Using a VPN when you travel

Why travelers use a VPN

• Hotel, airport and café Wi-Fi. You don't know who runs the network or who else is on it. See public Wi-Fi safety.
• Reaching home services. Some banks, government portals and work systems are harder to use from foreign IP addresses.
• Censored networks. In some countries, many sites and apps are blocked. Using a VPN there may itself be restricted; see the legal section below.

Before you go

1. Check the law at your destination VPNs are legal in most countries, but China, Russia, Iran, Belarus, Turkmenistan, the UAE, Myanmar and others restrict or regulate them in different ways. Read our country overview, are VPNs legal, and your government's travel advice.
2. Install and sign in at home In countries that block VPNs, provider websites and app store listings are often unreachable. Install the apps on every device you're taking, sign in, and connect once before you leave.
3. Note a backup Find out from your provider which protocols or obfuscation modes it recommends for restrictive networks, and turn them on to check they work. Our WireGuard vs OpenVPN guide explains why some protocols are easier to block.
4. Turn on the kill switch Enable the kill switch so a dropped tunnel doesn't expose your traffic.
5. Set up two-factor authentication carefully If your bank sends codes by text message, make sure your phone will receive texts abroad, or switch to an authenticator app before you go.
6. Update everything Update your phone, laptop and VPN apps before the trip. The FTC recommends keeping devices updated.

Hotel and airport Wi-Fi

Most web traffic is encrypted with HTTPS now, which is why the FTC considers public Wi-Fi generally safe. A VPN adds protection the network can't see past: which sites you visit, and traffic from apps that don't encrypt well. The UK's NCSC suggests using a VPN when you log in to services over public Wi-Fi.

• Ask staff for the exact network name, to avoid look-alike hotspots.
• Complete the hotel's login page first, then connect the VPN. A strict kill switch can block login pages; switch it off briefly if needed.
• Turn off auto-join for the hotel network when you check out.
• Your phone's mobile data, or a travel eSIM, is a reasonable alternative to hotel Wi-Fi for sensitive tasks.

Banking abroad

Banks watch for unusual sign-ins. A login from a new country, or from an IP address many other people share, can trigger extra checks or a temporary lock. NordVPN, a VPN company, notes in its own guide that logging in from a foreign IP might be flagged as unusual activity. Connecting your VPN to a server in your home country can make your sign-in look more like it usually does, but VPN addresses are shared and some banks treat them with suspicion too.

• Tell your bank you're traveling if it offers travel notices.
• Use your bank's official app rather than a browser on a shared computer.
• If the bank blocks your VPN, try another server in your home country, or switch the VPN off for the bank app only, using split tunneling, on a network you trust.
• Never do banking on a hotel business-center computer.

Streaming while you're away

Many people want to watch their home streaming services abroad. Rules differ by service and by country, and streaming services actively block VPN addresses, so nothing is guaranteed. Using a VPN to watch another country's catalogue usually breaks a service's terms. Our streaming while traveling guide explains what the main services allow, and why streaming services block VPNs explains the blocking.

In countries that restrict VPNs

The rules vary. China requires government approval for VPN services. Russia bans VPNs that don't follow its blocklist and since 2025 treats VPN use as an aggravating circumstance in criminal cases. Iran banned unauthorized circumvention tools in 2024. The UAE punishes using a false IP address to commit or hide a crime. Our are VPNs legal page has sources and dates for each.

• Expect connections to fail more often. Providers' obfuscated modes sometimes help; results change frequently.
• Business travelers should use their employer's approved corporate VPN where one exists.
• Travel with the data you need on your devices, not everything you own.

Check your connection on arrival

Once you're connected, open our What is my IP tool to confirm you're showing the VPN's address, then run a leak test. A DNS leak would show the hotel network's DNS servers instead of your VPN's.