What is account recovery

From Recover your Apple ID with two-factor authentication account recovery - Apple Support

Account recovery is an automated process designed to get you back into your Apple ID account* as quickly as possible and deny access to unauthorized users. For your security, recovery might take several days or longer, depending on the verification information that you can provide.

From the same page :

Here's how to cancel or restart the process, see if recovery is pending, or try to shorten your wait time:

• If you remember your Apple ID and sign in—or regain access to a trusted device that's already signed in—account recovery cancels itself for you. You can continue using your Apple ID as usual.
• Did you start account recovery from iforgot.apple.com, and then access one of your trusted devices? If so, restart account recovery from the settings on that device, instead of through iforgot.apple.com.
• Want to check the progress of your recovery request? Go to iforgot.apple.com. You'll see the amount of time until your account is ready for recovery or when more information will be available.
• You might be able to provide credit-card details and shorten the recovery period from iforgot.apple.com. If you’re given the option to confirm your credit-card details, an authorization request goes to the card issuer. If you enter the correct details but you're asked to reenter the correct security information, contact your card issuer. The issuer might be declining your authorization attempts.