A 12-month novelty grace period applies if the inventor or his successor has communicated in any form, put the design into practice or made it public at national and international exhibitions.
3-5 years
yes
15 years
As a PCT filing office, it accepts the restoration of the right of priority on the grounds of "unintentional".
6-8 months
Novelty grace period of 12 months for inventors, their successors and third parties who have received information about the invention from the inventor/successors, through any form of communication or at national and international exhibitions .
- via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
- via Nationalization of PCT : 30 months from the earliest priority date.
- IMPI conducts formal and substantive examinations of designs. Substantive examination begins automatically, without a request.
- Grant fee: The applicant should pay the granted fee within 2 months after receiving the notification of granted decision, and pay the annual fee for the first to fifth years at the same time.
- Annuity: Subsequent payment of annual fee every 5 years, overdue payment can be made within the grace period after 6 months, but a penalty must be paid at the same time.
IMPI conducts formal and substantive examinations of utility model patent applications. However, the requirements for substantive examination are relatively loose, only novelty and industrial applicability are required, but innovation is not required.