does o2 travel cover usa

O2 roaming explained for international & EU countries

You can roam and use O2 within most countries around the world.

You can use your regular allowance for free within 48 European countries, with a data fair usage policy of 25GB per month.

With selected O2 Refresh, O2 SIM only plans and Volt plans, you also get the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On for free, which allows you to use unlimited data, unlimited minutes and unlimited texts in 27 international destinations outside the EU.

Alternatively, all O2 mobile customers can get the O2 Travel Bolt On for £6 per day, which gives you unlimited data, unlimited minutes and unlimited texts in 63 international destinations outside the EU.

What's the best O2 SIM for roaming?

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You can use your allowance for free within the EU with all O2 SIMs .

You can find the cheapest O2 SIM Only deals by using our comparison tools. O2 SIMs will work with all phones, including the latest Samsung Galaxy S24 and Apple iPhone 15 .

With O2 Europe Zone, you can continue to roam for free and use your allowance within the EU.

O2 Europe Zone is included with all plans at no additional cost.

O2 are one of the few networks which will not introduce charges for roaming within the EU after Brexit .

In accordance with the fair usage policy, if your regular allowance is greater than 25GB, you cannot exceed 25GB per month when roaming in the EU.

If you go over your regular allowance, or you exceed the fair usage policy of 25GB per month, you will be charged £3.50 for each additional GB you use when roaming in the EU.

You must also be considered a permanent UK resident. You cannot roam within qualifying European countries for excessive or consecutive periods at a time.

You can use your allowance for free within 48 European destinations:

• Canary Islands
• Czech Republic
• French Guiana
• Isle of Man
• Liechtenstein
• Netherlands
• Saint Barthelemy
• Saint Martin
• Switzerland
• Vatican City

With the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On, you will get unlimited data, unlimited minutes and unlimited texts within 27 international countries.

The O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On is included at no additional cost with selected O2 Refresh, O2 SIM only plans and Volt plans. It is not included with any 30 day SIM only plans or pay as you go plans.

If your plan doesn't include the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On for free, you can choose it as your O2 Extra with the following plans:

There is no fair usage policy on the amount of data you can use - you get unlimited data. However, excessive usage may see your data speeds temporarily restricted.

The following 27 international countries are covered by the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On:

• El Salvador
• New Zealand
• United States

If you’re not eligible for the free O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On, you cannot pay for it. However, you can purchase the similar O2 Travel Bolt On, which covers 63 international destinations for £6 per day. See below for more information.

The O2 Travel Bolt On is available for £6 per day, and covers 63 international destinations.

Similar to the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On, you get unlimited data, unlimited minutes and unlimited texts. However, there is a 2Mbps speed limit in place.

You can get the O2 Travel Bolt On by texting TRAVEL to 23336 or by enabling it via your O2 account.

The £6 daily fee will automatically be charged when you use mobile data, make a call or send a text message. Using Wi-Fi or receiving calls and texts will not trigger the charge.

The moment the charge is triggered, you'll have access for 24 hours, until the trigger resets. There are no limits on the amount of consecutive days you can trigger the Bolt On.

It is important to note you must enable the O2 Travel Bolt On before you use data, make a call or send a text. If you don't enable the Bolt On, you won't be charged the £6 daily fee - instead, you will be charged at a standard roaming rate, which can be expensive.

There is no fair usage policy on the amount of data you can use - you get unlimited data. However, there is a 2Mbps speed limit in place.

The O2 Travel Bolt On works in the following 63 destinations:

• British Virgin Islands
• Cayman Islands
• Dominican Republic
• Netherlands Antilles
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• South Africa
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Turks & Caicos
• United Arab Emirates

The O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On is free with selected O2 Refresh, O2 SIM only plans and Volt plans. It works in 27 international countries. You cannot buy the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On if you are not eligible for free, however you can choose it as an O2 Extra with select tariffs.

On the other hand, the O2 Travel Bolt On is available to all pay monthly customers for £6 per day and works in 63 international destinations.

Both Bolt Ons give you unlimited data, unlimited minutes and unlimited texts. However, the O2 Travel Bolt On comes with a 2Mbps speed limit.

If you’re using your allowance for free within O2’s Europe Zone, you cannot exceed 25GB data per month if your regular allowance is greater than this amount. If you go over this limit, you will be charged £3.50 per GB until your allowance resets during the next month.

