Can you get Amazon Brand Registry with a normal USPTO filing?

Hi sellers,

I’m getting mixed answers and want to hear from people with recent, firsthand experience.

If I file a trademark directly with USPTO (not using Amazon IP Accelerator) and it shows as pending, will Amazon Brand Registry accept it?

I’ve read that Amazon says they accept “pending” trademarks, but others say this only works if the filing is through IP Accelerator.

For anyone who’s tried this recently:

• Did a normal USPTO pending filing work for Brand Registry? • Or did you have to wait until the trademark was fully registered? • If it worked, how did Amazon verify ownership (verification code, email, etc.)? 

Trying to decide whether to file now or save for IP Accelerator, so real experiences would help a lot.

Thanks!