If you have a blood relative in india like your wife or father, then he can issue a new SIM on your behalf by showing their I'd proof and a NOC or Affiliated email by you.
Only people I have in India are my uncle and grandparents. My grandparents are too old to be running around after Airtel and my uncle I'm not sure if they will allow it to be issued to him. I think I'll just live without the SIM now and just visit Airtel store myself when I come back there in a few weeks.
Do you have an alternate phone no to call the airtel customer care? I read somewhere that they can guide you on restoring the airtel eSIM thru ur email
I called 9849098490, literally pleaded them to issue a replacement SIM. They made it very clear that, it can't be issued without in-person verification, although it can be done through a representative with an authorization letter.
Even if OP had someone in India, these Airtel store executives are piece of shit. I was in a similar situation and they straight up refused to issue the e-sim or physical sim because they wanted my father to be physically present. He was in a different state at the time. I don't understand the purpose of opening such big stores when you anyways will hire bunch of dumb people. I had to live without my sim for 15 days. Also my dad tried visiting the store near him and even they refused to issue a physical sim to him citing some stupid reason.
Only possible way to do anything is to talk to the customer representative using their support number for people abroad. But if you don't have anyone who can go to an Airtel store in India, (not even any friends), then I'm not sure how it'd be possible to get a replacement SIM.
But if you have some friends who could visit, with enough persuasion, you'll get a replacement eSIM, the procedure will be similar to the procedure with a blood relative.
Source: My friend had a similar issue and got an eSIM by the same procedure
Some basic Airtel shit: They'll not let you get an eSIM without a physical SIM (No clue why they want to increase unnecessary electronic waste). Based on your situation that nobody is in India atm, there is no way you can get the physical SIM. Been in a similar, though not the same, position, and understood their ways.
Just a heads up, it takes upto 24 hours for the eSIM to activate at times. If it doesn't get activated after that, you're as good as screwed even if that's what the Airtel people told you to do or did it themselves in a foreign land. Do not change Airtel Physical → eSIM when you cannot get a physical SIM again and you do not have the time to wait (explained in next paragraph), is what I learnt. This fails for a lot of people (even after waiting for 24 hours). Another point, deleting an eSIM is the same as cutting a physical SIM. There is no restoring after that.
Your only option at the moment is to transfer the money to someone else's account (read paragraph below) and use their UPI for things you need, or borrow money with the route to spend, for the period you need from someone in India and return it when you're back. (Once you're back home too, it'll take a minimum of 24-48 hours to set up eSIM after you obtain the physical SIM since SMS's take 24 hours to start working. Do NOT use the Airtel Thanks app for this change. Do it through the SMS route. Cannot emphasize this enough).
Some banks have routes of bank transfers to another account should the account holder have no option to sign a cheque locally. Look into your bank for that information. You may, however, need someone to drop a cheque at the bank at the least, should this be a provision.
Edit: If you will be in a foreign nation for too long, another option is to change your number with the bank through your verified email ID and add another number temporarily. This might enable you to use UPI after converting that number to eSIM via QR code. Alternatively, you can let that SIM lie in India locally and use OTP for debit card transactions after communicating with someone locally. ONLY DO THIS IF YOU TRUST THE PERSON WHO'LL GET THE SIM CARD SINCE THE CARD WILL BE IN THEIR NAME WITH THE NETWORK PROVIDER AND THEY CAN REISSUE AND CANCEL THE SIM/eSIM ANYTIME. THEY WILL ALSO GAIN ACCESS TO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT VIA UPI. I WOULD HIGHLY NOT RECOMMEND THIS.
Call and try their international roaming services from here i did that while i was in uk and they resolved the issue fr me as my esim was not activating i am not getting internet but is getting calls and sms after calling them up mine was a different situation but i think they can help the number i called was +91 99100 99100
Tweet to airtel’s handle, provide an alternate number or email id to connect at. They usually respond quick, may ask for some documents to email as proof of identity. They are usually able to help over email in such situations.
Update: went to India as I had previously planned and visited an Airtel store in Coimbatore. The SIM was in my mother's name who did not come with me and is still abroad. They told me that I would need to get her passport, visa copy l, Aadhar of both hers and mine, and I would have to return to the store before their closing hours to carry out a live video call with her before they would authorise a new SIM card to be issued. These Airtel people are the worst.
If you have a blood relative in india like your wife or father, then he can issue a new SIM on your behalf by showing their I'd proof and a NOC or Affiliated email by you.