In addition, you cannot roam within the O2 Europe Zone for more than 63 days within a 4 month period - the offer is not intended for extended holidays. If O2 thinks you are abusing the free EU roaming policy, you will be given a 2 week notice, before a surcharge is applied:

The surcharge will be dropped when you return and stay in the UK for a reasonable time.

For the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On, there is no fair usage policy on the amount of data you can use, however O2 states they may implement a temporary speed limit if your usage is deemed excessive. The O2 Travel Bolt On does not have a fair usage policy, however there is a permanent 2Mbps speed limit in place at all times.

If you exceed your data allowance or go over the 25GB limit when roaming for free in the Europe Zone, you will be charged £3.50 per GB, until your plan resets during the next month.

If you don't have an roaming Bolt On when travelling outside of Europe, or you're not in an eligible country, you will charged at a standard out of plan rate.

The out of plan rate is typically expensive, and varies between countries. For full charges, see O2 roaming rates

The following shows the O2 out of plan rates within a few international destinations.

No, 5G is only available within the UK with O2 . The maximum signal you can get when roaming with O2 is 4G.

Yes, all O2 customers can use their regular allowance for free with O2 Europe Zone, covering 48 European destinations.

Before roaming with O2 , you must enable roaming in your phone’s settings.

For Android users:

• Go to Settings
• Go to Connections -> Mobile networks -> Roaming
• Enable Data roaming

For iPhone users:

• Go to Mobile data -> Mobile Data Options
• Enable Data Roaming

If you're roaming in the EU and go over your data allowance or the 25GB limit, you will be charged £3.50 per GB until your plan resets at the next month.

Yes, you can tether to as many devices as you like when roaming with O2 . Any regular data limitations that apply when roaming will also apply when tethering while roaming.

The O2 Travel Bolt On is available with all pay monthly plans for £6 per day. You can get the O2 Travel Bolt On by texting TRAVEL to 23336 . Alternatively, you can purchase the Bolt On through your O2 account.

The O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On is available for free on selected O2 Refresh, O2 SIM only contracts and Volt plans. You may also choose it for free as an O2 Extra, with eligible plans.

Both Bolt Ons come with unlimited data, unlimited minutes and unlimited texts. However, they each cover different destinations.

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O2 Travel International Roaming Review: Countries, Speeds & Fair Usage

On O2, you can use your mobile phone abroad at no extra cost in up to 75 destinations, depending on your price plan.

The countries in which you’re able to use the O2 Travel offer depends on the price plan you have. On O2’s Pay As You Go plans, you’ll have access to international roaming at no extra cost in 43 European destinations. This increases to 48 destinations on Pay Monthly plans, and to 75 destinations on Pay Monthly Plus (and on regular Pay Monthly plans if you’re living in a Virgin Media household ).

In this article, we’ll review the O2 Travel offer including the countries where you’re able to use it and how much it will cost. We’ll also look at data speeds when abroad, the fair usage policy on O2 Travel and alternative roaming offers from other networks. Finally, we’ll look at how you can keep your current phone number if you’re moving to O2 to take advantage of their O2 Travel offer.

• 1.1 O2 Europe Zone Countries
• 1.2 O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Countries
• 1.3 O2 Travel Countries
• 2 Roaming Speeds
• 3.1 Within Europe
• 3.2 Outside Europe
• 4 Keeping Your Phone Number
• 5 More Information

What is O2 Travel?

On most O2 price plans, it’s possible to use your mobile phone abroad when travelling to other countries. The destinations that are included within the O2 Travel offer depend on the type of price plan you have:

For customers with an O2 mobile broadband plan , the O2 Travel offer isn’t currently available. This is because international roaming is not available on O2’s mobile broadband service.

O2 Europe Zone Countries

The following destinations are part of O2’s European roaming zone (locations marked with a † are only available on Pay Monthly plans) :

• Canary Islands
• Czech Republic
• French Guiana
• Isle of Man†
• Liechtenstein
• Netherlands
• Saint Barthelemy
• Saint Martin
• Switzerland†
• Vatican City

† If you’re an O2 Pay As You Go customer, inclusive roaming is not available in 5 European destinations (Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Jersey, Monaco and Switzerland). Instead, you’ll need to pay £1.99/day for up to 100MB of data in these countries.

Within Europe, you’re able to use your inclusive minutes and texts to contact any other number within O2’s Europe Zone. Your usage of European roaming is subject to the fair usage policy described here : the most important being that it should only be used “for periodic travel, like holidays or short breaks”. If you use your mobile phone abroad for 63 days or more in any four-month period, O2 reserves the right to apply a regulated surcharge to your usage (currently 3.3p/minute, 1p/text and £3.50/GB).

