How to get a refund from Ubigi, and why you shouldn’t scan the QR code yet

The one sentence that matters

From Ubigi’s conditions:

“the refund of your preloaded eSIM profile is only possible if you have not scanned the QR code received by email after your purchase. If you have already scanned the received QR code, your refund request will be denied.”

Most people scan the QR code the day the email arrives, because that is what you do with a QR code in an email. On Ubigi’s contractual reading, that single action ends your refund right, before you have travelled anywhere or used a single megabyte.

If there is any chance you will want your money back, do not scan it until you are committed to the trip.

Two versions of the same rule

Ubigi’s help centre states a different test, based on usage rather than scanning:

“The refund of your preloaded eSIM profile is only possible if you have not used any of the data plan(s) that you purchased. If you have already started using your data plan, your refund request will be denied.”

Those are not the same rule. Scanning a QR code and using data are different acts, and it is entirely possible to have done the first without the second.

The contractual version is stricter. We would plan around the stricter one and argue the more generous one if it comes to that.

The 14 business day window

“To initiate a refund request, please reach out to the customer service team (using the online form) and attach the payment receipt (or payment confirmation) within 14 business days from the date of purchase (or the occurrence of the technical issue with the Services).”

Two things in that sentence are easy to miss.

It is 14 business days, not 14 days. Roughly three calendar weeks, so slightly more generous than it sounds.

The clock can run from the technical issue rather than the purchase. So if your eSIM fails on day 40 of a long trip, the window opens then rather than having closed a month earlier. That is a genuinely sensible piece of drafting and it is better than several competitors.

You need the payment receipt

“Please enclose the payment receipt you received by email for the incorrect data plan. If you cannot find the payment receipt email, you can still contact us, but you must provide the email address used for the purchase and the exact description of the data plan.”

And a very practical note from Ubigi:

“The payment receipt is sent at the time of purchase from the email address noreply@ubigi.com. If you cannot find it, please check your junk or spam folder.”

Find that email before you travel and keep it somewhere you can reach offline.

Timing and form

Ubigi says an eligible refund is “processed within 10 business days through the original payment method used during the purchase.”

Original payment method rather than store credit is the right default and better than some competitors, who steer you toward their own currency.

Carrier-locked devices

Ubigi’s position on locked handsets is not consistently stated across their documents, so we would not rely on any single reading. What is consistent is the practical advice: check whether your phone is carrier locked before you buy.

iPhone: Settings, General, About, scroll to Carrier Lock. “No SIM restrictions” means unlocked. Android: Settings, Connections, Mobile networks, Network operators, turn off automatic selection and wait 30 seconds. One carrier means locked.

The clause that destroys everything

This is the most dangerous thing in Ubigi’s terms and almost nobody knows it:

“After deleting your Ubigi account, you will not be able anymore to follow your Ubigi eSIM data consumption, top up your Ubigi eSIM account, nor receive any notifications from Ubigi. In case you have active data plans on your Ubigi account, they will all be deleted. Data plans refund, retrieval, replacement, or transfer to other Ubigi account(s) are not possible after an account deletion. All requests of this kind after an account deletion will be systematically declined.”

Do not delete your Ubigi account while you have an active plan or an open refund request. There is no route back, stated in unusually absolute language.

Note the separate and much more forgiving rule for the eSIM profile itself: “If you erase your eSIM profile, your cellular plan has not been cancelled.” Deleting the profile is recoverable, up to five reinstalls. Deleting the account is not recoverable at all.

Before you assume it is broken

Ubigi has a feature almost nobody else offers, and it can save you a refund request entirely. Their self-care stays reachable when your data is exhausted:

“The remaining credit is displayed on the home page and you can check it at any time even if your credit is exhausted.”

“you can top up your Ubigi account at any time, even without Wi-Fi or a valid Data plan”

So check whether you have simply run out before you conclude something has failed. And if you have, you can buy more without hunting for wifi. Our Ubigi troubleshooting guide covers the full sequence.

Where Ubigi does better than us

Their claim window running from the technical issue rather than only from purchase is better drafting than ours. Their refunds go back to the original payment method as standard. And being able to check your balance and top up with no data at all is a real advantage we cannot match.

What their policy does not control

Ubigi is Transatel, a French company in the NTT group. Their conditions include a liability cap limiting damages to “the amount of our charges to you for your actual use of the service during the prior one-month period”, and they make no reference to Australian Consumer Law.

If you bought as an Australian consumer, your consumer guarantees are not limited by a 14 business day window, by whether you scanned a QR code, or by a liability cap. A term that tries to exclude them is void. Enforcing that against a French company with no Australian entity is the harder half, and we set out both sides in what Australian Consumer Law says about a travel eSIM that doesn’t work.

Questions people actually ask

Does scanning the QR code stop me getting a refund?

On Ubigi’s contractual wording, yes. Their conditions say a refund is only possible if you have not scanned the QR code. Their help centre states a different test based on data used. Plan around the stricter one.

How long do I have?

14 business days, roughly three calendar weeks. Usefully, the clock can run from the technical issue rather than only from purchase.

What do I need to send?

The payment receipt emailed at purchase from noreply@ubigi.com, via Ubigi’s online contact form. If you cannot find it, the email address used and the exact plan description.

How long does the money take?

Ubigi says 10 business days, back to the original payment method.

Can I delete the eSIM profile?

Yes, and it is recoverable up to five reinstalls. Your plan is not cancelled by deleting the profile. Deleting your account is a different matter and destroys active plans permanently.

My plan seems dead. How do I check?

Ubigi’s self-care stays reachable with no data. Check your balance before assuming a fault, and top up from there if you have simply run out.

Does Australian Consumer Law apply?

Yes, to a business selling directly to Australian consumers. Consumer guarantees are not limited by their window, their QR rule, or their liability cap.

Sources

All Ubigi wording retrieved 17 August 2026 from their conditions, their refund help article and their help centre articles on account deletion, eSIM profile reinstallation and balance checking.

Written by Lachlan, who runs The SIM Shop from Brisbane and answers the support email himself.