Billing setup fails with OR_BACR2_59 — stuck in admin/no-account catch-22

Gemini API
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1

I’m trying to set up billing for the Gemini API in Google AI Studio to move from free tier to paid tier, but I’m completely stuck:

  1. Billing setup fails every time at the final step with:
    “Billing setup can’t be completed. We were unable to set up your account. [OR_BACR2_59]”

  2. When I contacted Cloud Billing Support (via the Billing Assistant chat), I was told:
    “I am unable to assist you since you are not an administrator on any Billing Account. Please contact the administrator of the billing account in question.”
    This doesn’t apply to me — I have never had a Billing Account, I’m trying to create my first one, and I’m the only person on this account.

  3. I was then pointed to the “GCP Account and Resource Recovery Request” form, but that form is explicitly for regaining access to a resource I previously had access to, which also doesn’t apply — I never had a Billing Account to lose access to.

So I’m stuck in a loop with no valid support path.

Details:

  • Payments profile: Individual, United States
  • Payment method: Bank account (Checking, ending 559), verification appears successful
  • Error occurs immediately after clicking Submit on the billing setup form
  • Tried different browsers, same result

Could someone from the Google team please help route this, or explain what’s actually causing OR_BACR2_59 in this case? Happy to share my Project ID and screenshots if needed.

Thank you.