You’ll be able to use up to 25GB data per month when abroad (or less if your normal UK data allowance is less than 25GB).

On O2’s Pay As You Go plans including Big Bundles , roaming is not included in Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Jersey, Monaco or Switzerland. In these places, you can pay £1.99/day for 100MB of data.

O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Countries

Within O2’s Travel Inclusive Zone countries, you’ll get unlimited minutes, texts and data when abroad in the following destinations:

• El Salvador
• New Zealand
• United States

There’s traffic management applied when you’re abroad, so your download speeds could be slowed down, depending on your usage.

O2 Travel Countries

You can use the £6 per day O2 Travel offer in all of the following destinations:

• British Virgin Islands
• Cayman Islands
• Costa Rica*
• Dominican Republic
• El Salvador*
• Madagascar*
• Netherlands Antilles
• New Zealand*
• Saint Lucia
• South Africa
• St Kitts & Nevis
• St Vincent & the Grenadines
• Trinidad & Tobago
• Turks & Caicos islands
• United Arab Emirates
• United States*

* This country is also part of the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone offer. If your tariff includes this offer, you won’t need to pay the £4.99/day charge.

To opt-in to the O2 Travel offer, text TRAVEL to 23336. It can take up to 24 hours for O2 Travel to be enabled on your account so it’s best to opt-in before departing on your trip. To opt-out of the offer and to pay O2’s standard international roaming rates instead, text NOTRAVEL to 23336.

The £6 per day O2 Travel offer isn’t available to customers on O2 Pay As You Go .

Roaming Speeds

According to their terms and conditions , there’s now a download speed limit of 2Mbps when you’re travelling abroad in other countries. This has applied from June 2022.

The 2Mbps speed limit should be enough for most day-to-day use such as browsing the web, sending messages and using social media. It’s also enough for things like maps and for listening to music. If you’re streaming online video, it should be possible to stream in standard-definition. However, it won’t be possible to stream in HD quality.

Fair Usage Policy

O2 has a fair usage policy for their O2 Travel international roaming service. The fair usage policy depends on whether you’re travelling to another European country or to a country outside of Europe.

Within Europe

According to O2’s terms and conditions , a surcharge may be applied for your usage if you spend more 63 days abroad in Europe over a rolling 4-month period. If you exceed the 63-day limit, O2 should give you the opportunity to demonstrate prevailing use in the UK. They should also give you two weeks notice before a surcharge is applied at a rate of 3.3p/minute, 1p/text and £4.50/GB of data.

Outside Europe

• The download speeds available for file transfer, online gaming, peer-to-peer downloads and network backup services is restricted. According to O2, these services “may not work with O2 Travel”.
• Audio and video streaming optimisation are in use. This may reduce the quality of your streaming content when abroad.
• The use of tethering and personal hotspot is not permitted in O2 Travel countries. This means you’re unable to share your data connection with other devices.
• When using O2 Travel outside Europe, your SIM card can only be used inside a smartphone.

Keeping Your Phone Number

If you’re joining O2 to take advantage of their O2 Travel offer, it’s a straightforward process to keep your current phone number .

To do so, ask your current mobile network to provide you with a PAC Code . You can get this through your mobile network’s website or app, or by texting PAC to 65075.

Once you’ve received the PAC Code from your old network, order your new mobile phone or SIM card from the O2 website. When it arrives, you can provide the PAC Code to O2 by submitting it through this online form . Your phone number transfer will then be scheduled by O2, normally for the next working day.

For a step-by-step guide on moving your phone number to O2 , please select your current mobile network from the drop down menu below:

Select your current mobile network:

Your current mobile network... BT Mobile EE giffgaff O2 Sky Mobile Three Virgin Mobile Vodafone 1pMobile ASDA Mobile Honest Mobile iD Mobile Lebara Mobile Lycamobile Orange Plusnet Mobile Smarty Superdrug Mobile Talk Home Talkmobile TalkTalk Mobile Tesco Mobile T-Mobile Vectone Mobile VOXI

   More Options

More Information

For more information about O2 Travel, please see O2’s official website .

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O2 international roaming FAQ

Staying connected while travelling abroad can be tricky and often costly. However, O2 has one of the most extensive international roaming policies of the UK's major networks – helping them to make the most of their mobile services while overseas.

