What does not work in the UAE, Egypt, Turkey and China: WhatsApp calls, VPNs, banks (2026)

Mykyta Dzhus · Updated 2026-11-13 · 22 min read · eSIM & mobile data

Before a holiday in Dubai, Hurghada, Antalya or Beijing most people ask two things: will I be able to call my family on WhatsApp, and will my banking app open. In short: messages work almost everywhere, internet calls are a problem in the Gulf and in Egypt, and in China Google, WhatsApp and Instagram do not work on local networks. We collected what is known as of November 2026 for 8 countries and gave every fact a source and a date. Where the data is thin, we say so: “not verified”. No scaremongering: in most cases it is enough to install and set up your apps before you leave home.

In short

• UAE: WhatsApp, FaceTime and Viber calls are blocked on local networks (according to Freedom House, 2024 report); messages and voice notes work. Botim, Zoom and Teams are allowed for calls. VPNs are legal, but using one to break the law can cost AED 500,000 to 2,000,000.
• Egypt: messages work; internet calls on mobile networks are officially restricted and periodically fail (Freedom House 2025). Social media and Google work.
• Turkey: WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube and Google usually work. During the protests of March and September 2025 social media and WhatsApp were restricted for 1–2 days. Permanently blocked: Discord, Wattpad, VPN sites and, since 10 July 2025, the sites and apps of foreign eSIM services.
• China: Google, WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and X are blocked on local networks (Canberra Times, 5 Nov 2026). Apple Maps and WeChat work. A roaming eSIM usually routes traffic outside China.
• Qatar, Oman, Jordan: WhatsApp calls are patchy or have no official status; Jordan has blocked TikTok since December 2022. Vietnam: the usual apps work; Telegram was blocked from 25 May to 10 July 2025.
• A roaming eSIM may bypass the local filter, but this is independently confirmed only for China. Treat it as a bonus, not a guarantee.
• What to do: install and log in to your apps at home, keep your Ukrainian SIM in the phone for bank texts. You can check any of 43 countries in our tool Blocked apps by country.

How to read this article: verified, reported, not verified

Blocks change, and the web is full of undated advice. We relied on Freedom House's annual Freedom on the Net reports (FOTN, published in autumn and covering June to May), OONI measurements, regulators' decisions and major news outlets. Every fact has one of three confidence levels:

• Verified: a primary source or an independent measurement (FOTN, OONI, a regulator, Reuters or AP) no older than 18 months.
• Reported by a source, with a date: reliable but older or secondary. For example, the UAE call facts come from the FOTN 2024 report: there is no newer description, and we found no reliable reports that WhatsApp calls started working there in 2025–2026.
• Not verified: travel blogs, user reports, eSIM or VPN sellers' sites, or simply no reports of a block. Most rows for Qatar and Oman are like this, because Freedom House does not cover those countries.

All data was collected and cross-checked on 12 November 2026. We sell travel eSIMs, so we say plainly what an eSIM does not do. The full table for 43 countries with a source for every row, which we update every quarter and whenever something changes, is in our tool Blocked apps by country.

UAE: messages yes, WhatsApp and FaceTime calls no

The most common question about Dubai: can I make a WhatsApp call. According to Freedom House (2024 report), WhatsApp calls are blocked on UAE local networks, and so are FaceTime and Viber, both since 2013. Discord voice has been blocked since 2016. The reason is the rules: internet calls are allowed only for licensed services. In the 2025 report the UAE scores 28 out of 100, “Not Free”.

What works:

• WhatsApp messages, photos and voice notes (TechCentral, 14 Aug 2025, verified).
• Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X, Google and streaming services: the FOTN 2024 report mentions no blocks. This is “according to FOTN”, not a separate measurement.
• Calls via allowed services: Botim, Zoom and Microsoft Teams (FOTN 2024).

Also blocked: dating sites, LGBT content, illegal VoIP services and circumvention tools. What we did not find: an official list of services allowed by the regulator TDRA for 2025–2026, and data on Telegram and Signal calls. So the table below marks them “no data”, not “works”.

