Patent Application Encyclopedia

20 years

no

The PPO only conducts formality examination of utility model patent applications, only examines novelty and industrial applicability, and does not examine inventive step.

15 years

Accept the restoration of priority, and consult OSIM for specific standards.

6 months before the filing date/priority date.

1 year

10 years

yes. The applicant can request to change the patent type from utility model to invention before the patent is granted.

no

If the applicant, inventor or assignor discloses the relevant invention information at an officially recognized exhibition within 6 months before the filing date, it can enjoy a 6-month novelty grace period.

1-1.5 years

• via Paris Convention : 6 months from earliest priority date.
• The way of the Hague Agreement: The Hague Agreement will automatically take effect in Bulgaria after 6 months from the registration of the Hague Agreement.
• EU appearance route: 6 months from the earliest priority date.

Reinstatement of priority is accepted on grounds of "due care."

12-18 months

• Grant fee: The granting official fee must be paid within 3 months after receiving the granted notification from the Patent Office, and the annual fee for the year of granted must be paid at the same time.
• Annuity: The annual fee shall be paid year by year from the first year since the filing date, and the subsequent annual fee shall be paid on the day before the announcement date of each payment year. If the annual fee is overdue, the payment can be postponed within a grace period of 6 months, but a late fee will be charged.

yes. A maximum of 50 designs may be included in a patent application under the same subject matter.

no

• via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
• via Nationalization of PCT : 30 months from the earliest priority date.