EU roaming without charges

One of the standout features of O2's international roaming policy is its commitment to providing EU roaming without additional charges. Currently, O2 is the only major network operator that has continued to offer EU roaming without fees for data, calls, and texts up to 25GB. This means customers can use their mobile phones just like they would in the UK when travelling to any of the 48 destinations within O2's Europe Zone.

Those 48 destinations are:

Canary Islands

Czech Republic

French Guiana

Isle of Man

Liechtenstein

Netherlands

Saint Barthelemy

Saint Martin

Switzerland

United Kingdom

Vatican City

O2 Fair Usage Limit

To ensure international roaming remains fair for all users, O2 has implemented a Fair Usage Limit (FUP). This limit is designed to prevent continuous and excessive use of services outside the UK in its Europe Zone. 

Customers can use O2's services for periodic travel, such as holidays or short breaks. However, if you use O2’s services outside the UK in the Europe Zone for 63 or more days within any four-month period – and cannot demonstrate significant use or presence in the UK – charges may apply after two weeks. The charges for Pay Monthly customers include £3.50/GB for data, 3.3p/minute for calls, and 1p/text.

Roaming limits for O2 tariffs

The roaming limits differ based on the customer's monthly data allowance:

Tariffs with more than 25GB of monthly data: Customers with a UK monthly data allowance exceeding 25GB will have a roaming limit of 25GB within the Europe Zone. Once the limit is reached, customers can still use data, but they will be charged £3.50 per additional gigabyte until they return to the UK, use up their UK data allowance, or reach their next bill cycle.

Tariffs with 25GB or less of monthly data: These tariffs are not subject to the 25GB roaming limit within the Europe Zone. However, customers who exhaust their UK data allowance while roaming abroad will need to purchase a data Bolt On to continue using data. 

What's included and not included

O2's international roaming policy includes making calls and sending texts within the Europe Zone (excluding the UK), receiving calls and texts in the Europe Zone, and using your monthly data allowance while in the Europe Zone. 

However, it does not include making calls or sending texts from the UK to countries outside of the UK, making calls or sending texts to premium rate numbers, directory service numbers, and some non-geographic numbers. 

Additionally, mobile broadband tariffs are only valid for use within the UK, and mobile data usage while on a cruise ship is subject to separate charges.

O2 Travel Inclusive Zone and O2 Travel Bolt On

For travellers seeking even more extensive coverage and flexibility, O2 offers a couple of options:

1. O2 Travel Inclusive Zone

If you have a O2 Travel Inclusive Zone included in your tariff, you're in luck. This feature provides you with unlimited minutes, texts, and data roaming privileges in 27 destinations worldwide. Among the covered locations are popular destinations like the USA, Australia, and New Zealand, ensuring that you stay connected without worry during your international adventures. The full list of destinations included in the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone can be found here.  

2. O2 Travel Bolt On

If O2 Travel Inclusive Zone isn't part of your current plan you can still enjoy communication while abroad by adding the O2 Travel Bolt On to your account. For £6 per day Bolt On grants you unlimited minutes, texts, and data roaming access in 63 destinations worldwide. To explore the full list of destinations covered by the O2 Travel Bolt On, follow this link .

3. Virgin Media O2’s Volt

If you have a Virgin Media broadband connection and an O2 mobile contract, you can access the Inclusive Zone at no extra cost in all Plus Plans and Volt bundles which allows you unlimited data, texts and calls in 27 international destinations as well as in Europe. 

In the event that you're not eligible for O2 Travel Inclusive Zone and haven't opted for the O2 Travel Bolt On, or you find yourself roaming in a destination not encompassed by these services, O2's standard roaming rates will apply.

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How does roaming work on O2?

Before you jump on a plane or a ferry, it pays to know exactly what the score is when you use your O2 (or Virgin Mobile) SIM in a country other than the UK. Do calls, text and data come out of your allowances or will you be slapped with a hefty bill just for checking Facebook?

We’ve got all the answers you need.

Can I roam on my O2 SIM?

Yes. But whether or not you’ll be charged depends upon where you’re going, how you pay and also which tariff you’re on.

O2 Travel is what you need to use your calls, text and data abroad, and you can log into your O2 account to see whether you have it as part of your package. Alternatively, dial 202 on your phone and just ask the customer service team.

