Patent Registration:
- The patent registration process takes 4-5 years.
- After filing the application, the application is put on hold for 3 months until all required documents and information are fulfilled.
- After 3 months from the filing date, the application will be formally 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90 days from the official notification date to fulfill all requirements, otherwise the application will be considered withdrawn.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 lapse.
- 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 comply with any amendment requested, otherwise application will be rejected. The Examiner will examine the application for a second time and give the applicant additional 90 days from the official notification date to comply with any amendment not fulfilled yet, otherwise application will be rejected.
- Reject the application: if the requirements were not met or the patent is non-registrable after the third examination of the application. The decision will be published and the applicant will be given 90 days from the date of publication to appeal the decision before the Appeal Committee.
- Accept the application: the applicant has to settle the publication and registration fees to publish the application in the official gazette within 90 days from the official notification date; otherwise the application will lapse
- The applicant may file an extension of time request for additional 60 days from the end of the original deadline.
- Any interested third party can oppose the said application within 90 days from the date of publication.
- If the application passes the publication period successfully, the certificate of registration will be issued.
- 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 at the beginning of each year starting from the second year of filing the national application according to Paris Convention until the termination of the patent protection duration.
- A 3 months grace period is granted to settle the annuities without late penalty fees. However, an additional 3 months grace period is granted subject to late penalty fees if the applicant fails to settle the annuity within the first grace period.
