I think you do need to publish the app in order to see real ads showing up. After that it takes a while for them to show, but if you're seeing test ads, from what I remember reading, it should indicate it has been set up correctly.
After you publish, make sure you are able to select the App Store listing in the AdMob settings: AdMob > [App Name] > App Settings > App Store
If it's not showing up there, but your test ads are working fine, you might just need to wait. I had a similar situation recently and it took a full 2 (maybe 3?) weeks before real ads started showing.
Also, double-check your GADApplicationIdentifier is correct in the Info.plist file.
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