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.
15 years
20 years
- IMPI conducts formal and substantive examinations of designs. Substantive examination begins automatically, without a request.
no
yes
- via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
- via Nationalization of PCT : 30 months from the earliest priority date.
- via Paris Convention : 6 months from earliest priority date.
- Hague Agreement route: 6 months from earliest priority date.
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.
6-8 months