International Filing

If the applicant wishes to protect their innovation globally, they should file a PCT application. More than 150 countries around the world are signatories to the PCT. Following this approach, it is now both feasible and possible to file for patent protection of an innovation in multiple countries at the same time. Instead of filing several national or regional patent applications separately, the applicant can receive a patent under the PCT system by submitting a single “international” patent application.

PCT filing eases the process of filing a patent application and thus makes it cheaper. The international application must be filed with the authorized receiving office in a single language. An international search is done by the international searching authority, and an international preliminary examination is done by the international preliminary examination authority.