Hi everyone,
I’m looking for guidance regarding an unusually long App Review delay.
My first iOS app, EmpowerFI, has been in “Waiting for Review” for almost 30 days. In two days, it will reach a full month without moving to “In Review.”
During this period, I have contacted Apple Developer Support several times.
After my initial contact, Apple submitted an expedited review request as a one-time exception for my app. However, the status did not change.
I contacted support again and received the following response:
“We have confirmed that your app review is proceeding normally, and there is no further action you need to take.”
I have followed up multiple times since then, explaining that I am not asking Apple to guarantee a review or approval date. I am simply trying to understand why this particular submission has remained in “Waiting for Review” for almost a month.
Unfortunately, I continue to receive essentially the same standard response.
There are no pending actions visible in App Store Connect, and Apple Support has explicitly confirmed that there is nothing further required from me.
I fully understand that review times vary and that some apps may require additional scrutiny. However, almost 30 days without even moving from “Waiting for Review” to “In Review” seems exceptionally long, particularly after an expedited review request was submitted.
I also know developers who submitted apps during this period and received a review response within approximately two days, so I am trying to understand whether there could be something specific affecting my submission.
Has anyone recently experienced a similar delay with a first app submission?
More importantly, is there any other appropriate escalation path when Developer Support confirms that everything is normal but the app remains in “Waiting for Review” for almost a month?
I am not looking to bypass App Review or request guaranteed approval. I would simply like someone to investigate whether there is an issue affecting this submission or explain why it has remained in the queue for such an exceptional amount of time.
Any guidance from Apple staff or developers who have experienced this recently would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,