VPNs in the UAE are legal, but cybercrime Law 34/2021 provides for fines of AED 500,000 to 2,000,000 for using a VPN to break the law, including to reach blocked calls (Khaleej Times, 27 Mar 2026). So we do not advise getting around the call ban with either a VPN or an eSIM. There are enough legal options: Botim, Zoom or Teams, WhatsApp voice notes, or a regular call from your Ukrainian SIM on roaming.

eSIM sellers often write that their eSIM “bypasses” the UAE restrictions. We found no reliable independent confirmation of that, and sellers are an interested party here. More: what works in the UAE, and about the city itself “Dubai in 3 days: what to see, transport and rules for tourists”.

Egypt: messaging works, calls are hit and miss

In Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh WhatsApp messaging works just like at home. Calls are another story. According to the Freedom House 2025 report, internet (VoIP) calls on mobile networks are officially restricted and periodically fail. In 2024 the authorities promised to lift the ban by May 2025, but that did not happen. We found no official decision by the regulator NTRA lifting it after May 2025.

• WhatsApp calls: ⚠️ periodically blocked on mobile networks (FOTN 2025, verified). A call may connect, or it may not.
• Telegram and Viber calls, FaceTime: ⚠️ some VoIP services are unavailable (according to FOTN 2025); FaceTime was blocked in 2017.
• Messages, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X, Google, streaming: ✅ work; FOTN 2025 mentions no blocks of major platforms.
• Websites: according to FOTN (June 2024) 562 sites are blocked, about 132 of them news sites. VPN providers' sites have been blocked since 2018 (OONI, reported). Discord was blocked on WE and Vodafone in January 2026 (according to Al Manassa and Masaar).
• Signal: we found no data on blocking.

In practice: agree with your family that messages and voice notes are the main channel, and internet calls are a matter of luck. If you need to get through for sure, say to your insurer or a doctor, a regular call from your Ukrainian SIM on roaming will work, but it is expensive. More: what works in Egypt and “Internet in Egypt 2026: SIM Card in Hurghada, Sharm or eSIM”.

Turkey: the usual apps work, with exceptions

Of our eight countries Turkey is the easiest for a tourist. WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber, FaceTime, Instagram, YouTube and Google usually work. Still, Freedom House's 2026 report gives Turkey 31 out of 100, “Not Free”, because the authorities can restrict social media quickly.

What has happened before. Worth knowing, because it can happen again during your holiday:

• July 2024: internet slowed down for about a week in Kayseri province during protests (FOTN 2025);
• 2–10 August 2024: Instagram blocked nationwide for 9 days (FOTN 2025);
• 19–21 March 2025, about 42 hours: after the arrest of Istanbul mayor Imamoglu, X, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok were restricted and WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal slowed down (NetBlocks, via The Record and bianet);
• 7–8 September 2025: X, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and WhatsApp restricted, especially in Istanbul (NetBlocks, via Al-Monitor).

So restrictions do happen, but they are short: a day or two, mostly during protests.

Blocked permanently:

• Sites and apps of eSIM services since 10 July 2025: Airalo, Holafly, Saily, Nomad, Instabridge, Mobimatter, Alosim, BNESIM (Medyascope, 11 Jul 2025). How many are blocked now varies by source, from 8 to 35, and we found no official explanation from the regulator BTK. Importantly, the block covers the sites and apps you buy from, not mobile data. An eSIM that is already installed works.
• VPN providers' sites have been blocked since November 2023 (Tom's Guide). Using a VPN is not banned.
• Discord since 9 Oct 2024 and Wattpad since July 2024. Some journalists' and politicians' accounts on X are hidden in Turkey.

The conclusion for Turkey is simple: buy and install your eSIM at home. We have not yet checked whether our site tutuesim.com opens from a Turkish mobile network, so we do not promise that topping up on the spot will work through the site. More: what works in Turkey and “Turkey Taxi and Travel Apps 2026: BiTaksi, Uber, iTaksi, Transport, Maps”.

