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 (no deadline)
|
" Haiti |
| Asia-Pacific |
" Brunei Darussalam (can also register patent of Malaysia
or Singapore)- phasing out- depends on basic filing date " Tuvalu
|
" Nepal |
| Africa/Indian Ocean/Middle East | " Seychelles " Sierra Leone |
" Democratic Republic of the Congo " Ethiopia |
| Atlantic/Mediterranean/ Black Sea |
" Bermuda " Guernsey (no deadline) " St Helena
|
|
Updated November 2022.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.