Patent Information : Foreign Filing: PCT national stage entry- Detailed Overview

 Notes

4

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

Yes

Language 

Arabic

Translation Extension  

Yes 

*

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

N/A 

**

DEADlINE

31 

months

Algeria

DZ

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

No

Language 

English

Translation Extension  

N/A

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

Included

COUNTRY NOTES    

•  ARIPO member states: Botswana, Gambia, 

Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, 
Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, 
Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania (Tanganyika), 
Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe

•  Applicant must designate member states where 

protection is required. The total of the official 
fees paid is directly linked to the number of 
member states designated.

DEADlINE

31 

months

ARIPO

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

No

Assignments 

No

Language 

English

Translation Extension  

N/A

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

Deferred

DEADlINE

31 

months

Australia

AU

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes 

*

Assignments 

Yes

Language 

English

Translation Extension  

N/A

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

Deferred 

COUNTRY NOTES 

*  

The Power of Attorney must be notarized at 
your local Honduran consulate or certified via 
the Apostille procedure.

DEADlINE

30 

months

Belize

BZ

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

No

Assignments 

No

Language 

English/French

Translation Extension  

No

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

Deferred

COUNTRY NOTES 

*

   The national stage deadline can be extended 

by 12 months upon payment of a modest fee, 
retrospectively if necessary.

•  Our policy is to not claim small entity status on 

any application. 

Canada 

CA

DEADlINE

30 

months

*

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

No

Language 

Spanish

Translation Extension  

No

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

Deferred

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

Sometimes

**

Language 

Chinese

Translation Extension  

No

***

Excess Claims Fee

Yes

Examination Request 

Deferred

COUNTRY NOTES 

*

32 months with extension; fee USD 230-250

**         

Assignments are only required in a very small number of cases.

***         

The translation must be submitted at filing (i.e. by the 30    
month deadline or the extended 32 month deadline).

•

 In China, the official fees are based on the application as 
published and it is therefore not possible to reduce claims 
fees by amending the claims at national stage entry. Any 
amendments made could incur additional translation costs.

•

Excess claims fee: CNY 150 per claim over 10

•

 Unlike most countries that require signed forms from the 
applicant, the Chinese Patent Office now accepts faxed or 
scanned color copies of documents.

China

CN

DEADlINE

30 

months

*

 Notes

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

Yes

Language 

Spanish

Translation Extension  

Yes 

*

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

Deferred

COUNTRY NOTES 

*

  The Spanish translation can be filed at national 

stage entry or within three months from the 
national filing date.

DEADlINE

31 

months

Costa Rica

CR

 Notes

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

No 

*

Language 

Arabic & English 

**

Translation Extension  

No

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

Deferred

COUNTRY NOTES 

*

 Assignments are only required when the applicant has 
changed and that change has not been recorded with the
International Bureau.

**    

Both an Arabic and English specification must be ready 
for filing at the 30 month deadline.

•  The Power of Attorney must be legalized at your local Egyptian 

consulate and must be submitted within 4 months from the 
filing date.

DEADlINE

30 

months

Egypt

EG

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

Yes

Language 

Spanish

Translation Extension  

Yes 

*

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

Deferred

COUNTRY NOTES 

*   

The Spanish translation can be filed at 
national stage entry or within two months 
from the national filing date.

DEADlINE

30 

months

El Salvador

SV

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

No

Assignments 

No

Language 

Russian

Translation Extension  

Yes

Excess Claims Fee

Yes

Examination Request 

Included

COUNTRY NOTES 

•  Eurasia countries:  Armenia, Azerbaijan, 

Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russian 
Federation, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

•  Excess claims fee: RUB 2400 per claim over 5

DEADlINE

31 

months

Eurasia

EA

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

No

Assignments 

No

Language 

English/French/German

Translation Extension  

N/A

Excess Claims Fee

Yes

Examination Request 

Included

COUNTRY NOTES    

*

  Late regional phase entry (2-3 months after 

31 month date) allowed upon payment of 
significant additional official fees.

