What normally happens for applications is that the volunteer team will look at the application and then look at the website.
as each website is different it can take time for the volunteer to evaluate the site meets the requirements as posted for OSM approval to use the trademark.
If you site is compliant then its quite quick BUT if your site
isnt compliant then after recording each of the failures the person will have to write an email to you, wait for your response, you to do the changes, the changes to be checked, the email sent to verify the changes. the site is then reviewed again and if appropriate approved, if not then the process starts again with you making changes you should have done got right in the first place!
the TM markers are very simple currently they are
make sure the first use of the word joomla is written as joomla!®
include the unaltered disclaimer
dont use any unapproved logos.
so providing you follow the simple guidelines and rules, then you can get approved quickly. you mess it up and it can take ages. In the jed publishing FAQ
http://docs.joomla.org/Publishing_to_JED#Trademarks has a clear step indicating you need permissions before you submit your extension.
Now you have caught the T&L approval team in a period where they are migrating the approval system. in the words of the roadworks team,
these temporary delays are to make your journey quicker