China: no Google or WhatsApp on local networks

China is the only country on our list where the usual set of apps barely works on local networks. Freedom House's 2025 report gives China 9 out of 100, the worst score in the ranking. According to the Canberra Times (5 Nov 2026), these are blocked on local networks and hotel Wi-Fi:

• Google: Search, Gmail, Google Maps, Drive;
• WhatsApp including calls, Telegram and Signal;
• Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube;
• Netflix, ChatGPT and Reddit;
• Wikipedia in all languages, since April 2019 (OONI).

What works. Apple Maps (Canberra Times). iMessage and WeChat work, according to travel guides. One-to-one FaceTime on an iPhone bought outside China also works according to travel guides, while Group FaceTime and call links have been unavailable in mainland China since 2022 (weak source, not verified). International TikTok does not work; there is only the Chinese Douyin (not verified). We found no reliable source on Viber.

Install in advance: WeChat to talk to locals, and Alipay to pay. Both have accepted foreign Visa and Mastercard cards since 2023. Apple Maps is already on your iPhone.

A roaming eSIM in China usually solves the problem. A UNSW academic explains in the Canberra Times (November 2026) that some travel eSIMs send traffic through gateways in Hong Kong, Singapore or Australia, so the Chinese filter does not see it. A 2024 study on arXiv records the same: such eSIMs reach the internet abroad. Two conditions: install the eSIM before you arrive, and it only works on the eSIM's mobile data. A local SIM, a “Chinese” eSIM and hotel Wi-Fi are filtered. And it all depends on the provider, so nobody can guarantee it.

VPNs. Unlicensed VPNs are illegal in China, with fines for citizens of up to CNY 15,000 (SCMP, 2019). We found no cases of tourists being punished. In November 2025 China's Ministry of State Security again warned about “illegal VPNs”. VPNs in China are also often unstable.

Freedom House also reports regional shutdowns in Xinjiang and Tibet and a separate blocking system in Henan province; this usually does not affect tourists in big cities. More: what works in China.

Qatar, Oman, Jordan, Vietnam: in brief

Qatar. There is no law against internet calls, but WhatsApp and FaceTime calls through local operators are restricted or unstable (according to TechCentral, 14 Aug 2025; complaints about FaceTime and Viber failures in the Gulf Times go back to 2017). Messages work. Freedom House does not cover Qatar, so there is no independent data on social media and Google: we found no reports of blocks, but that is “not verified”. Qatar in detail.

Oman. Since 4 Dec 2024 users report that WhatsApp calls work without a VPN (Times of Oman), but the regulator TRA has not announced it officially. FaceTime was blocked in 2020 (Human Rights Watch); there is no fresh reliable data. Messages work. Other services are generally available, but there are no independent measurements either. Oman in detail.

Jordan. TikTok has been blocked since 16 Dec 2022 (FOTN 2024: still blocked at the end of May 2024), Clubhouse since 2021. Operators blocked WhatsApp and Viber calls; in 2025 Reuters still mentions VoIP restrictions, but fresh data is contradictory. In June and July 2024 messengers were temporarily cut during school exam hours (FOTN 2025). Some VPN providers' sites have been blocked since 2021, and a 2023 law penalises anonymisers. Instagram, YouTube and Google work. Jordan in detail.

Vietnam. The usual services work: WhatsApp, Viber, FaceTime, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Google (according to FOTN 2025 and OONI). Telegram was blocked on Viettel, VNPT and FPT from 25 May to 10 July 2025 (OONI); its status since then is contradictory, so check before you travel. Using a VPN is not explicitly banned, and since 2026 there is a fine of up to VND 20 million for teaching how to get around blocks. Internet sometimes slows down because of damaged undersea cables. Vietnam in detail.

Table: what works in 8 countries

✅ works · ⚠️ restricted or intermittent · ⛔ blocked on local networks · ❔ no data found. An asterisk * means a weak source (“not verified”). Status as of 12 Nov 2026.

The table describes local mobile networks and Wi-Fi. With a roaming eSIM the picture can differ, see the next section. The same data with a source and a date for every row, plus 35 more countries: Blocked apps by country.

Does a roaming eSIM get around blocks

The honest answer: sometimes, and nobody can guarantee it.

