The novelty grace period is 12 months before the filing date/priority date.
3 months
Filing Language: Finnish/Swedish
Necessary documents:
- Exterior Design Picture (Six Views)
- A Brief Description
Attachments (if any):
- Power of Attorney
- Certified Priority Document
- Declaration of Ownership/Certification of Employment/Assignment of priority
- Assignment for Patent Right Transfer
Examination of form only. The utility model application is examined for compliance with formal requirements, uniformity and registrability. If there is no special requirement, no novelty review will be conducted. The applicant can submit a request for delay in grant within 2 months from the filing date/priority date, and the grant can be delayed for 15 months at the latest.
Formal examination and substantive examination are required. Substantive examination begins automatically, without the need to submit a specific request.
Finnish Patent Registry
English: Finnish Patent and Registration Office, abbreviation: PRH
Website: PRH - Finnish Patent and Registration Office
Finnish invention patent search: Kitinet - Patentti- ja rekisterihallitus (prh.fi)
PRH conducts formality examination and substantive examination of invention patents. In Finland, the substantive examination of patent applications starts automatically without filing a specific request. Generally, it takes 8 months for PRH to issue the first office action notification, and the applicant needs to reply to the office action within 2-4 months. Patent granted can be obtained if the granted conditions are met.
Reinstatement of priority is accepted on the grounds of "due care".
The novelty of the invention will not be lost if the information about the invention is disclosed within 6 months before the filing date or the priority date if the following conditions are met:
- Disclosure due to apparent misuse by the applicant or its predecessor owners
- The invention is disclosed at an official or officially recognized international exhibition
- Grant fee: The applicant shall pay the granted announcement fee within 2 months after receiving the official notification.
- Annuity: The annual fee will be paid year by year starting from the third year (including the first-third year annual fee). Overdue annual fee can be paid within a grace period of 6 months, and a 20% late fee will be paid at the same time.
- via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
- via Nationalization of PCT : 31 months from earliest priority date.