Reading a bit on the forum, it seems impossible to have a number that isn’t linked to your identity, and in some European countries, it’s even illegal.
Unfortunately, in most countries, yes. Privacy International published a full report on the timeline of sim card registration laws around the world. It lists all the countries that require by law that you register you SIM card by providing ID. Some even require biometrics.
Keep in mind, the report was last updated in 2022, and the list of countries are from 2021. There are definitely countries listed on it that didn’t require registration back then, but now do.
This is the list of countries that Privacy International lists. I’ve emboldened the European ones.
PRIVACY INTERNATIONAL: As of 2021, the following countries do not have mandatory SIM card registration laws: Bahamas, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cabo Verde, Canada, Chile, Comoros, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Kiribati, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Moldova, Nauru, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Portugal, Romania, Samoa, Serbia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vanuatu. SOURCE: GSMA (pgs. 54-61).
One of PI’s source is the GSMA, and their last report dates back from 2020 it seems. So wherever you are, triple check your info. I know from experience that even if you travel as a tourist and need a SIM in countries that require registration, you will have to provide one, even if you are not a resident.
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UK can get a PAYG sim card from supermarkets without ID
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It is not impossible, there are shops where u can “buy” SIM-Cards without KYC-Verification, silent.link is one of these shops. There are more shops where u can buy your e-sim and pay with cash or cryptocurrency (like Monero).
There is also a other Site where u can buy E-Sims from different EU-Countries, but i dont find the site right now (like France, Netherland, Poland…).
If u only need SMS to verify an account, there a public sites in the Web like SMSnator for that.
I was thinking of getting a private SIM or virtual number that I could use for online services that require one (for example: Nintendo Switch 2 will need a phone number for chat).
There isn’t a single answer, it is country-specific regulation.
You do usually have to be in the country to activate the sim tho.
But yeah https://saily.com/ is such website that works without the requirement. Not that I endorse it.
Do you know smspool.net ?
That may be true, but keep in mind that just because you can buy a SIM card without KYC verification, doesn’t mean you can use it without KYC verification. In some countries where KYC is a requirement, you will not be able to activate your SIM without providing your ID.
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Yes, but I wanted a personal SIM card 
I believe it’s no longer possible to purchase a physical SIM card directly from a carrier anonymously within the EU, as KYC requirements have become standard across member states. The Netherlands (and I think Estonia) was previously one of the last countries offering this option, but new legislation implemented in 2022 closed this loophole.
Imo, there appear to be only two remaining options for anonymous SIM cards:
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Obtain an anonymous eSIM from providers like Silent Link or Simsup (not sure if the latter is legit).
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Purchase a pre-activated physical SIM card from resellers such as readySIM. However, I’d be careful with these resellers. It’s unclear if these SIM cards are actually new or previously used, which could put one’s privacy at risk.
I’d like to add, that I still have an anonymously bought Dutch SIM card that was sold with a “never expire” guarantee before 2022. However, I recently got a text message from the carrier saying it will be deactivated unless I provide my personal information. It seems they’re now targeting existing SIMs without KYC too.
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