Buying iPhone Duo abroad: what to check first

A Duo bought on a trip carries its country of purchase with it. The model number, cellular bands, warranty service, AppleCare+ and returns all depend on where you bought it, which matters more on a phone that starts at $1,999 in the US (as of Nov 10, 2026) than on most souvenirs.

Is a Duo bought abroad the same phone?

Apple's model-number page lists four iPhone Duo models: A3447 for the United States and Puerto Rico; A3719 for Bahrain, Canada, Guam, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the US Virgin Islands; A3721 for China mainland; and A3720 for other countries and regions.

The difference shows up in the cellular specs. Apple's US spec page lists 5G mmWave bands n258, n260 and n261 for the A3447, while the UK page (A3720), the Canadian page (A3719) and the China page (A3721) list no mmWave bands.

The A3720 on Apple's UK page also leaves out LTE bands 14, 29 and 71 and 5G bands n14, n29 and n71, all of which appear on the US and Canadian pages. Apple's UK spec page tells buyers to contact their network provider for details on 5G and LTE support.

Based on Apple's band lists, a Canadian or Japanese A3719 looks like the closer match for US networks, minus mmWave. To see a phone's model number, Apple says to go to Settings > General > About and tap the part number next to Model Number.

eSIM-only everywhere, with a China mainland catch

Apple says iPhone Duo has an "eSIM-only design worldwide," so there's no regional version with a SIM tray. Apple's China spec page also says the Duo isn't compatible with physical SIM cards.

China mainland is the exception that cuts both ways. Apple says you can't use a China mainland carrier's eSIM on a device bought outside China mainland. Apple's China spec page adds that eSIM activation there works only on listed models, including the A3721, and is done in person at a China Mobile, China Telecom or China Unicom service hall with an identity check.

Wherever you buy, the phone has to be unlocked to use another carrier, per Apple. Check Settings > General > About and look for No SIM Restrictions next to Carrier Lock. Apple also keeps a list of carriers that offer eSIM on iPhone, sorted by country or region. More on moving your number: how to move your eSIM.

Warranty: one year, but service can stay in the country of sale

Apple's one-year limited warranty runs from the date of original retail purchase. Both the US warranty and the rest-of-world version say Apple may restrict iPhone warranty service to the country where Apple or its Authorized Distributors originally sold the device.

Both add that service is limited to the options available in the country where you request it, and that if you seek service outside the country of purchase, you must follow import and export laws and pay any applicable duties and taxes.

In an Oct 26 report, iClarified said Apple acknowledged an inner-display issue on iPhone Duo and told affected owners to contact AppleCare for a replacement (iClarified). iClarified's report doesn't say whether phones bought in another country are handled any differently. Symptoms and next steps are in the teardown roundup.

AppleCare+ follows the country of purchase too

Apple's AppleCare page says the plans available for your device, and how you buy them, can differ by country or region. The buying window differs as well: within 60 days of purchase in the US, the UK, France and Germany, and within 30 days in Japan.

Apple's US AppleCare+ terms (v2.8) say the plan is offered and valid only in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. They also let Apple restrict hardware service and accidental-damage service to the country where the phone was originally bought, and make you responsible for customs duties, VAT and other taxes if you seek service elsewhere.

This likely means the practical route is to buy AppleCare+ in the same country as the phone, inside that country's window. Country-by-country store prices are in iPhone Duo price by country, and US plan costs are weighed in whether AppleCare+ is worth it.

Returns happen where you bought it

Apple's US store policy allows returns or exchanges within 14 days of receiving the product, and says products can be returned only in the country where purchased. Apple's US online store also ships only to addresses within the US.

It's likely other Apple stores apply similar country rules, so read the local policy before you fly home. More on the US rules: iPhone Duo return policy.

Tourist tax refunds: where they exist, and where they don't

European Union: The European Commission (page undated, checked Nov 10, 2026) says travelers who live outside the EU can claim VAT back on goods that leave the EU within three months of purchase, with a stamped VAT refund document as proof. Each member state sets its own minimum purchase, and the retailer or an intermediary handling the refund may keep a fee.

United Kingdom: HMRC guidance (last updated Aug 20, 2021) says the VAT Retail Export Scheme is no longer available in Great Britain, so visitors can buy tax-free there only when goods are delivered to an address outside the UK. The scheme still covers participating shops in Northern Ireland.

Japan: From Nov 1, 2026, Japan moved to a refund model, per the Japan Tourism Agency: visitors pay the tax at the store, show a passport, have customs confirm the export at the airport or seaport before boarding, and then get the refund through the store. A Japan National Tourism Organization notice (Aug 4, 2026) says the period for taking goods out of Japan grew from 30 days to 90 days.

Australia: The Australian Taxation Office (page last updated Apr 22, 2022) says the Tourist Refund Scheme needs purchases of A$300 or more, including GST, from one business, bought within 60 days before departure and backed by original tax invoices. Goods generally travel as cabin baggage, and claims are made at the airport TRS facility at least 30 minutes before departure.

Ask the store whether it takes part before you pay.

Duty when you get home

Import duty and tax rules belong to the country you bring the phone into, so check your own customs authority before you buy. For US residents, CBP says (page last modified Aug 23, 2018) the personal exemption is $200, $800 or $1,600 depending on the countries visited, after a trip of at least 48 hours (the 48-hour rule doesn't apply to Mexico or the US Virgin Islands) and if you haven't used the exemption in the past 30 days.

CBP also says every traveler must itemize purchased merchandise on Declaration Form 6059B, and its advice is "If in doubt, declare it." Its shopping-abroad page adds that goods bought in a duty-free shop aren't automatically free of duty on your return. Declare the phone.

Bottom line

Buying abroad makes the most sense if the phone will stay in the country where you bought it. For a trip purchase you bring home, the saving on paper has to cover possible band gaps, country-limited warranty service and AppleCare+, local-only returns and any duty owed.

Timing differs by country too; see launch dates by country. Is the saving worth those trade-offs for you?