Keep Your Home Number for Bank OTPs in Canada

Key takeaways

Many banks and payment apps send one-time passwords (OTPs) by text to the number on your account
A dual-SIM or eSIM phone can hold your Canadian line and your home line at the same time
In India, a prepaid number cannot be cut off for non-use in the first 90 days, and receiving a text does not count as use (TRAI)
Globe in the Philippines disconnects a prepaid SIM after 1 year with no load top-up, and the number can be given to someone else
Some services now accept a Canadian number, for example UPI at ICICI Bank for NRE and NRO accounts

Why does your home number still matter?

A one-time password (OTP) is a short code that a bank or app sends to confirm it is really you. In many countries, banks send it by text message (SMS) to the mobile number on your account. If you lose that number, you may not be able to log in, approve a payment or reset a password.

This affects many newcomers in their first year, for example:

Bank accounts and cards you keep at home, including NRE and NRO accounts in India
Payment apps such as UPI apps in India or e-wallets in the Philippines
Tax, pension and government portals in your home country
Messaging apps, which are often linked to your old number

You have two choices for each account: keep the home number working, or move the account to a number that works in Canada. Many people do both for a while.

What are your options?

Option	How it works	Main cost or risk
Dual SIM or eSIM phone	Your Canadian line is used for calls and data. Your home line stays in the same phone to receive texts.	Your home carrier may charge for roaming or for keeping the line active
Keep the SIM in a spare phone	You keep the home SIM in an old phone and check it when you need a code	Same roaming costs; easy to forget to charge or top up
Move the account to your Canadian number	You ask your bank or app to register your Canadian mobile number	Not every bank or app accepts a foreign number
Use app-based approval	Some banks let you approve logins inside their app instead of by SMS	You may need the old number to set it up

A dual-SIM phone is the most common choice. Many recent phones support one physical SIM plus an eSIM. Read eSIM in Canada and bringing your phone to Canada to check your phone first.

Some people leave their home SIM with a relative who forwards the codes. Anyone who holds the SIM can read your bank codes. Banks treat an OTP as a secret, so think carefully before you share one.

India: how long does a prepaid number stay active?

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) sets minimum rules for all Indian carriers. As of the March 2025 consolidated regulations:

90 days: a carrier must not deactivate a prepaid number for non-use for at least 90 days. A carrier may set a longer period.
₹20 rule: after 90 days, the carrier may deduct up to ₹20 from your balance to keep the number for another 30 days. This repeats while you have more than ₹20 in your account.
15-day grace period: if a number is deactivated for non-use, it must not go to another person for at least 15 days. You can ask to reactivate it in that time for up to ₹20.
Postpaid: carriers must offer a “safe custody” scheme. It costs up to ₹150 for every three months.

What counts as using your number

TRAI defines an “activity” as an outgoing or incoming voice or video call, an outgoing SMS, a data session, or use of a value-added service. Your carrier may add other activities. Receiving a bank OTP text is not on that list. If you only receive codes, your number can still count as unused. An outgoing text or a short call every few weeks restarts the 90 days.

Each carrier publishes its own non-use period and retention charges. Check your carrier’s page before you rely on the minimum.

Philippines: SIM registration and expiry

Under Republic Act No. 11934, the SIM Registration Act, a SIM must be registered with the carrier before it can be activated. The law says existing SIMs that were not registered on time are deactivated automatically.

Globe’s prepaid SIM terms, checked November 5, 2026, say a SIM is permanently disconnected if:

it has no regular load top-up for one year from the last top-up, or
it has no regular load top-up or promo registration for 120 days after the regular load balance reaches zero.

Globe says incoming and outgoing calls, texts and data use do not keep the SIM active. Only a load top-up or promo registration does. A disconnected number cannot be reconnected and may be given to a new user. Globe also says the subscriber is responsible for linked apps such as e-wallets and online banking.

Smart, TNT and DITO publish their own rules. Check your carrier’s terms if you are not on Globe.

How to set up your home line in Canada

Before you leave, ask your home carrier to turn on international roaming for the line. Ask what it costs to receive texts in Canada.
Put both lines in one phone. Use a physical SIM for one line and an eSIM for the other.
Choose your Canadian line for mobile data. Turn data roaming off for the home line so it does not use expensive roaming data.
Test it in your first week. Log in to your home bank and check that the OTP arrives.
Set a reminder to top up or send a text before your carrier’s non-use deadline.

Your Canadian line is set up separately. See airport SIM or wait.

Some home carriers let you receive calls and texts over Wi-Fi when you are abroad. Others do not. Ask your carrier before you count on it.

Moving accounts to your Canadian number

Over time, many newcomers move each account to their Canadian number. Then a lost home SIM no longer locks them out. Some examples, as of November 5, 2026:

UPI in India: in May 2024, ICICI Bank said NRI customers can use an international mobile number registered with their NRE or NRO account to make UPI payments. Canada was one of 10 countries listed.
GCash in the Philippines: in April 2023, GCash’s operator said the first 1,000 Filipinos in the UK and Canada could start using GCash with an international mobile number. Ask GCash whether this option is open to you now.

Rules differ by bank and app. Ask each one whether it accepts a Canadian number and how to change it. Change the number before your old SIM expires. Some banks send a code to the old number to approve the change.

If you keep accounts in India, read NRE and NRO accounts.

Common mistakes to avoid

Letting a number lapse with accounts linked. A reassigned number could receive texts meant for you.
Assuming incoming texts keep the number alive. Under TRAI and Globe rules, they do not.
Leaving data roaming on for the home line. This can cause large charges.
Sharing an OTP with a caller who says they are from your bank. See banking scams.
Porting is not an option. Freedom Mobile, for example, says international numbers are not eligible for porting. See porting your number for what can move.

Common questions

Can I receive OTPs from my Indian bank while in Canada?

Usually yes, if your Indian SIM is in a phone that is on, international roaming is active on that line, and the number is still active. Ask your carrier about the cost of receiving texts abroad.

Does receiving an OTP keep my Indian number active?

Not under TRAI’s definition. An activity includes outgoing SMS, voice or video calls, and data use, but not incoming SMS. Your carrier may set more generous rules.

How long can a Globe prepaid SIM stay unused?

Globe’s terms say a SIM is disconnected after one year with no regular load top-up, or 120 days after the regular balance reaches zero with no top-up or promo registration.

Can I move my Indian or Filipino number to a Canadian carrier?

Generally not. Freedom Mobile, for example, says international numbers are not eligible for porting. You can keep the home SIM in a dual-SIM phone instead.

Should I give my bank my Canadian number?

If the bank accepts it, a Canadian number removes the risk of losing access when the home SIM expires. Each bank sets its own rules, so ask your bank.

Sources

Checked against these sources on November 5, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

How to keep your home phone number for bank codes (OTPs) after moving to Canada