Ask HN: I built app for Japanese learners but Apple blocks me from dev program

I spent the last few months building an iOS app to help Japanese language learners like myself improve reading fluency.

The app is finished, tested, and the mini-site is live: https://yomuapp.kulman.sk.

Everything is ready for App Store submission — except Apple won’t let me enroll in the Developer Program.

When I try to enroll with my personal Apple ID, the process stops with this message:

“Your enrollment in the Apple Developer Program could not be completed at this time.”

I contacted Apple Support thinking it was just an ID verification issue, but after reviewing my case they told me: • I cannot enroll

• They cannot tell me the reason

• There is nothing more they can do

To rule out issues with my Apple ID, I tried creating a brand-new Apple ID with the same phone number — but even that fails immediately with:

“Your account cannot be created at this time.”

This effectively blocks me from publishing the app or even getting a paid Developer account. I have a working iOS app and no way to distribute it through official channels.

Has anyone dealt with this type of silent block before?

Any advice or shared experience would be really helpful.