15 years
yes. As long as the application is not abandoned, the patent type can be converted from invention to utility model within 3 months of filing the invention patent application, or within 3 months from the date when IMPI requires the applicant to make the conversion, after paying the relevant fees.
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 .
yes
6-8 months
15 years
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.
- Grant fee: The applicant should pay the granted registration fee within 2 months after receiving the notification of the 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.
3-5 years
1-2 years
- via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
- via Nationalization of PCT : 30 months from the earliest priority date.