Requirements

Trademark Registration: 

• The registration process takes 18-36 months to be completed.
• A single application could be filed for multiple classes.
• The Filing and publication fees are settled at the time of filing of application.
• The application will be examined by the TMO within a period of 18 to 24 months. After the end of the examination period, the TMO will issue a decision to either:
  • Accept the application, the certificate of registration will be issued.
  • Reject the application, the TMO gives the applicant 60 days to reply to the rejection and can be extended for a similar period if needed upon the applicant’s request.
• The TMO publishes the trademark certificate in the official gazette for informative purposes only; No one can oppose the said publication.
• You may file a cancellation action against the infringed mark within 5 years from the date of registration of the trademark.
• The trademark's registration is valid for 10 Gregorian years, starting from the filing date, and renewable for similar consecutive periods.

Trademark Renewal: 

• The renewal process takes up to 18 to 24 months to be completed.
• A single application could be filed for multiple classes.
• The renewal application should be filed within the last 6 months of the valid protection period.
• A 6 months grace period after the expiry of the valid protection period is granted for filing late renewal, subject to late penalty fees.
• The application should be filed along with evidence proving usage of mark during the last year of the protection period.
• The application will undergo formality examination by the TMO which will issue a decision to either:
  • Accept the application, the certificate of renewal will be issued.
  • Conditionally accept the application, the TMO gives the applicant a period of 60 days to amend the application to comply with its regulations; otherwise the application will be rejected.
• The publication in the official gazette is for informative purposes only; No one can oppose the said publication.
• The trademark renewal is valid for another 10 Gregorian consecutive years starting from the expiry of the previous protection period.

Trademark Change of Name and/or Address: 

• The recordal of change process takes 3 to 12 months to be completed.
• A single application may be filed for more than one trademark application / registration.
• The application will undergo formality examination by the TMO which will issue a decision to either:
  • Accept the application, the certificate of change will be issued.
  • Conditionally accept the application, the TMO gives the applicant a period of 60 days to amend the application to comply with its regulations, otherwise the application will be rejected.
• The publication in the official gazette is for informative purposes only; No one can oppose the said publication.

Trademark Assignment: 

• The recordal of the assignment takes 3 to 12 months to be completed.
• A single application may be filed for more than one trademark application / registration.
• The application will undergo formality examination by the TMO which will issue a decision to either:
  • Accept the application, the certificate of assignment will be issued.
  • Conditionally accept the application, the TMO gives the applicant a period of 60 days to amend the application to comply with its regulations, otherwise the application will be rejected.
• The publication in the official gazette is for informative purposes only; No one can oppose the said publication.

Patent Registration: 

• The patent registration process takes 4-5 years.
• After filing the application, the application is put on hold for 4 months until all required documents and information are fulfilled.
• After 4 months from the filing date, the application will formally be examined to check if all the required documents were submitted and will issue a decision of:
  • Incomplete formalities: the Examiner will give the applicant 90 days from the official notification date to fulfill all requirements, otherwise the application will be considered withdrawn.
  • Complete formalities: the Examiner will give the applicant 90 days from the official notification date to settle the substantive examination fees, otherwise the application will be considered withdrawn.
• Once the application is substantively examined, the Examiner will issue a decision of:
  • Complete or amend the application: the applicant has 90 days from the official notification date to reply to any amendment requested, otherwise the application will be considered withdrawn.
  • Reject the application: if the requirements were not met or the patent is non-registrable. The applicant has 90 days from the official notification date to appeal the decision before the Appeal Committee.
  • Accept the application: the applicant has to settle the publication fees to publish the application in the official gazette within 90 days from the official notification date; otherwise the application will be rejected.
• Any interested third party can oppose the said application within 60 days from the date of publication. The Patent Office will study the opposition and issue its decision within 30 days from filing date of opposition; otherwise the opposition will be considered rejected implicitly.
• Once the application passes the publication period successfully, the registration fees should be settled to issue the related certificate of registration.
• The applicant has to submit 3 copies of the patent specifications and 5 copies of the patent abstract within 90 days from the official notification date, otherwise the application will be considered withdrawn.
• The certificate of registration shall be published in the official gazette; however no one can oppose the said publication.
• The protection period of a patent is 20 years, from the filing date of the PCT application, or the national patent application based on Paris Convention.

