OpenAI Not Available in Your Country? Unblock it Easily!

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5 min. read

Updated on January 23, 2024

by Deyan Georgiev

updated on January 23, 2024

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OpenAI is responsible for game-changing technologies like ChatGPT that may change the world. Although this research lab is excited to work with developers across the planet, its resources aren’t yet accessible to everyone.

If you don’t live in one of its supported countries, you’ll get this message when you try to create an account:

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So, why is that the case? Keep reading to understand where OpenAI is unavailable and learn easy workarounds to unblock it from anywhere.

Why is OpenAI not available in your country?

As of writing, OpenAI grants API access to developers from 161 countries and territories. In comparison, the United Nations has 183 members. So, this American AI research and deployment company doesn’t offer its services to at least 20 states.

OpenAI isn’t candid about why it excludes some jurisdictions from its area of availability. But the countries currently on its unsupported list have common denominators. They tend to have a rocky relationship with the US or have a repressive government.

Here are some of them:

Afghanistan
Belarus
China (including Hong Kong and Macau)
Cuba
Egypt
Iran
Laos
Libya
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Syria
Vietnam
Venezuela

Moreover, OpenAI’s geo-restrictions would kick in when someone in Ukraine attempts to set up an account. This Eastern European country wants to be friendly with the West, but its citizens may not be able to get their hands on OpenAI’s innovations as long as Russian forces are there.

Despite the roadblocks the company has set in place, you may be able to complete all of its account verification steps even though your phone number is registered in an unpermitted jurisdiction.

How to unblock OpenAI from anywhere

Do you want to experiment with OpenAI’s base models for natural language, but GPT-3 is not available in your country?

We recommend two tried-and-true fixes so that you can enjoy unrestricted access to the company’s resources through API.

1. Use a VPN

OpenAI filters out users from unsupported regions by checking the IP address of their device. To bypass its IP blockers from anywhere, you need to spoof your location.

The best way to do this is to mask your IP with a VPN. This tool doesn’t only cloak your real IP, but it can also encrypt your data to hide your online activity from snoopers.

Since OpenAI is widely available, you’d use a VPN with the widest global server network. Our top recommendation is Surfshark.

The app offers more than 3,200 servers in 100 countries and territories. It has a huge selection of VPN locations in Europe, the Americas, the Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa. This means your traffic doesn’t have to travel halfway around the world to obscure your IP.

If your government doesn’t approve of VPNs, Surfshark offers amazing features such as Camouflage and NoBorders modes that can help you play hide and seek with the authorities.

If Google Play is banned from where you’re physically located, you can download its APK file from its site so that you can install it on your Android device.

To get started with Surfshark VPN, follow these simple steps:

Visit Surfshark’s website and pick a subscription.

Download the right app for your device.

Launch your Surfshark.
If you’re an Android user, tap Locations to see its entire list of VPN server locations.

Select an OpenAI-supported country like Argentina.

Once your connection is successful, continue your OpenAI signup.

Create an OpenAI account, and enjoy its full capacity.

2. Clear your browsing data

Are you still getting the error message? It’s probably because your browser is leaking your real location to OpenAI.

To wipe its memory clean, here’s how to erase cookies and cached files on Google Chrome:

Tap the ellipsis icon.
Select History.
Open the Clear browsing data window.
Choose how far back you want to go before deleting your browsing data.
Make sure that the Cookies and site data and Cached images and files boxes are checked.
Tap Clear data.
Reconnect to your VPN.
Refresh the OpenAI page to determine whether it detects your masked IP.
OpenAI should now be fully unblocked.

The steps above, in combination with proper VPN usage, will bypass any and all OpenAI geo-restrictions. Surfshark also offers advanced leak protection, so you can rest assured that once you’ve unlocked the API, you won’t be kicked out again.

Surfshark

Unblock OpenAI from anywhere and enjoy its exciting capabilities with Surfshark.

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Wrap up

There’s no doubt that the company’s technologies have captured the interest of developers the world over.

So if you’re one of them and OpenAI is not available in your country yet, follow our recommendations to successfully unlock its capabilities.

More about the topics: Geoblocking, openai

Deyan Georgiev

Managing Editor

Deyan Georgiev is the managing editor at VPNCentral. He is a software and technology expert, focused on online privacy and data protection. He's a certified cybersecurity and IoT expert both by the University of London and the University System of Georgia. Furthermore, Deyan is an avid advocate of personal data protection. He also holds a privacy specialization from Infosec.