 •   Excess claims fee:  
        EUR 225 per claim over 15  
        EUR 555 per claim over 50

•     Renewal fee may be due at regional  

phase entry.

Europe 

EP

DEADlINE

31 

months

*

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

Yes

Language 

Georgian

Translation Extension  

Yes

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

Deferred

DEADlINE

31 

months

Georgia

GE

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Recommended

Assignments 

No

Language 

German

Translation Extension  

No

Excess Claims Fee

Yes

Examination Request 

Deferred

COUNTRY NOTES 

•  In Germany, the official fees are based on the 

application as published and it is therefore not 
possible to reduce claims fees by amending 
the claims at national stage entry. Any 
amendments made could incur additional 
translation costs.

•  Excess claims fee: EUR 20 per claim over 10

•  Germany is automatically included in a 

European (EPO) regional phase filing.

DEADlINE

30 

months

Germany 

DE

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes 

*

Assignments 

Yes

Language 

Spanish

Translation Extension  

No

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

Deferred

COUNTRY NOTES 

*  

The Power of Attorney must be notarized at 
your local Honduran consulate or certified via 
the Apostille procedure.

DEADlINE

30 

months

Guatemala

GT

 Notes

DEADlINE

30 

months

Honduras

HN

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

No

Assignments 

No

Language 

English

**

/Chinese

Translation Extension  

No

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

N/A

COUNTRY NOTES 

*  

The grant of a standard patent in Hong 
Kong is based on the registration of a patent 
granted by the State Intellectual Property 
Office of China, the European Patent Office 
or the United Kingdom Patent Office.  The 
deadline for filing into Hong Kong is 6 months
from the publication of the corresponding 
application in CN/EP/UK.

** 

With Chinese abstract

•

 Hong Kong is not a member of the Patent 
Cooperation Treaty.

Hong Kong

HK

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

Yes

Language 

English

Translation Extension  

N/A

Excess Claims Fee

Yes

Examination Request 

Deferred

COUNTRY NOTES 

•  In India, the official fees are based on the 

application as published and it is therefore not 
possible to reduce claims fees by amending 
the claims at national stage entry.

•  Excess claims fee: INR 800 (200 for 

individuals) per claim over 10

DEADlINE

31 

months

India

IN

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

Yes

Language 

Indonesian

Translation Extension  

Yes 

*

Excess Claims Fee

Yes

Examination Request 

Deferred

COUNTRY NOTES 

*

  Translation can be filed within 30 days after 

the filing date.

•  Indonesia is now a 31 month country, 

irrespective of whether International 
Preliminary Examination was demanded.

• Excess claims fee: IDR 40,000 per claim over 10

DEADlINE

31 

months

Indonesia

ID

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

No

Language 

English/Hebrew

Translation Extension  

N/A

Excess Claims Fee

Yes

Examination Request 

Deferred

COUNTRY NOTES 

• Excess claims fee: ILS 513 per claim over 50

•  Sunday is a workday in Israel, so any 

application with a Saturday or Sunday 
deadline must be filed by the Sunday.

DEADlINE

30 

months

Israel

IL

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

No

Assignments 

No

Language 

Japanese

Translation Extension  

Yes

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

Deferred

DEADlINE

30 

months

Japan

JP

 Notes

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

No

Language 

Korean

Translation Extension  

No

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

Deferred

COUNTRY NOTES    

•   Cannot file translation later, so instructions 

should be provided as early as possible before 
the 31 month deadline to avoid urgency 
surcharges.

•   Unlike most countries that require signed forms 

from the applicant, the Korean Intellectual 
Property Office accepts faxed or scanned copies 
of documents.

