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Gemini API
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Subject: Request for Manual Review – Gemini API Free Tier Access Restricted (403 PERMISSION_DENIED)

Hello Google Gemini API Support Team,

I am requesting a manual review of my Google AI Studio project’s API access restriction and would like to restore access to the Gemini API Free Tier without enabling paid billing.

Project Information

Project Name: My Project 3041…

Project ID: smooth-bond-511106-i.

Creation Date: October 9, 2026

Current Project Status: Restricted

Billing Tier: Unavailable

Model Tested: gemini-3.8-flash

Issue Description

I recently created this project through Google AI Studio and generated a Gemini API key for personal development and testing.

However, Google AI Studio immediately shows the following restriction:

“This project’s API access is restricted. Please set up billing to continue.”

I have independently tested the API using PowerShell and direct HTTPS requests, without relying on third-party applications.

Test 1: List Available Models

GET /v1beta/openai/models

Result: HTTP 200 OK

The API successfully returns the available model list, confirming that the API key is recognized.

Test 2: Generate Content

POST /v1beta/openai/chat/completions

Model: gemini-3.8-flash

Result: HTTP 403 PERMISSION_DENIED

Error message:

“Your project has been denied access. Please contact support.”

This confirms that the error also occurs when calling the Google API directly, independently of my application.

Request for Review

According to the official Gemini API billing documentation, eligible projects can use supported models under the Free Tier without attaching a paid billing account.

I would appreciate your assistance with the following questions:

  1. Why was my newly created project immediately marked as Restricted?

  2. Is this restriction related to account verification, project eligibility, or an automated security flag?

  3. Can my project be manually reviewed and restored to Free Tier access without enabling paid billing?

  4. Are there any additional identity or account verification steps I need to complete?

  5. If a manual review is not available through this forum, could you direct me to the appropriate official appeal or support channel?

My intention is to use the Gemini API for legitimate, low-volume personal development and testing within the permitted Free Tier limits.

I do not wish to activate paid billing or purchase API credits at this time.

I can provide additional project information privately through an official support channel if necessary. For security reasons, I have not included my API key.

Thank you for your assistance and consideration.

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Best regards

2

Hello @liuyun ,

Getting a 403 API error response and / or seeing “Unavailable” next to your project in AI audio indicates a flag has been placed on your account. To proceed:

If you’re on the free tier with no billing attached, please try the below steps:

  1. Check Model Availability & Rate Limits:

    • Ensure that the model you are requesting is available on your current plan. For example, not all models are available on the free tier. You can verify model availability, quotas, and limits on the AI Studio Rate Limit dashboard.

  2. Ensure you have completed age verification by navigating to Google Account Age Verification and verifying date of birth in Google Account Personal Info.

  3. Once age verification is configured, retry your request or create a new API key in Google AI Studio.

  4. If completing these steps still does not restore access (or if using a model requiring a paid tier), you might want to consider adding prepayment credits directly in Google AI Studio and/ or attaching a Google Cloud Billing account in the Google Cloud Console. Please note this will mean you lose your free tier quota.

3

Hello Google Gemini API Support Team,

Thank you for your previous guidance.

I have now completed additional troubleshooting and would like to request an escalation for manual review.

1. Age verification is already completed

My Google Account explicitly displays “Your age has been verified.”

2. Two projects under the same Google Account are restricted

Original project:

  • Project ID: smooth-bond-511106-i..

  • Status: Restricted

  • Billing Tier: Unavailable

New project (created October 15, 2026):

  • Project ID: articulate-ego-511705-s..

  • Status: Restricted

  • Billing Tier: Unavailable

Both projects were created under the same Google Account.

3. The Rate Limit dashboard cannot display the project’s quota tier

Google AI Studio displays:

“Project quota tier not assigned. Please contact your project administrator for assistance.”

It also states:

“This project’s API access is restricted. Please set up billing to continue.”

The restriction is therefore present even on a newly created project.

4. My request

I understand that eligible projects can use the Gemini API Free Tier without a paid billing account.

Could you please:

  1. Confirm why both projects are restricted despite successful age verification?

  2. Determine whether an account-level restriction or eligibility flag is preventing Free Tier quota assignment?

  3. Escalate this case for manual review and restore Free Tier access if my account is eligible?

  4. Clarify whether any additional verification is required, and provide an official appeal channel if the restriction cannot be reviewed here?

I would prefer not to activate paid billing simply to resolve an unexplained restriction.

Thank you for your assistance.