To opt into O2 Travel, sign in to My O2 and then add the O2 Travel Bolt On. It doesn’t cost anything to do this: you will only be charged if you trigger the Bolt On by making a call, sending a text or using data in a country that’s outside of the Europe Zone .

Despite having removed them in 2017, following Brexit, three of the big four UK carriers reintroduced roaming charges across the EU. However, on 10 January 2022, Virgin Media O2 ‘s Chief Commercial Officer for Mobile, Gareth Turpin, confirmed that “we [Virgin Media O2] will not be reintroducing roaming fees in Europe for customers on O2 or Virgin Mobile.”

This means O2 (and Virgin Mobile) customers are in the best position, in terms of European roaming charges are concerned, as they don’t have really worry about them.

Note: Don’t forget to enable data roaming in your phone’s settings, otherwise, your apps and browsers will tell you there’s no internet connection.

Roaming in Europe

If you’re heading to Europe, great news. You don’t need to worry as your phone will work just like it does in the UK. Any calls or texts you make will come out of your normal allowance, and the same goes for data from your bundle.

Just check O2’s Europe Zone to make sure your destination country is included.

If you’re on a pay-as-you-go bundle, check out the included countries here (the list is different to the Pay Monthly list). Note that Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Monaco and Switzerland are excluded for PAYG customers. You can get 100MB of data for these destinations for £1.99 per day.

Also, note that using mobile data on a cruise ship isn’t covered, but you should be able to use the ship’s own Wi-Fi. Making and receiving calls on a ship costs £2 a minute, and sending each text costs 50p.

Roaming outside Europe

If you have a tariff that gives you free O2 Travel in the Inclusive Zone, the following countries are included and you won’t be charged for calls, texts or data as long as you don’t go over your usual allowance:

• El Salvador
• New Zealand
• United States

If you don’t have free O2 Travel on your tariff, then you’ll need to opt into O2 Travel (you can also do this by texting O2TRAVEL to 23336) before you head abroad.

You’ll be charged £4.99 per day, but only on the days that you ‘trigger’ the Bolt On. That means the first call you make, text you send or data you use will start O2 Travel for that day, which runs from midnight to midnight based on the capital city of the country you’re in.

What does O2 Travel include?

For your £4.99 per day, which you’ll be billed if you’re not eligible for the ‘Inclusive Zone’ or Europe, you get 120 minutes, 120 text and unlimited data.

O2 says there’s no cap on data at all, but that “speeds may vary” which, reading between the lines, means you’ll see a slow-down in your connection speed if you’re using more than the amount in O2’s fair use policy.

Is O2 good value for roaming?

Considering EE, Three and Vodafone have all reintroduced roaming charges – even within Europe – since Brexit went into effect, Virgin Media O2’s decision to abstain from reintroducing them is a huge win for customers; especially those who like to travel and are likely to find themselves hopping around Europe.

If you’re off to a destination where you can’t use your allowances, you might be able to get a better deal than the £4.99 per day charge for O2 Travel.

Pop into a phone shop – or pre-book online – and pick up a local pre-pay SIM when you arrive at your destination. This is often a way to use your phone – especially mobile data – for a much-reduced cost. Some operators even sell ‘tourist SIMs’ for exactly this reason. Do your research before you go and you could save a lot.

There are disadvantages of doing this, including the fact that people won’t be able to call you on your normal number while you’re using a different SIM. Of course, if you have a dual-SIM phone, then that’s not an issue, but do watch out if you intend to keep your O2 SIM in a phone, so people can contact you, as you might be charged for receiving calls and texts if you’re outside of the inclusive zones.

If you have SIMs with other operators, check out our other guides:

• What you need to know about roaming on EE
• What you need to know about roaming on Vodafone
• What you need to know about roaming on Three

Author: Jim Martin , Executive Editor

Jim has been testing and reviewing products for over 20 years. His main beats include VPN services and antivirus. He also covers smart home tech, mesh Wi-Fi and electric bikes.

Recent stories by Jim Martin:

• How to make your own iPhone ringtone from a song for free
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Where is the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone? Phone provider's data policy explained

W e’ve all been there – the plane lands, you whip out your phone and then feel a moment of panic over whether to turn on data roaming.

Let alone agonising over how much it will cost to call home.

Depending on your contract, and your network, using your phone on holiday can be just the same as at home – or very pricey.

It’s all got so much more complicated since Brexit , as some companies reintroduced roaming charges .

The trick is to get clued up and sorted before you go, so there are no unexpected surprises.