DEADlINE

31 

months

Korea (South)

KR

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

No

Language 

English

Translation Extension  

N/A

Excess Claims Fee

Yes

Examination Request 

Deferred

COUNTRY NOTES 

• Excess claims fee: MYR 20 per claim over 10

•  Unlike most countries that require signed 

forms from the applicant, the Malaysian Patent 
Office now accepts scanned, color copies of 
documents.

DEADlINE

30 

months

Malaysia 

MY

 Notes

DEADlINE

31 

months

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

Sometimes

*

Language 

Spanish

Translation Extension  

Yes

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

Deferred

DEADlINE

30 

months

Mexico

MX

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

No

*

Language 

French

Translation Extension  

No

Excess Claims Fee

Yes

Examination Request 

Deferred

DEADlINE

31 

months

Morocco

MA

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

No

Assignments 

No 

*

Language 

English

Translation Extension  

N/A

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

Included

COUNTRY NOTES 

*  

Assignments are not required in New Zealand,
but it is recommended that you have one on 
file.  According to New Zealand law, there 
should be in existence an assignment from 
the inventor to the applicant, dated prior to 
national phase entry. Please note that we do not automatically provide this form.

DEADlINE

31 

months

New Zealand 

NZ

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

Yes

Language 

Spanish

Translation Extension  

Yes 

*

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

Deferred

COUNTRY NOTES    

*      

The Spanish translation can be filed at 
national stage entry or within two months 
from the national filing date.

DEADlINE

30 

months

Nicaragua

NI

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes 

*

Assignments 

No 

**

Language 

English

Translation Extension  

No

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

Deferred

COUNTRY NOTES    

*     

Original not required at filing; can be filed   
any time.

**  

Assignments are only required when 
the applicant has changed and that 
change has not been recorded with the 
International Bureau.

DEADlINE

30 

months

Nigeria

NG

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

No

Language 

Norwegian

Translation Extension  

Yes

Excess Claims Fee

Yes

Examination Request 

Included

COUNTRY NOTES    

•   For PCT applications filed after January 2008, 

Norway is included in EPO filing.

•  Excess claims fee: NOK 200 per claim over 10 

•   Small entity status: companies with less 

than 20 employees do not have to pay the 
examination fee, and pay NOK 300 less for the 
Basic Fee.  Total savings of about USD 650.

DEADlINE

31 

months

Norway

NO

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

Yes

Language 

English/French

Translation Extension  

No

Excess Claims Fee

Yes

Examination Request 

Deferred

COUNTRY NOTES    

•   Excess claims fee: CFA 40,000 per claim over 10

•   OAPI member states: Benin, Burkina Faso, 

Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, 
Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Guinea, 
Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, 
Senegal and Togo

DEADlINE

30 

months

OAPI

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes 

*

Assignments 

Yes 

**

Language 

Spanish

Translation Extension  

No

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

Deferred

COUNTRY NOTES    

*        

The Power of Attorney must be notarized at your 
local Honduran consulate or certified via the Apostille 
procedure, and filed within 2 months of the filing date.

**       

The Assignment of Invention (one document per 
inventor) must be legalized by the Apostille procedure or 
nearest Panamanian Consulate, and filed within 2 months 
of the filing date.

•    As Panama is a relatively new PCT member state, only 

PCT applications with an international filing date after 7 
September 2012 can enter the national stage in Panama.

•   If any required documents are not filed at the moment of 

filing, then late fees will be incurred.

PA

DEADlINE

30 

months

Panama

 Notes

DEADlINE

31 

months

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

No

Language 

English

Translation Extension  

N/A

Excess Claims Fee

Yes

Examination Request 

Deferred

COUNTRY NOTES    

* 

31 months with extension

•  Excess claims fee: PHP 300 per claim over 5

Philippines 

PH

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

No

Assignments 

No

Language 

Russian

Translation Extension  

Yes

Excess Claims Fee

Yes

Examination Request 

Deferred

COUNTRY NOTES    

•  Excess claims fee: RUB 250 per claim over 25

DEADlINE

31 

months

Russia

RU

 Notes

DEADlINE

31 

months

*

Power of Attorney 

No

Assignments 

No

Language 

English

Translation Extension  

N/A

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

**

COUNTRY NOTES    

*

     33 months with extension; fee USD 250 for 

each month over 30 months

**

   Due by 39 months

•       It is often useful to defer making voluntary 

amendments until just before the search 
and examination phase (due by 39 months) 
after national stage entry.