How it works. A travel eSIM is usually a roaming one: the phone connects to a local network, but traffic often reaches the internet through a gateway in another country. The filter at the country's internet exit may not see that traffic. That is why WhatsApp and Google often work in China with a roaming eSIM.

What is known for sure:

• China: independently confirmed (a 2024 study on arXiv; Canberra Times, 5 Nov 2026, quoting a UNSW academic). But it depends on the provider and the traffic route.
• UAE, Egypt, Qatar: only eSIM sellers write about bypassing, and they are an interested party. We found no independent confirmation. In the UAE getting around the call ban may break the law, so we do not advise it.
• Turkey: there is no data that an eSIM gets around social media restrictions during protests. The block on eSIM services covers only their sites and apps, not the internet itself.

One eSIM seller, GigSky, put it best: treat calls over an eSIM as a bonus, not a guarantee. We agree. Plan your trip as if messenger calls might not work, and if they do, it is a pleasant surprise.

VPNs: what the law says

We do not name specific VPNs or explain how to get around bans. But it helps to know the rules, because some Ukrainian services, such as Diia or some government sites, occasionally ask for a VPN with a Ukrainian server when you are abroad.

• UAE: VPNs are legal, but using one to break the law, including to reach blocked calls, can cost AED 500,000 to 2,000,000 (Law 34/2021, Khaleej Times, 27 Mar 2026).
• China: unlicensed VPNs are illegal, fines for citizens up to CNY 15,000; we found no cases of tourists being punished; VPNs are often unstable.
• Turkey: using a VPN is not banned, but the sites of dozens of VPN providers have been blocked since November 2023. If you need the app, install it at home.
• Egypt: VPN providers' sites have been blocked since 2018 (according to OONI).
• Jordan: some VPN sites have been blocked since 2021, and a 2023 law penalises using anonymisers.
• Vietnam: using one is not explicitly banned; since 2026 there is a fine of up to VND 20 million for teaching how to get around blocks.
• Qatar, Oman: we found no data on a VPN ban.

If you need a VPN for a Ukrainian service, install and set it up at home and use it only within the law of the country you are in. In countries with strict rules (the UAE, China, Jordan) it is simpler to do without: you can log in to Diia and your bank, update your apps and save the documents you need before the trip.

PrivatBank, monobank, Diia and Ukrainian TV abroad

We found no specific blocks of Ukrainian banks in these eight countries. Problems usually come not from the country but from confirming a login.

• Privat24 works abroad. Logins and transactions are confirmed by SMS or push to the “financial” number, which can only be a mobile number. You can change it to a foreign one only via the support chat (privatbank.ua). We found no official restrictions by country, only customer reviews about trouble logging in from a browser abroad.
• monobank works abroad. A new device is confirmed with an SMS code (known from third-party guides, not verified). Since April 2022 the bank has been closing the accounts of customers staying in Russia, Belarus, North Korea, Syria and Eritrea (co-founder's statement, DOU, 18 Apr 2022). This does not affect the countries in this article.
• Oschad 24/7 works anywhere with internet, but logins and transactions need SMS banking. Texts in roaming arrive at your operator's rates, and roaming must be on for the SIM (the bank's answer on Minfin, 2025).
• Diia mostly works abroad. The official Diia site (8 Jun 2026) advises: if you get an error abroad, turn on a VPN with a Ukrainian server (about Diia.Signature via NFC). The Ministry of Digital Transformation publishes no official list of countries where this is needed. You can also log in with a biometric international passport via NFC, without SMS.
• Government sites: some limit access from foreign IPs. The State Tax Service officially describes how to unblock access from abroad for its e-signature service. There is no general statement covering all gov.ua sites.
• SWEET.TV: the subscription stays active abroad, but with fewer channels; the full list returns in Ukraine (official FAQ). Megogo: some content, including sport, is unavailable abroad, and some countries have a local plan (according to media; no official FAQ found). Kyivstar TV is meant for viewing in Ukraine; most channels may be unavailable abroad (not verified).