Because when you’re hitting the beach for some much-needed R&R , fretting about your phone bill will just pile on the stress.

So if you’re on the O2 network, what’s included – and what isn’t?

Here’s what you need to know.

Is O2 free in Europe?

In its Europe Zone, O2 contracts work as they do in the UK – so you’ll get the same number of minutes, texts and the same data allowance (up to a limit of 25GB). You can use this for up to 63 days in any four-month period – more than this will trigger a ‘fair usage’ text and after that you could be charged £3.50 per GB for data, 3.3p per minute for calls and 1p per text.

If your data allowance is more than 25GB in the UK, it will be capped at that level in Europe – you can use more, but you’ll have to pay for it.

The Europe Zone also applies to pay-as-you-go – data will come out of your allowance or be charged as it would in the UK.

Note that a handful of Europe Zone destinations on pay-as-you-go are slightly different: in Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Monaco or Switzerland, you can buy a travel bolt-on £1.99 for 100MB of data, texts are 1p and calls within these countries or back to the UK for 4p a minute.

Countries in the O2 Europe roaming zone are:

• Canary Islands
• Cyprus* (excluding Northern Cyprus)
• Czech Republic
• French Guiana
• Isle of Man
• Liechtenstein
• Netherlands
• Saint Barthelemy
• Saint Martin
• Switzerland
• United Kingdom
• Vatican City  

What’s the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone?

The ‘Travel Inclusive Zone’ is a list of 27 countries outside of the Europe Zone.

Countries in the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone are:

• El Salvador
• New Zealand
• Nicaragua 
• United States
• Yemen 

Who can get the Travel Inclusive zone?

It’s offered as a bolt-on on certain O2 Selected Plus Plans (including pay monthly and 12 and 24-month sim-only) to cover unlimited minutes, texts and data roaming in these areas (with no cap on the data).

It’s not available on 30-day sim-only tariffs or on pay-as-you-go.

What about outside the Travel Inclusive zone?

If you’re travelling outside of the Europe Zone and do not have the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On, then if you’re on pay monthly you can buy the the O2 Travel Bolt On for £6 a day which gives unlimited minutes, texts and data in selected destinations.

O2 has a dedicated page where you can check to see if the country you’re visiting is covered. You can add the bolt-on by texting TRAVELON to 21300.

For pay as you go, it’s not offered, so you’ll be charged international roaming rates outside of the Europe Zone.

You can check international roaming rates on O2’s dedicated page – in the US, for example, data is a whopping £7.20 per MB on pay-as-you-go, and calls cost £2 a minute to make and receive.

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Where is the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone? Phone provider’s data policy explained

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We’ve all been there – the plane lands, you whip out your phone and then feel a moment of panic over whether to turn on data roaming.

Let alone agonising over how much it will cost to call home.

Depending on your contract, and your network, using your phone on holiday can be just the same as at home – or very pricey.

It’s all got so much more complicated since Brexit , as some companies reintroduced roaming charges .

The trick is to get clued up and sorted before you go, so there are no unexpected surprises.

Because when you’re hitting the beach for some much-needed R&R , fretting about your phone bill will just pile on the stress.

So if you’re on the O2 network, what’s included – and what isn’t?

Here’s what you need to know.

Is O2 free in Europe?

In its Europe Zone, O2 contracts work as they do in the UK – so you’ll get the same number of minutes, texts and the same data allowance (up to a limit of 25GB). You can use this for up to 63 days in any four-month period – more than this will trigger a ‘fair usage’ text and after that you could be charged £3.50 per GB for data, 3.3p per minute for calls and 1p per text.

If your data allowance is more than 25GB in the UK, it will be capped at that level in Europe – you can use more, but you’ll have to pay for it.

The Europe Zone also applies to pay-as-you-go – data will come out of your allowance or be charged as it would in the UK.

Note that a handful of Europe Zone destinations on pay-as-you-go are slightly different: in Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Monaco or Switzerland, you can buy a travel bolt-on £1.99 for 100MB of data, texts are 1p and calls within these countries or back to the UK for 4p a minute.

Countries in the O2 Europe roaming zone are:

• Canary Islands
• Cyprus* (excluding Northern Cyprus)
• Czech Republic
• French Guiana
• Isle of Man
• Liechtenstein
• Netherlands
• Saint Barthelemy
• Saint Martin
• Switzerland
• United Kingdom
• Vatican City  

What’s the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone?

