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Error 130497

130497

Country Restriction

Sender issue:This is a problem with your business account or API configuration.

What this error means

Meta has restricted your business from sending messages to users in specific countries. This can be due to local regulations, your business category, or specific goods/services you offer that are restricted in certain regions.

Common causes

  • Your business category is not permitted to message users in the target country.
  • Local regulations prohibit messaging for certain types of businesses.
  • Your business sells regulated goods (alcohol, tobacco, gambling, etc.) that are restricted in the target country.
  • Meta has applied a geographic restriction based on compliance review.

How to fix

  1. Review which countries your business is approved to message in.
  2. Verify your business category settings in Meta Business Manager.
  3. Check local laws and regulations for your business type in the target country.
  4. If you believe this is an error, contact Meta support with your business details.
  5. For regulated goods, apply for Meta approval if available for your category.

When this cannot be fixed

If local regulations prohibit your business type from messaging in that country, this restriction cannot be bypassed. You must use alternative communication channels.

External references