The main rule: keep your Ukrainian SIM in the phone with roaming on, because bank texts arrive only on it. Incoming texts in roaming are free on most plans, but check with your operator. Privat24 push confirmations arrive over the internet, so they do not need the SIM.

What to do before you fly

1. Install and log in at home to every app you need: WhatsApp, Telegram, Privat24, monobank, Oschad 24/7, Diia, maps. Some app stores and sites may not open in the country, and a login on a new device is often confirmed by SMS.
2. Check your bank while still in Ukraine: the login works, confirmations arrive. If you recently changed phones, set up the bank on the new one before the trip.
3. UAE: agree with your family how you will call. Botim, Zoom or Teams must be installed both on your side and theirs.
4. Egypt, Qatar, Oman, Jordan: have a backup for when an internet call drops: voice notes or a regular call from your Ukrainian SIM.
5. China: install WeChat and Alipay with a linked card, check Apple Maps. Install the roaming eSIM before you arrive.
6. Turkey: buy and install the eSIM at home, because foreign eSIM services' sites are blocked there.
7. Ukrainian SIM: roaming on for calls and texts, data roaming off. Mobile data on the eSIM.
8. Save offline your tickets, bookings and insurance, so you do not depend on what opens on the spot.
9. Before you go, look at your country's page in the tool Blocked apps by country: we update it every quarter and whenever something changes.

Pitfalls

• Hotel Wi-Fi does not help. It goes through the same local provider, so the blocks apply there too. The Canberra Times says so explicitly for China.
• Undated advice. Things change: in Oman WhatsApp calls, according to users, started working only in December 2024; in Vietnam Telegram was blocked for six weeks in 2025. Check when the advice was written.
• Sites that sell VPNs or eSIMs. The former often scare you, the latter promise to “bypass all blocks” without a date or a source. Both want to sell. We sell eSIMs too, which is why we give a source for every fact.
• Temporary shutdowns. During protests, elections or school exams some services are restricted for hours or days: Turkey in March and September 2025, Jordan during exams in 2024.
• Buying an eSIM on the spot. In Turkey the sites and apps of some eSIM services have been blocked since July 2025. Buy and install in advance.
• Data roaming on your Ukrainian SIM. If you do not turn it off, the main SIM may start daily packs alongside the eSIM. What that costs: “How much a week of roaming costs with Kyivstar, Vodafone and lifecell: 25 countries (2026)”.
• WhatsApp and Telegram are tied to your number, not to the connection. They stay on your Ukrainian number and work over any connection, including the eSIM. No need to move messengers to another number.

Sources

The facts were collected from primary reports, measurements and news and cross-checked on 12 November 2026. Each source shows the date of the report or article itself. Blocks change, so check the latest status before your trip in our tool Blocked apps by country.

