Change smartphone: transfer chats option

Hi guys, I’m moving to another phone and I don’t want to use Google Drive as I’m trying to get rid of it. Saw that WhatsApp have the transfer chats function with a QR code but I’m skeptical of it and afraid that won’t work. I opened the option in the phone I would leave and says that must register to the new phone my number, so my doubt is: in that instance I must pull out the SIM card and put it on the new phone?

Yesterday I’ve tried without pulling, put my number, receive the security code but didn’t have the courage to continue. In the next step would appear the QR code?