How to Dial an International Number: Codes & Format (2026)

The main exception is Italy, where you keep the 0 (+39 06 for Rome). Below you'll find a dialing table for 20 popular countries and the special cases that make calls fail.

Most failed international calls fail for one reason: the number is dialled in the wrong format. A missing country code, an extra 0, or an old prefix that was removed years ago. This guide explains the rules once, then shows you how to dial each country.

The three parts of an international number

1. The exit code tells your network you are calling abroad. It depends on where you are calling *from*: 011 in the US and Canada, 00 in most of the world, 0011 in Australia, 010 in Japan.
2. The country code identifies the destination: 1 for the US and Canada, 44 for the UK, 91 for India, 971 for the UAE.
3. The national number, without the 0 used for local calls. In most countries, numbers written for local callers start with a 0 (the "trunk prefix"). You drop it when you add the country code.

What does the + mean?

The + stands for "the exit code of wherever I am". On a mobile phone, hold the 0 key to type it. A number saved as +44 20 7946 0123 works from any country, so save every contact in + format: your phone, WhatsApp and calling apps all understand it.

How long can a phone number be?

Under the international standard (ITU-T E.164), a full number, country code included, has at most 15 digits.

Country codes and dialing formats for 20 countries

The X's stand for the rest of a real number. The UK and German examples use ranges the regulators reserve for films and TV, so they never belong to a real person. "Price per minute" is the TripoSIM US Number's lowest price to that country.

Some number ranges in a country can cost more than the price shown; the TripoSIM app shows the exact price before every call. Prices for all 200+ countries. For India's city codes and time difference, see how to call India.

Special cases that trip people up

• Italy keeps the 0. Italian landline area codes are part of the number: Rome 06 1234 5678 is +39 06 1234 5678 from abroad. Italian mobiles start with 3 and have no 0.
• Mexico removed old prefixes. Since Mexico's 2019 numbering change, every number has 10 digits; the old 01, 044 and 045 prefixes are gone, and you no longer add a "1" after +52 for mobiles.
• Lebanon: old mobile numbers starting 03 lose the 0 (+961 3 …), while numbers starting 70, 71, 76, 78, 79 or 81 have no 0 to drop.
• China: mobiles have 11 digits and start with 1, with no 0. Landlines drop the 0 of the city code (Beijing 010 → +86 10).
• Vietnam renumbered mobiles in 2018: 11-digit numbers starting 012x, 016x, 018x and 0199 became 10-digit numbers (for example 0120 became 070). If an old contact fails, ask for the new number.
• Egypt moved mobiles to 11 digits in 2011 (01X…), so +20 1X XXXX XXXX is the current format.
• The US and Canada share code 1. Calling between them needs no exit code: dial 1 and the 10-digit number. Many Caribbean islands and US territories such as Puerto Rico also use +1; with the TripoSIM US Number those calls are paid from credit, and the keypad shows the price.

How to call the US from abroad

Dial +1 (or your exit code and 1), then the 3-digit area code and the 7-digit number: +1 212 XXX XXXX for New York. US numbers never start with 0 after the country code.

Exit codes from common countries

How to dial an international number correctly

1. Find the country code of the destination (the table above, or the price list).
2. Take the local number and remove its leading 0, unless the country is Italy.
3. On a mobile or in an app, type + followed by the country code and the number.
4. On a landline, type your exit code (011 from the US, 00 from most countries) instead of +.
5. Save the contact in + format so it works wherever you are.
6. In the TripoSIM app, check that the country shown under the number is the one you meant before you tap call.

Frequently asked questions

Do I dial 011 or + to call abroad from the US?

On a mobile phone, + is easiest: hold 0 to type it, then the country code and number. On a landline, dial 011 instead of +. Both reach the same number.

Do I drop the 0 when I dial a number abroad?

Usually yes. Remove the leading 0 of the area code or mobile number after the country code: UK 07700 900123 becomes +44 7700 900123. Italy is the main exception: keep the 0 of Italian landlines.

What is an exit code?

It's the prefix that tells your phone network the call is international. It depends on the country you call from: 011 in the US and Canada, 00 in most other countries. On mobiles, + replaces it.

How do I dial a Mexican mobile?

Dial +52 and the 10-digit number. Since Mexico's numbering change you no longer add a 1 after +52 or use 044 or 045.

Why does my international call fail?

Check four things: the country code is right, you dropped the leading 0 (except Italy), the number has the right length, and the number isn't toll-free (toll-free numbers usually can't be called from abroad). Calling an office? See how to call landlines and helplines abroad.

Can I call any country with the TripoSIM US Number?

You can call 200+ countries and territories. Sanctioned countries, premium-rate numbers, satellite phones and emergency numbers can't be called. See the list and prices, and how calls are billed.