What is an expat?
Calculating the exact number of expats in the world is difficult thanks to varying definitions of the word and a lack of data. However, the U.N. estimates that over 3 percent of the worldâs population is currently comprised of expats. So what is an expat, exactly?
Expat is short for expatriate. Technically it refers to anyone who has left their country of origin, but expat carries with it the connotation that the move is not permanent. By todayâs standards, an expat is someone who either works or lives abroad for at least 6 months out of each year.

Becoming an expat
People become expats for a myriad of reasons. Maybe youâre leaving your home country for work, or perhaps youâve fallen in love with someone from another place. Or you may even just want a change of scenery. Whatever the reason, becoming an expat doesnât have to mean renouncing everyone youâve left back in your home country. With the right app, you can stay in touch with everyone no matter where you are and truly get the best of both worlds.
Staying in touch as an expat
Being an expat often means stretching yourself between two different countries. Youâve got a family back home that misses you, and youâve got new friends or relatives youâve made in your new home. Not to mention business contacts all over the planet. Youâll probably find yourself travelling internationally a touch more frequently than the average person. With all those border crossings and global contacts, youâll need a bit more than an old-fashioned payphone to make sure you can keep up communication with everyone.
Global SIMâs and the prepaid data you can stock them up with are your safest bet for frequent international communications. Attempting to roam globally on your home countryâs carrier can break your bank account and switching to a local carrier and making long distance calls back home can be just as pricey. But if your cell phone is unlocked, you can change your SIM card whenever you want.
From a company like BNESIM, you can purchase a global SIM to swap out in place of your phoneâs original SIM card. The new SIM will allow you to make calls and receive data from all over the world without roaming. BNESIM offers customizable data packages and in Russia, Asia, and Europe they sell monthly plans which are perfect for the long stays expats typically embark on. And since all the data is prepaid, thereâs never any worry of extra charges or fees. You pay for the data you want and nothing else.
The BNESIM App
The most useful BNESIM product for an expat. In addition to their global SIM cards, BNESIM offers a communications app. Their app essentially functions as a virtual SIM card, allowing you to connect globally or even try out that fancy dual-SIM option if your phone allows multiple SIM cards. Itâs the perfect way to connect your new home with your old one.
All incoming calls are free through the BNESIM app, so youâll never have to fear to answer your phone when you see an international number. And all voice and video calls are free between BNESIM customers all over the world, so if any of your friends have found themselves also travelling abroad with BNESIM, youâll never have to spend a cent calling them.
Phone numbers galore
The BNESIM app is how you can hook your iPhone up with as many international numbers as you need. One number comes free with any data package from BNESIM, but you can buy as many as you want from over 40 countries. The BNESIM app allows you to keep your original phone and number while also adopting an alternate phone number to use in whichever country you travel to. If your business takes you from Germany to Japan, your phone can feel like a local in both countries through a single app.
Easy account management
When you purchase data or SIM cards through BNESIM, you get an account. The data you purchase wonât expire so long as your account remains active (a data top off is required twice a year). The BNESIM app keeps track of all this data for you, giving you easy access to all your account information. So youâre quickly and easily able to look up how many minutes you have left, how much longer your account will be active, and how much data youâve used. Having all that information at your fingertips just makes your life that much easier.
Choosing to leave your home country for good or even just for a few years can be a difficult journey. Thereâs no reason you shouldnât have rock solid communication tools every step of the way.