The ‘Travel Inclusive Zone’ is a list of 27 countries outside of the Europe Zone.

Countries in the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone are:

• El Salvador
• New Zealand
• United States

Who can get the Travel Inclusive zone?

It’s offered as a bolt-on on certain O2 Selected Plus Plans (including pay monthly and 12 and 24-month sim-only) to cover unlimited minutes, texts and data roaming in these areas (with no cap on the data).

It’s not available on 30-day sim-only tariffs or on pay-as-you-go.

What about outside the Travel Inclusive zone?

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If you’re travelling outside of the Europe Zone and do not have the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On, then if you’re on pay monthly you can buy the the O2 Travel Bolt On for £6 a day which gives unlimited minutes, texts and data in selected destinations.

O2 has a dedicated page where you can check to see if the country you’re visiting is covered. You can add the bolt-on by texting TRAVELON to 21300.

For pay as you go, it’s not offered, so you’ll be charged international roaming rates outside of the Europe Zone.

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You can check international roaming rates on O2’s dedicated page – in the US, for example, data is a whopping £7.20 per MB on pay-as-you-go, and calls cost £2 a minute to make and receive.

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O2 visa faqs: supporting o1 visa holders.

• September 6, 2023

O-2 visa requirements for O-1 key personnel

US immigration rules recognize that those coming to the US for work under the O-1 category may require the support of certain key personnel. The O-2 visa is available to individuals looking to accompany an O-1 visa holder to the US to assist with their reason for travel, such as specific events or performances.

Permission to travel under the O-2 visa is therefore linked directly to that of the O-1 visa holder.

The rules only permit an O2 visa holder to assist in “the artistic or athletic performance” of an O1 visa holder. Broadly speaking, this means that only O1 visa holders who work in athletics, film and television are allowed to be accompanied under the O2 visa, and that those who have secured O-1 visas in science, education or business are not able to be accompanied by an O-2 visa holder.

What does the O2 visa allow?

O-2 visa holders must work in the US in support of the principal O-1 visa holder while in the US.

They are also allowed to enter and re-enter the US as many times as they like during the validity of their visa, provided the reason for travel relates to the purpose of the visa.

In addition to that, dependents of O2 visa holders can apply under the O-3 visa route.

How long does an O-2 visa last?

Given that an O2 visa is directly tied to the permission granted to the O1 visa holder, the length of the O2 visa will ordinarily be determined by the period of leave granted to the O-1 visa holders and the nature of the engagements to be undertaken by the O1 athlete or artist.

The O1 visa holder may be initially admitted to the United States for a period of up to three years. Although this time period may be extended, USCIS will determine any extension based on the time necessary to accomplish the initial event or activity in increments of up to one year.

What are the eligibility criteria for an O2 visa?

Consideration of the O2 visa eligibility requires a more detailed look at the O1 visa classification. Specifically, that the O-1 comprises two distinct categories: the O-1A visa and the O-1B visa.

The O-1A visa is for individuals with an extraordinary ability in the sciences, education, business or athletics. The O2’s assistance must be an “integral part” of the O-1A’s activity.

The O1B visa is for those with an extraordinary ability in the arts, or extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry. The O2’s assistance must be “essential” to the completion of the O1B’s production.

The O2 worker will need to show in their application and interview that they possess critical skills and experience that cannot be readily performed by a US worker, and which are essential to the successful performance of the O1 athlete or artist.

In addition, the applicant will need to evidence their intention to leave the US by the end of the visa period, by proving sufficient ties to their country of residence. This could include having a permanent, non-US foreign residence and showing that the US-based plans are temporary.

How to apply for an O2 visa

Both the O1 and O2 visas are petition-based visas. This means a US sponsor will first need to file a petition on behalf of the beneficiary (applicant) with USCIS using Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker.

The filing petitioner could be the US employer of the O1 visa holder or, alternatively, a US agent acting on behalf of a foreign employer.

Please note, an O2 beneficiary must be petitioned for in conjunction with the services of the O1 athlete or artist. If the athlete or artist does not yet have an O1 visa, then the O1 and the O2 visa applications should be filed together.

Once the visa petition has been approved by USCIS for the O1 and O2 beneficiary, the O2 visa applicant can apply for their visa at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their country of residence.

O-2 visa applications are generally processed much more quickly than other visa categories, since the application process is generally less burdensome.

The O2 visa applicant will need to submit Form DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, pay the necessary visa fee, schedule an interview and print out the confirmation page/receipt to take with them to interview.