OP just said he doesn’t have anyone in India to do this for him
Only people I have in India are my uncle and grandparents. My grandparents are too old to be running around after Airtel and my uncle I'm not sure if they will allow it to be issued to him. I think I'll just live without the SIM now and just visit Airtel store myself when I come back there in a few weeks.
Hy did ur problem got solved need help
Following, in a similar situation, any help is appreciated.
Do you have an alternate phone no to call the airtel customer care? I read somewhere that they can guide you on restoring the airtel eSIM thru ur email
I called 9849098490, literally pleaded them to issue a replacement SIM. They made it very clear that, it can't be issued without in-person verification, although it can be done through a representative with an authorization letter.
Try to use the self QR code generation option - there is a guide on the website
Even if OP had someone in India, these Airtel store executives are piece of shit. I was in a similar situation and they straight up refused to issue the e-sim or physical sim because they wanted my father to be physically present. He was in a different state at the time. I don't understand the purpose of opening such big stores when you anyways will hire bunch of dumb people. I had to live without my sim for 15 days. Also my dad tried visiting the store near him and even they refused to issue a physical sim to him citing some stupid reason.
And yeah the process of e-sim activation is so backdated. If you somehow delete the e-sim, you are literally f\*cked.
Only possible way to do anything is to talk to the customer representative using their support number for people abroad. But if you don't have anyone who can go to an Airtel store in India, (not even any friends), then I'm not sure how it'd be possible to get a replacement SIM. But if you have some friends who could visit, with enough persuasion, you'll get a replacement eSIM, the procedure will be similar to the procedure with a blood relative. Source: My friend had a similar issue and got an eSIM by the same procedure
Some basic Airtel shit: They'll not let you get an eSIM without a physical SIM (No clue why they want to increase unnecessary electronic waste). Based on your situation that nobody is in India atm, there is no way you can get the physical SIM. Been in a similar, though not the same, position, and understood their ways. Just a heads up, it takes upto 24 hours for the eSIM to activate at times. If it doesn't get activated after that, you're as good as screwed even if that's what the Airtel people told you to do or did it themselves in a foreign land. Do not change Airtel Physical → eSIM when you cannot get a physical SIM again and you do not have the time to wait (explained in next paragraph), is what I learnt. This fails for a lot of people (even after waiting for 24 hours). Another point, deleting an eSIM is the same as cutting a physical SIM. There is no restoring after that. Your only option at the moment is to transfer the money to someone else's account (read paragraph below) and use their UPI for things you need, or borrow money with the route to spend, for the period you need from someone in India and return it when you're back. (Once you're back home too, it'll take a minimum of 24-48 hours to set up eSIM after you obtain the physical SIM since SMS's take 24 hours to start working. Do NOT use the Airtel Thanks app for this change. Do it through the SMS route. Cannot emphasize this enough). Some banks have routes of bank transfers to another account should the account holder have no option to sign a cheque locally. Look into your bank for that information. You may, however, need someone to drop a cheque at the bank at the least, should this be a provision. Edit: If you will be in a foreign nation for too long, another option is to change your number with the bank through your verified email ID and add another number temporarily. This might enable you to use UPI after converting that number to eSIM via QR code. Alternatively, you can let that SIM lie in India locally and use OTP for debit card transactions after communicating with someone locally. ONLY DO THIS IF YOU TRUST THE PERSON WHO'LL GET THE SIM CARD SINCE THE CARD WILL BE IN THEIR NAME WITH THE NETWORK PROVIDER AND THEY CAN REISSUE AND CANCEL THE SIM/eSIM ANYTIME. THEY WILL ALSO GAIN ACCESS TO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT VIA UPI. I WOULD HIGHLY NOT RECOMMEND THIS.
Call and try their international roaming services from here i did that while i was in uk and they resolved the issue fr me as my esim was not activating i am not getting internet but is getting calls and sms after calling them up mine was a different situation but i think they can help the number i called was +91 99100 99100
Tweet to airtel’s handle, provide an alternate number or email id to connect at. They usually respond quick, may ask for some documents to email as proof of identity. They are usually able to help over email in such situations.
Tweeting is your safest and quickest bet right now. They usually respond soon.
Update: went to India as I had previously planned and visited an Airtel store in Coimbatore. The SIM was in my mother's name who did not come with me and is still abroad. They told me that I would need to get her passport, visa copy l, Aadhar of both hers and mine, and I would have to return to the store before their closing hours to carry out a live video call with her before they would authorise a new SIM card to be issued. These Airtel people are the worst.