• Freedom House, Freedom on the Net 2024: UAE (WhatsApp, FaceTime, Viber calls; Botim, Zoom, Teams), checked 12.11.2026
• Freedom House, Freedom on the Net 2025: UAE, 28/100, checked 12.11.2026
• Khaleej Times, 27 Mar 2026: VPNs in the UAE, fines up to AED 2 million (Law 34/2021), checked 12.11.2026
• TechCentral, 14 Aug 2025: countries that restrict WhatsApp, checked 12.11.2026
• Freedom House, Freedom on the Net 2025: Egypt (VoIP on mobile networks), checked 12.11.2026
• Freedom House, Freedom on the Net 2024: Egypt (562 blocked websites), checked 12.11.2026
• OONI: website blocking in Egypt, including VPNs (2018), checked 12.11.2026
• Freedom House, Freedom on the Net 2026: Turkey, 31/100, checked 12.11.2026
• Freedom House, Freedom on the Net 2025: Turkey (Instagram blocked 9 days in 2024), checked 12.11.2026
• The Record: social media restricted in Turkey, 19–21 Mar 2025 (NetBlocks), checked 12.11.2026
• bianet, 19 Mar 2025: messengers slowed down in Turkey, checked 12.11.2026
• Al-Monitor: X, YouTube, WhatsApp restricted in Turkey, 7–8 Sep 2025 (NetBlocks), checked 12.11.2026
• Tom's Guide, Nov 2023: VPN sites blocked in Turkey, checked 12.11.2026
• Medyascope, 11 Jul 2025: BTK blocks 8 eSIM providers, checked 12.11.2026
• Canberra Times, 5 Nov 2026: Google and WhatsApp in China, travel eSIMs, checked 12.11.2026
• Freedom House, Freedom on the Net 2025: China, 9/100, checked 12.11.2026
• OONI: Wikipedia blocked in China in all languages (2019), checked 12.11.2026
• SCMP, Jan 2019: VPN fine in China, checked 12.11.2026
• China Digital Times: Group FaceTime in China (2022, weak source), checked 12.11.2026
• Saily: internet in China, TikTok and Douyin (eSIM seller, weak source), checked 12.11.2026
• arXiv, 2024: a study of travel eSIM traffic routing, checked 12.11.2026
• GigSky, 29 Jul 2026: WhatsApp in Dubai (eSIM seller), checked 12.11.2026
• Gulf Times, 6 Sep 2017: VoIP call disruptions in Qatar, checked 12.11.2026
• Times of Oman, 4 Dec 2024: WhatsApp calls in Oman, checked 12.11.2026
• Human Rights Watch, 7 Apr 2020: VoIP in the Gulf, checked 12.11.2026
• Freedom House, Freedom on the Net 2025: Jordan (messengers during 2024 exams), checked 12.11.2026
• Freedom House, Freedom on the Net 2024: Jordan (TikTok, VPNs), checked 12.11.2026
• Freedom House, Freedom on the Net 2025: Vietnam, 22/100, checked 12.11.2026
• OONI: Telegram blocked in Vietnam, 25 May to 10 Jul 2025, checked 12.11.2026
• The Vietnamese, 27 Aug 2026: VND 20 million fine for teaching circumvention, checked 12.11.2026
• PrivatBank: registering a phone number, the “financial” number, checked 12.11.2026
• DOU, 18 Apr 2022: monobank closes accounts of customers in Russia and Belarus, checked 12.11.2026
• Minfin: Oschadbank's answer about texts in roaming (2025), checked 12.11.2026
• Diia, 8 Jun 2026: Diia.Signature via NFC, a VPN with a Ukrainian server, checked 12.11.2026
• State Tax Service: lifting access limits from abroad (its e-signature service), checked 12.11.2026
• SWEET.TV: using it abroad (FAQ), checked 12.11.2026
• Mezha, 7 Feb 2023: Megogo in Poland, licences by country, checked 12.11.2026

Tutu eSIM: what it does and does not do

Tutu eSIM is mobile data only, with no phone number. Regular calls and texts go through your Ukrainian SIM at roaming rates. So where messenger calls are blocked at country level, the eSIM will not unblock them by itself, and we do not promise it will.

• China: our eSIMs for China run on China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom, and traffic reaches the internet via Hong Kong or Singapore. So services blocked in mainland China (Google, WhatsApp, Instagram) usually work without a VPN. This is a property of the provider's roaming, not a guarantee, and we have not yet run our own test in China. China: from $2.99, 5 GB for 30 days $9.99.
• UAE: the eSIM runs on the du network. We promise nothing about WhatsApp and FaceTime calls: the local operator restricts them, and we do not advise getting around the ban. Messages, maps, Instagram and banking work as usual. UAE: 5 GB for 30 days $10.99.
• Turkey: buy and install the eSIM at home. An eSIM that is already installed works. Turkey: from $1.99, 5 GB for 30 days $6.49.
• Egypt: messages work; internet calls are hit and miss, with an eSIM too. Egypt: 5 GB for 30 days $10.49.

How to set it up: install the eSIM at home over Wi-Fi, switch mobile data to it in the country, and keep roaming on for calls and texts on your Ukrainian SIM while turning its data roaming off. See whether your phone supports eSIM in “Compatible devices” and how to set it up in the installation guide. Other providers' prices for these countries are in our eSIM price comparison: UAE, Egypt, Turkey, China.

FAQ

Mykyta DzhusProgrammer and traveller from Kyiv

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