signatory's CPR or Smartcard.
Can a visitor register a SIM card in Bahrain with a passport?
Yes, at the counter. Zain's page and Batelco's 2017 notice both accept a valid passport for non-GCC nationals, though neither mentions visitors by name. The official pages do not say whether a local address is needed, so ask the outlet before you go.
Do I need a fingerprint to register a SIM in Bahrain?
Yes for the counter route. People over 60, people with disabilities and people whose fingerprints cannot be read are exempt and only show documents (TRA, 2018). stc's eSIM uses face recognition instead.
Can I register a Bahrain SIM online or in the Batelco app?
Batelco said in 2023 that the fingerprint step is done digitally in its app, with up to 3 new numbers per CPR per month. It did not mention passport holders, so confirm with Batelco on 196 if you are a visitor.
How many SIM cards can one person register in Bahrain?
Zain allows a maximum of 10 prepaid SIM cards per customer, from 12 July 2017. Batelco's app route allows up to 3 new numbers under one CPR per month.
Is an eSIM an option for visitors to Bahrain?
Yes, through stc. Its visitor eSIM pack costs BD 8.500, and you can buy it abroad and activate it once you enter Bahrain. Zain's eSIM must be activated inside Bahrain for first use.
What if a SIM is registered in my name and I do not use it?
Check it. The Gulf Daily News report from 31 July 2026 advises checking the numbers in your name regularly. If a line is unknown or misused, contact the operator at once and have it disconnected. The TRA reports over a hundred travel bans from identity theft.
What happens if my SIM is not registered or verified?
Zain says an unregistered postpaid line has been disconnected, and you reactivate it at a Zain Experience Shop. stc suspends a prepaid line not confirmed within two months of its notice.
12Official sources
- Zain Bahrain: SIM verification process
- Zain Bahrain: Instant activation (eSIM)
- Batelco: TRA SIM registration notice (Nov 2017)
- Batelco: get a new mobile line in the Batelco app (5 Sept 2023)
- stc Bahrain: eSIM
- stc Bahrain: Scan & Go SIM
- stc Bahrain: SIM revalidation (prepaid)
- TRA Bahrain: SIM card registration press release (18 Feb 2018)
- TRA Bahrain: homepage (consumer line 81188)
- Gulf Daily News: SIM registration warning (news report, 31 July 2026)
Official details checked 11 October 2026.
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