Publishing an app to the App Store and Google Play from Iraq: steps and requirements

Why the account should be in your company’s name

An app published from a developer’s personal account stays under their control; if the relationship ends, transferring it can be hard. Open accounts in your company’s name and add the developer as a team member with limited permissions.

Individual or company account? Your options from Iraq

Apple and Google both offer two kinds of developer account: an individual account in a person’s name, and an organisation account in a legal entity’s name. The difference isn’t just the name: with an individual account your personal name appears as the seller on the app page, while an organisation account shows the company name — which affects user trust and, later, ownership of the app.

Current fees: an annual membership of US$99 for the Apple Developer Program, and a one-time US$25 registration fee for a Google Play account. Check the official pages before paying, because fees and terms can change.

• Apple organisation account: usually requires a registered legal entity, a D-U-N-S number for the company (an identifier issued by Dun & Bradstreet that can be requested free through Apple’s tool), a company website, and an applicant with legal authority to represent the company.
• Google Play organisation account: also asks for organisation details and a D-U-N-S number under Google’s current policy, plus verification of the account owner’s identity and contact details.
• Individual account: quicker to open and suits experiments or a freelance developer, but it ties the app to a person. Google currently requires new personal accounts to run a closed test with a minimum number of testers for a set period before publishing to everyone, so check the current numbers in Play Console and plan for it in your timeline.
• A D-U-N-S number can take time because it depends on matching your company’s registration data, so start early, and make sure the company’s name in Latin letters and its address are written the same way in the registration documents, the D-U-N-S request and the developer account.

Card payment issues from Iraq and practical workarounds

One of the most common practical obstacles for business owners in Iraq is paying the account fee, since some local cards, or cards not enabled for international online payments, may be declined. Before turning to any third party, try the following:

• Ask your bank to enable online and international payments on a Visa or Mastercard card, and make sure there is enough balance.
• Where possible, use a card in the account holder’s or the company’s name, to make any later verification easier.
• If the attempt fails, contact Apple or Google support through the official support pages instead of retrying with different cards.
• Avoid paying through an intermediary who opens the account in their own name or from their own account; it may look like a quick fix, but it brings you straight back to the app-ownership problem.

What to prepare before submitting

• App name and short/long descriptions in Arabic and English
• Screenshots at each store’s required sizes
• A high-resolution icon
• A privacy-policy URL on your website
• A reviewer test account if login is required
• Contact and support details

A step-by-step release checklist

Once the basic materials are ready, follow this checklist in order to reduce the chance of rejection and delay:

• Finish beta testing: TestFlight on iOS, and the internal or closed testing tracks in Google Play Console, on a variety of real devices and on weak networks.
• Prepare the store listing in Arabic and English: a clear name, a short description that states the benefit in one line, and a well-structured long description, within each store’s character limits.
• Screenshots: real captures from the app at the sizes each device requires, ideally with an Arabic set for the Arabic listing.
• Privacy policy: a page on your website explaining what data you collect and why, which opens without logging in.
• Data disclosures: the App Privacy form in App Store Connect and the Data safety section in Google Play, both of which must match what the app and its embedded libraries actually do, such as analytics and advertising tools.
• Account deletion: if the app allows sign-up, provide a clear way to delete the account from inside the app; Google also asks for a web link to request account and data deletion.
• Reviewer test account and notes: a working username and password, plus an explanation of any feature that needs special setup. If login uses an SMS code to an Iraqi number, give the reviewer a way in that works without a local number.
• Age rating and content questionnaire, support and contact details, and the countries where the app will be available.
• Payment methods: selling physical goods and services with local payment methods is generally allowed, while digital content has its own rules; review the options for online payments in Iraq for apps before submitting.

How long does review take? And the most common rejection reasons

Review time isn’t fixed: apps are often reviewed within a day to several days, and it can take longer for a first submission, for new accounts, or for apps requesting sensitive permissions. Don’t announce a launch date before the app is approved, and leave room for a possible rejection and resubmission.

Most rejections repeat the same patterns: crashes during review, no test account, a broken privacy-policy link, permissions without explanation, or thin content. We cover them in detail, with fixes, in why apps get rejected by the App Store and Google Play.

After publishing

Monitor ratings and crashes, and update with new iOS and Android releases, as stores may require old apps to be updated to stay listed.

Updates and version numbers after launch

Every update goes through a new review, so organise releases from the start:

• The version number users see (e.g. 1.2.0) is separate from the internal build number, which must increase with every new upload to the store.
• Use the staged rollout both stores offer to ship an update to a portion of users first, and halt it if crashes appear.
• Write release notes in Arabic and English, in plain language that explains what changed for the user.
• Monitor crash reports in Xcode Organizer and in Android vitals within Play Console, or with a tool such as Firebase Crashlytics.
• Stores periodically require apps to be built with newer tools and OS versions, so plan a regular technical update even if you add no new features.
• If your app has a server, keep it compatible with older app versions for a while, because not all users update right away.

Publish your app with confidence

If you’re still planning, start with a small first version as explained in our MVP guide, then publish it from accounts in your company’s name. As part of mobile app development in Iraq, the Al-Arjan team can help you prepare the store listing and disclosures and follow up on review. To estimate your budget, see how much an app costs in Iraq or request a quote.