Signed up 2 days ago and filled the 10 online forms , plus filled one for a brokerage funds transfer. Haven't received an email or anything to confirm.
Why not PM me or send a mail to the help desk with the question? Actually, the best bet would be to start an online chat where the help desk rep can look at your account to see what is missing and/or pending. (If you PM me, I may not get around to checking things until after Asian trading hours). Accounts are usually approved within a day or two. However, depending on your location, you may need to provide a check, utility bill, copy of your id, and if you're from a country on the watch list, perhaps your first born in order to prove your identity. You can also log onto the website account info and check to see if something is missing. Also, just in case, check to make sure your e-mail address is correct.
A lot may have changed since I first opened my IB account (couple yrs ago). But in my experience and from what I've heard, the longest step is funding your account. The fastest way to do it is obviously with a wire transfer (my choice). Back when I did it, I was told not to be surprised waiting 10 days if I fund with a check. I have no idea how long it would take to transfer holdings from one broker to another, but would assume there are a lot more variables going that route which makes it impossible to accurately predict. Good luck... --Derek