How to Buy a New Telenor SIM in Pakistan

To buy a new Telenor SIM in Pakistan, go to a Telenor franchise or authorised retailer with your original CNIC and give your fingerprints for biometric verification. Telenor says this is the process for every new SIM. Foreign passport and Pakistan Origin Card holders buy at a franchise with a valid visa and a paper form, and Telenor says their SIM is activated within 2 hours.

We read Telenor Pakistan's own SIM purchase pages and FAQs on 22 September 2026. Telenor does not publish one fixed price for a new SIM. Its guidelines say you pay the new connection charges the franchise staff tell you at the time, so we do not quote a price here.

What you need to buy a Telenor SIM

Telenor's FAQ says to visit the franchise with your original CNIC. A photocopy is not enough for biometric verification, because the fingerprint is matched against the CNIC record.

How to buy the SIM, step by step

1. Check how many SIMs you already have. Telenor's FAQ says to send your CNIC number, with no spaces or dashes, by SMS to 668.
2. Find a franchise. Telenor lists its franchise addresses on telenor.com.pk under Franchise Locations. The help page says an authorised retailer can also sell a new SIM after biometric verification.
3. Take your original CNIC and go in person. The biometric check is done on your own fingers, so nobody can do it for you.
4. Choose a number from those the shop has, and pay the connection charge the staff tell you.
5. Give your fingerprints. If they do not match, the SIM is not issued.
6. Test the SIM before you leave. Make a call, send an SMS and check the balance with *444#.

How many SIMs you can have

Telenor's guidelines for passport buyers say that, as per PTA's directive, a customer can get up to 5 voice and data SIMs and 3 data SIMs. That is how Telenor states the limit. Other sources describe the PTA rule as 5 SIMs in total across all networks, and we could not read PTA's own directive, so treat the exact split as Telenor's reading of it. If you are at the limit, a new SIM will be refused until you give one up.

Telenor's FAQ says you can disown a Telenor SIM at a franchise with your original CNIC, but only once its activation date is at least 60 days old.

Buying a SIM on a foreign passport or POC

Telenor's page for these buyers sets out the rules clearly:

• Franchise staff check your documents.
• You fill in a paper form with your full name, father's or mother's name, address in Pakistan and visa validity date.
• You give a thumb impression and signature, and agree to a declaration against misuse of the SIM.
• Bring a copy of the passport, overseas CNIC or POC, and proof of a visa that has not expired.
• The SIM is activated within 2 hours. A broadband device takes up to 8 working hours.
• The connection is blocked when your visa expires. Renew the visa before then if you need the number.

Check your phone before you buy

Telenor runs a 4G Device Check on its website. It says Telenor 4G uses the 850 MHz band and lets you search your phone model. An older phone without that band will still make calls, but may not get Telenor 4G internet. Telenor also has an eSIM page, and PTA capped the eSIM fee.

When a new SIM does not work

• No signal or "SIM not registered". Telenor's FAQ says to try another handset first, then visit a franchise with your original CNIC for a replacement.
• Calls work but internet does not. Telenor says to send "Internet" to 131 for settings.
• Not sure of your new number. Telenor's FAQ says to call 7421 from the SIM for a number inquiry.
• Not sure the SIM is in your name. Telenor says to send "MNP" to 667 from the SIM, at Rs 2.39, for ownership details.

Safety warning

Never give your fingerprints on a second device "because the first one failed" unless you watch the staff cancel the first attempt. A spare fingerprint can register a SIM you never receive, and that SIM stays linked to your CNIC. Check your SIM count on 668 a few days after buying. If a SIM you did not buy shows up, report the unknown SIM at once.

Where to complain

Call 345 from a Telenor number or 042-111-345-100 from another phone. Telenor's contact page says a call connected to an agent costs Rs 2.69 including tax. If Telenor does not fix a problem, take it to PTA.

Telenor Pakistan was merged into the company that runs Ufone, and news reports say that took effect on 1 July 2026. Telenor SIMs were still being sold under the Telenor name when we checked on 22 September 2026.

Common questions

What documents do I need for a new Telenor SIM?

Your original CNIC. Foreign nationals need a copy of their passport and proof of a valid visa.

How much does a new Telenor SIM cost?

Telenor does not publish a fixed price. Its guidelines say the franchise tells you the connection charge at the time of purchase.

How long does a new Telenor SIM take to activate?

Telenor says a SIM bought on a passport or POC is activated within 2 hours, and a broadband device within 8 working hours.

Can someone else buy a Telenor SIM for me?

Not in your name. The biometric check uses the owner's own fingerprints.

How many Telenor SIMs can I have on one CNIC?

Telenor states PTA's limit as 5 voice and data SIMs and 3 data SIMs.

Last checked and sources

Last checked 22 September 2026. The biometric process at a franchise or authorised retailer is from telenor.com.pk/help-support. The original CNIC requirement is from Telenor's Getting Started FAQ. Passport and POC rules, the SIM limit as Telenor states it, the 2 hour and 8 working hour activation times and the visa expiry block are from telenor.com.pk/guidelines-to-purchase-new-prepaid-sim-card-on-passport-or-pakistan-origin-card. The 668, 667 and 7421 services and the 60 day rule for disowning are from Telenor's Check Sim Count, Sim BVS Information and Prepaid General Query FAQs. The 850 MHz band is from Telenor's 4G Device Check page. We did not buy a SIM, and we did not read PTA's own directive on SIM limits. Some websites describe home delivery of new Telenor SIMs through WhatsApp. It is not on any Telenor page we could read, so treat it as unconfirmed.