Dial CodesHow to make an international call: exit code, country code, number
Every international call is dialled in three parts. Once you know them, any foreign number becomes easy to read and to dial.
- Exit code of the country you are calling from. It tells the exchange that the call is going abroad. In India it is 00.
- Country code of the country you are calling, such as 44 for the United Kingdom.
- The number, usually without the 0 (trunk prefix) that people inside that country dial first.
What the + sign means
The + in front of a number means "put your exit code here". Mobile phones understand +, so +44 20 XXXX XXXX works from any country without knowing the local exit code. To type +, press and hold the 0 key. On a landline you must dial the exit code itself.
Exit codes and country codes of some countries
| Country | Exit code | Country code |
|---|---|---|
| India | 00 | +91 |
| United States | 011 | +1 |
| Canada | 011 | +1 |
| United Kingdom | 00 | +44 |
| United Arab Emirates | 00 | +971 |
| Saudi Arabia | 00 | +966 |
| Australia | 0011 | +61 |
| Nepal | 00 | +977 |
| Bangladesh | 00 | +880 |
| Germany | 00 | +49 |
| Japan | 010 | +81 |
The exit code is what you dial when you are in that country; the country code is what others dial to reach it. Every country is in the full list.
The trunk prefix: the 0 you usually drop
In many countries, calls inside the country start with a trunk prefix, most often 0. A London number is written 020 XXXX XXXX inside the United Kingdom, but from abroad it is +44 20 XXXX XXXX: the 0 goes away. India works the same way: the Delhi code 011 becomes +91 11. A few countries, such as Italy, keep every digit, and their country pages on this site say so.
A worked example from India
To call a mobile in the United Arab Emirates written as 05X XXX XXXX: dial 00 (exit code of India), 971 (country code), then 5X XXX XXXX without the first 0. From a mobile phone, +971 5X XXX XXXX does the same.
Before you call
- Check the time there. Each country page on this site shows the local time now.
- International calls cost more than local calls. Your phone company sets the rate; internet calling apps use data instead.
- Save foreign contacts with + and the country code. They will then work for calls, SMS and WhatsApp alike.
Checked in November 2026 against the libphonenumber numbering data.