日期: 1 December 2015
It is possible to obtain patent protection in various jurisdictions worldwide by "reregistering" a granted United Kingdom (UK) patent or European patent (EP(UK)) which has been validated in the UK. Sometimes the local patent is called a confirmation patent or a patent of importation. The procedure provides Applicants with simple and cost-effective protection for their patent rights in jurisdictions which they might not otherwise necessarily consider including in their patent portfolios.
In general, a registration of UK national patent worldwide has to be applied for within 3 years from the date of grant of the UK patent, but there are some exceptions and we urge you to enquire with us if this may be important to you.
[As an alternative to registration of a foreign patent, some countries have independent patent systems with a mere "local novelty" requirement for patentability, although these are becoming less and less important as the information revolution conveys knowledge around the world. In such countries a local national patent application may be available if the invention still has local novelty. If this is of interest, it is important to act quickly - without waiting for the UK patent to proceed to grant - or local novelty may be destroyed by others out of your control.]
UK or EP (UK) | Any foreign patent | |
---|---|---|
Caribbean | • Cayman Islands • Grenada • Guyana • Leeward Islands • Anguilla • Montserrat • British Virgin Islands • St Lucia (UK patent only) • Turks and Caicos Islands (5 years) |
• Haiti • Jamaica |
Asia-Pacific | • Brunei Darussalam (can also register patent of Malaya or Singapore) • Fiji • Hong Kong • Kiribati • Nauru (can also register Australian or US patent) • Solomon Islands • Tuvalu |
• Samoa • Nepal |
Africa/Indian Ocean/Middle East | • Seychelles • Sierra Leone • Zanzibar (UK patent only) |
• Burundi • Democratic Republic of the Congo • Ethiopia • Iran • Kuwait • Rwanda |
Atlantic/Mediterranean/ Black Sea |
• Bermuda • Guernsey • St Helena |
• Georgia |
Updated December 2015.