Singapore

SG

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

Yes 

Language 

English

Translation Extension  

N/A

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

Deferred

COUNTRY NOTES    

*

  34 months with extension

•    Applicants and their attorneys need to comply 

with anti-money laundering and genetic 
heritage formalities.  Generally, this involves 
completing some simple paperwork, which 
your South African representative will provide.

South Africa

ZA

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes 

*

Assignments 

No

Language 

Arabic

Translation Extension  

Yes 

**

Excess Claims Fee

Yes

Examination Request 

Deferred

COUNTRY NOTES    

*     

The Syrian Power of Attorney must be 
legalized. Please contact your local Syrian 
consulate for the current rules and costs 
regarding document legalization in Syria.

**  

The Arabic translation can be filed at 
national stage entry or within three months 
from the national filing date.

•   Excess claims fee: USD 25 per claim over 10 

DEADlINE

31 

months

Syria

SY

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

Yes

Language 

Thai

Translation Extension  

No

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

Deferred

DEADlINE

30 

months

Thailand

TH

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

No

Language 

English/Arabic/French

Translation Extension  

No

Excess Claims Fee

Yes

Examination Request 

Included

COUNTRY NOTES    

•   Excess claims fee: USD 25 per claim over 10

DEADlINE

30 

months

Tunisia

TN

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

No

Language 

Ukrainian

Translation Extension  

Yes

Excess Claims Fee

Yes

Examination Request 

Deferred

COUNTRY NOTES    

 •   Excess claims fee: UAH 80 per claim over 3

DEADlINE

31 

months

Ukraine 

UA

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes 

*

Assignments 

Yes 

**

Language 

English/Arabic

Translation Extension  

Yes

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

Deferred

COUNTRY NOTES    

*        

The Power of Attorney must be legalized up to the UAE 
consulate and must be filed within 90 days from the filing 
date (non-extendable). 

**       

The Assignment must be legalized up to the UAE 
consulate and must be filed within 90 days from the filing 
date (non-extendable).

•   An extract from the applicant’s Commercial Register must 

be filed along with its English translation (if necessary), 
and also must be legalized up to the UAE consulate and 
filed within 90 days from the filing date (non-extendable).

•   If any required documents are not filed at the moment of 

filing, then late fees will be incurred.

DEADlINE

30 

months

United Arab Emirates

AE

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

No

Assignments 

No

Language 

English

Translation Extension  

N/A

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

Included

COUNTRY NOTES    

•  The UK is automatically included in a European 

(EPO) regional phase filing.

DEADlINE

31 

months

United Kingdom

UK

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

Yes 

*

Language 

English

Translation Extension  

N/A

Excess Claims Fee

Yes

Examination Request 

Included

COUNTRY NOTES 

*

Yes, and Declaration

•  Excess claims fee: USD 80 per claim over 20; USD 420 per 

independent claim over 3

•  Restrictions and surcharges for multiple-dependent claims

•  Unlike most countries, the USPTO accepts faxed or scanned 

copies of documents from the applicant.

•  Small entity status: in certain circumstances, a reduction of 

official fees of 50%

DEADlINE

30 

months

United States of America

US

 Notes

Power of Attorney 

Yes

Assignments 

Sometimes

Language 

Vietnamese

Translation Extension  

Yes

Excess Claims Fee

No

Examination Request 

Deferred

COUNTRY NOTES    

*

  37 months with extension

VN