Support/assistance by IP Vietnam for Domestic PCT Applicants, an useful tool to raise PCT applications of Vietnam origin

In the framework of the Intellectual Property Development Program for the period of 2016-2020, the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam (“IP Vietnam”) in its Official Letter No. 5360/SHTT-NDHT dated 15 April 2020, announces the assistance for Vietnamese individuals in filing international (PCT) patent applications.

KENFOX would like to provide a summary of the IP Vietnam’s letter as follows:

(1) Those who are subject to assistance

Vietnamese individuals who are applicants with technical solutions that meet the following requirements will be eligible for assistance:

Capable of meeting the patent protection requirements;
Can be applied in practice in manufacturing and business activities
Have not received any financial support from the state budget for the registration of international patents for inventions;
Patent applications filed with the IP Office from 15 August 2019 until 15 May 2020.

(2) What assistance should be provided?

Qualified applicants will get the following assistance:

Advice and advice on general procedures and regulations and the documentation needed to file an international patent
Revision of specifications to satisfy the requirements for filing in the international phase and translation of the specifications into English;
Assistance in preparing different application documents, and filling in the application form as stipulated; Payment of the IP agent’s fee in Vietnam;
International filing in the form of filing PCT patent applications in the international phase.

(iii) What financial support will be provided?

70% of the total costs of filing PCT patent applications in the international phase up to a maximum of VND 60 million (about USD 2,550) per solution will be borne by the IP Vietnam. The individuals involved are responsible for paying the remaining cost.

(iv) Provisions on sending and receiving the request for assistance

Individuals who wish to receive assistance should submit a request to the address:

Research, Training and Support, Consultancy Center – IP Vietnam

386 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi

Tel: 02435571843; Email: tthotrotuvan@noip.gov.vn

– Deadline for receiving assistance request: until 5/15/2020

For further information, please contact Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Research, Training and Support, Consultancy Center – IP Vietnam, Tel: 0904712355, email: atuan.noip@gmail.com.

Just eight PCT applications were submitted through Vietnam’s IP Office, according to WIPO statistics for 2018, and only 22 PCT applications had Vietnam as their country of origin. It is hoped that the constructive support provided in the Intellectual Property Development Program will serve as an useful tool to increase the number of PCT applications from Vietnam to be filed through the Vietnam IP in the coming time.

For details or any question, please get in touch with KENFOX at info@kenfoxlaw.com or kenfox@kenfoxlaw.com.