During the interview, the O2 visa applicant will be asked various questions regarding, for example, their reason for visiting the United States and intent to return to their country of residence at the end of their visit. The applicant will also need to be prepared to explain in detail the nature of their work with the O1 visa holder, together with the extent of their skills and experience.

O-2 supporting documents

In addition to the evidence to be filed on behalf of the O1 beneficiary, including but not limited to a written advisory opinion from a peer group or person with expertise in the O1 beneficiary’s area of ability – this is known as a consultation document and will typically come from a U.S. labor union or management organisation – additional evidence is required to support the petition for the O2 beneficiary.

In particular, the petitioner must also submit evidence by way of a consultation document or letter of opinion from a labor union or management organisation to establish the current essentiality, critical skills and experience of the O2 beneficiary for the O1 beneficiary, and that the O2 beneficiary has substantial experience performing those skills and essential support services for the O1 athlete or artist.

The letter should also confirm that the skills and experience of the O2 beneficiary are so critical to the work of the O1 visa holder that there are no available U.S. employees who can take their place.

In the case of a specific motion picture or television production, the evidence will need to establish that significant production has taken place outside the United States and will take place inside the U.S, and that the continuing participation of the O2 beneficiary is essential to the successful completion of that production.

The only exemptions to the rule of the written consultation are those applicants whose work does not have an appropriate labor organization, peer group or management organisation available in the United States.

There are various other documents that the O2 visa applicant will also need to take to the visa interview, including proof of any contract with the O1 visa holder, as well as evidence of their skills and experience related to their work. The specific documents will depend on your circumstances and the basis of your application and reason for travel. Take advice in advance to ensure you are fully prepared for the Consular officer’s questions.

O2 visa interview questions

No two visa interviews will be the same, since many of the questions will depend on the information you have provided in your application and your general circumstances. However, you should prepare to answer questions relating to your professional background and skills, and the value of these to the O-1 visa holder. You should also be ready to answer questions about your plans while in the US – what your duties will involve, as well as your itinerary, travel and accommodation plans. You are also likely to be asked about your travel history and previous trips to the US.

Does the O2 visa lead to a US Green Card?

The O2 visa is a temporary visa – the application process specifically requires evidence of the applicant’s intentions to leave the US after completion of the reason for travel, and before visa expiry.

However, should an O2 visa holder be considering a longer term move to the US, and ultimately permanent residence, it will require a change of status from the O2 category into a classification that does provide a path to a US Green Card , such as an H-1B visa .  Take professional advice the options open to you, as you could explore options to remain on the grounds of employment or potentially family.

Can you change employers on an O2 visa?

In the event that an O1 visa holder decides to change employers while in the United States, the new employer will need to file a Form I-129 with USCIS. Similarly, this would need to be done for the O2 visa holder accompanying the O1 beneficiary.

Where the original petition was filed by a U.S. agent, an amended petition must be filed with evidence relating to the new employer and a request for an extension of stay.

Need assistance with an O-2 visa?

There is a lot to the O-2 visa petition, from ensuring eligibility criteria are met and sufficiently evidenced to coordinating with the O-1 visa application.

NNU Immigration are a team of specialist US immigration attorneys with specific expertise in the O visa category. For advice on your O2 visa petition, contact us.

O2 visa FAQs

What is a o2 visa.

The O2 visa is for individuals accompanying an O1 alien of extraordinary ability  visa holder to support them in delivering their US-based professional commitments. 

What is the difference between O-1 and O2 visa?

The O1 visa is for an individual deemed to have exceptional ability within their professional field, while the O2 visa is for indivisuals accompanying the O2 visa holder to support them to do their work.

How long does it take to get an O2 visa?

The O2 visa application typically takes 2-3 months to process.

Is it easy to get O-1 visa?

O1 visa approval rates are typically over 85%. Given the extensive documentary and evidentiary requirements on O1 applicants, it is recommended to take professioanl advice when making your O1 visa application.

This article does not constitute direct legal advice and is for informational purposes only.

• Last updated September 6, 2023

By Nita Nicole Upadhye

Nita Nicole Upadhye is the Founder & Principal Attorney at NNU Immigration. A recognized leader in the field of US business immigration law, Nita successfully acts for corporations and professionals, entrepreneurs, artists, actors, and athletes from across the globe, providing expert guidance on all aspects of US visa and nationality applications, and talent mobility to the USA.

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