National Filing outside Ukraine

Send a request for a free consultation

Send a request for a free consultation

In the modern world, a company's true success is not limited to its domestic market. If you plan to export goods or provide services abroad, trademark registration in other countries becomes a strategic necessity. This is a reliable way to protect your brand from infringement and illegal use.

For Ukrainian applicants, there are two primary paths for trademark registration outside of Ukraine:

• International Trademark Registration via the Madrid System — This method is an effective and cost-efficient solution for obtaining legal protection for a brand if you are interested in two or more countries. In this case, a single application is submitted to the International Bureau of Intellectual Property, which is then forwarded to the national patent offices of the countries specified in the application.
• National Registration in a Specific Country —This path can be recommended if you only need protection in one specific country. This method requires knowledge of national laws and necessitates engaging a local patent attorney in the relevant country.

Below, we review how to register a trademark abroad using the national procedure.

How to start the foreign trademark registration procedure?

To begin the procedure for registering a trademark abroad, please provide the patent attorney with the following information:

• The country where you require protection;
• The name or image of your trademark;
• The scope of use of the trademark.

Upon receiving the trademark information, the patent attorney performs the following actions:

• Trademark search (verification) — conducted to ensure there are no obstacles to trademark registration, such as similar trademarks, in the relevant country;
• Selection of classes for registration, preparation of the list of goods and/or services within the chosen classes, and translation of the list into the foreign language;
• Instructing a foreign patent attorney to file the application in the corresponding country;
• Monitoring the registration procedure, corresponding with the foreign attorney, and informing the Client about the progress of the examination.

How long does the application examination take?

Each country has national legislation that regulates the order and time frame for considering a trademark registration application.

Registration within 4–6 months

In countries where national legislation does not provide for a substantive examination (or qualitative examination), registration occurs relatively quickly—within 4–6 months.

Examples of such countries/territories include:

• Germany;
• Great Britain;
• Eurpean Union.

In these countries, the patent office checks the application materials for compliance with formal legal requirements within 1 month; publishes the application and waits for possible oppositions from interested parties for 3 months; and proceeds with registration if no oppositions are filed.

Registration within 8–20 months

In countries where national legislation provides for a two-stage examination (formal and substantive), registration typically takes at least 8 months.

Examples of such countries include:

• United States;
• China;
• Finland.

Need assistance with foreign TM registration?

Registering a trademark abroad is a vital investment in the future of your business. Our specialists are ready to provide full support at every stage, from consultation and conducting searches to preparing and filing the application in any country worldwide. Contact us, and we will ensure the reliable protection of your brand at an international level.

Select the services you are interested in.

Send a request to discuss the details of cooperation and receive a quote.