Patent Annuities: 

• A patent is protected for 20 years from the filing date.
• Annuities should be settled prior to the anniversary of the filing date of a national application or a PCT international application until the termination of the patent protection duration. For example: if the patent was filed on 30 January, then the annuity should be settled every year prior to 30 January.
• The applicant should settle the annuity starting from the second year of filing the national application according to Paris Convention.
• A 6 months grace period is granted to settle the annuities, however subject to late penalty fees.

Design Registration: 

• The registration process takes 18-24 months to be completed.
• A single application can be filed for 1 to 50 designs as long as they are in the same class.
• The application will be examined by the TMO within a period of 12 to 18 months. After the end of the examination period, the TMO will issue a decision to either:
  • Accept the application, the publication fees should be settled within 6 months from the official notification date to publish the design in the official gazette, otherwise the application will be considered withdrawn.
  • Amend the application, you may appeal the decision or amend the application within a period of 30 days from the official notification date, otherwise the application would be considered withdrawn.
  • Reject the application, you may appeal the decision within a period of 30 days from the official notification date, otherwise the application would be considered withdrawn.
• Any interested third party can oppose the publication of the design application within 60 days from the date of publication in the official gazette. The applicant has 30 days from official notification date to file a reply to the opposition, otherwise the application will be considered withdrawn.
• The certificate of registration will be issued after a few months from the settlement of registration fees.
• The design certificate will be published for informative purposes only; No one can oppose the said publication.
• The design's registration is valid for 10 Gregorian years, starting from the filing date, and renewable for 5 years only.

Design Renewal: 

• The design’s registration is valid for 10 years starting from the filing date.
• The applicant can renew the design for additional 5 years only.
• The renewal application should be filed within the last year of the design’s protection period.
• A 3 months grace period is given after the expiry of the protection period to renew the design, however is subject to a late penalty fee.
• The renewal will be published in the official gazette for informative purposes only.

Design Annuity: 

• No Annuities.

Trademark Registration: 

• The registration process takes 14-18 months to be completed.
• A separate application should be filed for each class.
• The application will be examined by the TMO within a period of 10 to 12 months. After the end of the examination period, the TMO will issue a decision to either:
  • Accept the application, the publication fees should be settled within 6 months from the official notification date to publish the mark in the official gazette, otherwise the application will be considered withdrawn.
  • Conditionally accept the application, you may appeal the decision or comply with the said conditions within a period of 30 days from the official notification date, otherwise the application would be considered withdrawn.
  • Reject the application, you may appeal the decision within a period of 30 days from the official notification date, otherwise the application would be considered withdrawn.
• Any interested third party can oppose the publication of the trademark application within 60 days from the date of publication in the official gazette. The applicant has 30 days from official notification date to file a reply to the opposition, otherwise the application will be considered withdrawn.
• The certificate of registration will be issued within 1 month from the date of settlement of registration fees.
• The trademark certificate will be published for informative purposes only; No one can oppose the said publication.
• The trademark's registration is valid for 10 Gregorian years, starting from the filing date, and renewable for similar consecutive periods.

Trademark Renewal: 

• The renewal process takes 1 week to be completed.
• A separate application should be filed for each class.
• The renewal application should be filed within the last year of the valid protection period.
• A 6 months grace period after the expiry of the valid protection period is granted for filing late renewal; however it is subject to late penalty fees.
• When filing the renewal application, the applicant has to settle the renewal and publication fees on the same day.
• The renewal certificate will be issued within 1 week from the date of settlement of fees.
• The renewal certificate will be published in the official gazette for informative purposes only; No one can oppose the said publication.
• The trademark renewal is valid for another 10 Gregorian consecutive years starting from the expiry of the previous protection period.

Trademark Change of Name and/or Address: 

• The recordal of change process takes 1 week to be completed.
• A separate application should be filed for each trademark.
• A change of agent should be filed and published in order to ensure formality requirements are met.
• When filing the change application, the applicant has to settle the change and publication fees on the same day.
• The TMO will examine the application and issue the cdertificate within 1 week from filing.
• The change will be published in the official gazette for informative purposes only; No one can oppose the said publication.

Trademark Assignment: 

• The recordal of the assignment takes 6-10 months to be completed.
• A separate application should be filed for each trademark.
• A change of agent should be filed in order to ensure formality requirements are met. 
• When filing the assignment application, the applicant has to settle the assignment and publication fees on the same day.
• The TMO will examine the application and issue its official notice of assignment recordal within 6-8 months from filing.
• The assignment will be published in the official gazette for informative purposes only within 3 months from the date of issuance of notice of assignment recordal; No one can oppose the said publication.