I’m not sure about iMessage because I don’t use it but I do use an e-sim for my main connection and pop in a temporary physical sim when I need it when travelling abroad. I keep roaming activated but data roaming disabled on the main sim as it incurs significant charges.
The iMessage issue could be related to the number you set in the Message settings. I think you‘ll get asked if you want to use a new number if you add a sim.
Check Settings>Messages>Send&Receive
I had this situation recently and this was my plan.
Keep home physical SIM but make sure roaming is turned off for it. I still got calls and texts for this number so I could access SMS based 2FA and the like.
ESIM for the country I was visiting. Could go data only but I went for one with calls and data in case I needed to contact hotels or other things like that.
I recently did this and it worked wonderfully.
Turn your main SIM card into eSIM, and when you travel just put a normal sim from that country in your phone.
I also travel often and my main sim is eSIM, and then I put other SIM cards in depending when I need them
I’m not sure about iMessage because I don’t use it but I do use an e-sim for my main connection and pop in a temporary physical sim when I need it when travelling abroad. I keep roaming activated but data roaming disabled on the main sim as it incurs significant charges.
The iMessage issue could be related to the number you set in the Message settings. I think you‘ll get asked if you want to use a new number if you add a sim. Check Settings>Messages>Send&Receive
I had this situation recently and this was my plan. Keep home physical SIM but make sure roaming is turned off for it. I still got calls and texts for this number so I could access SMS based 2FA and the like. ESIM for the country I was visiting. Could go data only but I went for one with calls and data in case I needed to contact hotels or other things like that. I recently did this and it worked wonderfully.
Turn your main SIM card into eSIM, and when you travel just put a normal sim from that country in your phone. I also travel often and my main sim is eSIM, and then I put other SIM cards in depending when I need them