Testing Sign-Ups for Réunion Island on +262 Numbers

Why treat Réunion as its own test market?

Réunion is a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean, so it sits inside France and the European Union while keeping its own dial code, +262, and its own mobile routes. That combination catches out many sign-up forms: a country picker that only offers "France +33" forces island residents to type something wrong, and a validator copied from the mainland can reject a perfectly real local number.

Teams test here when they extend a French product to the overseas departments, when a delivery or travel app adds the island, or when support staff need to reproduce what a customer in Saint-Denis actually receives. Codes usually arrive in French; Réunion Creole is widely spoken but rarely used in automated texts. The island runs on UTC+4 with no daylight saving, which is worth remembering when you schedule test runs against local business hours.

How should +262 numbers be formatted and stored?

Réunion follows the French numbering plan. Locally a number has ten digits and starts with the trunk prefix 0; mobiles typically begin 0692 or 0693. For E.164, drop that 0 and add the country code, giving +262692XXXXXX.

Two points to build into validation:

• +262 is shared with Mayotte, so do not assume every +262 number belongs to Réunion; store the country your user selected next to the number.
• Normalise to E.164 before saving, and only reformat to the spaced French style (0692 XX XX XX) for display.

Which services are available on a Reunion verification number?

Today's snapshot for Réunion lists more than 900 services. Popular routes include WhatsApp, Google (Gmail & YouTube), Facebook, Airbnb, Instagram, Telegram, TikTok, Snapchat, Microsoft & Outlook, Amazon, Uber, LinkedIn and Discord. Inventory shifts during the day, so pull the live list before each run.

What does the Reunion OTP API sequence look like?

With a Bearer key (or_live_…) against https://otproute.com/api/v1:

1. Look up ids with GET /api/v1/services and GET /api/v1/countries; Réunion is re.
2. Check cost with GET /api/v1/prices?country=re&service=<id>.
3. Order via POST /api/v1/activations using {"service": "<id>", "country": "re"}.
4. Receive activation.sms_received on a signed webhook, or poll GET /api/v1/activations/{id}.
5. Cancel unneeded orders with POST /api/v1/activations/{id}/cancel.

Verify X-OTPRoute-Signature by recomputing HMAC-SHA256 over <t>.<raw body>, reject old timestamps, and de-duplicate on the activation id. Our article on securing OTP webhooks walks through the check, and the docs list every field of this SMS verification API.

How do non-developers use the dashboard for +262 codes?

Open the OTP Gateway in the OTP Route dashboard, pick Réunion and the service, confirm the price shown, and copy the +262 number into the app you are testing. The code appears on the order page once it is delivered. New team members can sign up with an email code or Google.

What should I check when a +262 code is missing?

Every activation runs for 20 minutes, and you only pay if the code arrives. An empty window, or a cancellation, sends the full amount back to the wallet without a ticket.

A short troubleshooting list for Réunion runs:

• Give it time. Let the window finish before deciding the route failed; a second order placed early only muddies the result.
• Check the number type. Some services decline virtual numbers outright, and no retry changes that.
• Re-check your form. If your app silently rewrote +262 to +33, the text went to the wrong country. Log the exact string your backend submits.
• Retry with patience. Try again later or through another service route, and give CI jobs a back-off instead of a tight loop.

The article on reducing failed OTP deliveries covers further causes worth ruling out.

What about long-term lines and billing?

There is no self-serve long-term number for Réunion. If you need a persistent +262 line, email [email protected]; availability depends on local rules and is not assured. Dedicated Numbers, from $1.95/month, are a US and Canada product.

Payment comes from a prepaid USD wallet, pay as you go, with no monthly fee. Top up by card or USDT/USDC and receive a PDF invoice for each top-up. Development accounts can request sandbox mode to rehearse the integration with simulated numbers and codes. See pricing for details, and remember that OTP routing to the island is billed exactly like any other country.

Frequently asked questions

Can I receive Reunion SMS OTP codes without a SIM from the island?

Yes. Order a +262 number on the OTP Gateway and read the code in the dashboard, or have it pushed to your webhook.

Is Réunion listed under France in the API?

No. It has its own country id, re, separate from mainland France, and its own service list.

Do Mayotte numbers also use +262?

Yes, the two territories share the code, which is why you should store the selected country alongside the E.164 number.

What happens if the code doesn't arrive within 20 minutes?

The activation closes and the full amount returns to your wallet automatically. You only pay when a code is delivered.

Why did a service refuse my +262 number for testing?

Some platforms reject virtual numbers by policy. Wait out the window for the refund, then retry later or test a different service route rather than re-ordering in a loop.

Which language will Réunion verification texts be in?

Usually French, though the sending service decides. Check your own templates render French accents correctly.

Can I keep a Réunion number for repeat logins on a staging account?

Not self-serve. For that pattern, teams move the account to a Dedicated Number in the US or Canada, or email support to ask whether a +262 line is possible.

Is using OTP Route for Réunion allowed under service terms?

OTP Route is meant for testing and operating your own legitimate products and accounts. Follow each service's terms and our Acceptable Use Policy; see the QA testing page for typical setups.

Service names are trademarks of their respective owners. OTP Route is not affiliated with them. Use numbers lawfully, follow each service's terms and our Acceptable Use Policy.