India became a PCT Contracting state on December 7, 1998. The PCT does not provide any grant of “international patents”. The PCT procedure consists of two main phases. It begins with the filing of an international application and ends (in the case of a favorable outcome for the applicant) with the grant of a number of national and/or regional patents: hence the terms “international phase” and “National Phase.”

Under the PCT, an applicant can file a single international patent application in one language with one receiving patent office in order to simultaneously seek protection for an invention in all the member countries throughout the world. This allows a resident or national of a PCT member state to obtain the effect of patent filings in any or all of the PCT countries. If the applicant does not enter the national phase within the prescribed time limit, the International Application loses its effect in the designated or elected States.

The international phase

The international phase consists of five stages. The first three occur automatically for all international applications and the last two are optional.

1. Filing of the international application by the applicant in PCT/RO/101 with fees and based on this, it is processed by the “Receiving Office”
2. The establishment of the international search report for which fee has to be paid by the applicant and written opinion will be given by one of the “International Searching Authorities” chosen by the applicant, and
3. The publication of the international application together with the international search report by the International Bureau of WIPO by 18months from the priority date.
4. The establishment of a supplementary international search which may be carried out by one or more of the International Searching Authorities (other than the one that carried out the main international search) based on the request of the applicant (optional) in Form PCT/IB/375 with Fees resulting in the establishment of a supplementary international search report. The communication occurs upon request by the designated Office to the International Bureau.
5. International preliminary examination is concluded with the establishment of the international preliminary examination report on patentability by one of the “International Preliminary Examining Authorities” based on the request of the applicant (optional) in Form PCT/IPEA/401 with Fees within prescribed time limit. The international preliminary report on patentability analyzes aspects of the general patentability of the invention.

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Together with the published international application, the international search report and any supplementary international search report & the international preliminary report on patentability is communicated to the national (or regional) Offices which the applicant wishes to grant him, a patent on the basis of his international application (the so-called elected Offices”)

1. Title of the invention, names, addresses and Nationality of the inventors; applicants.
2. Complete specification as filed before the International office with claims, drawings and abstract. If the application is filed in a language other than English language then a certified English translation of the same.
3. PCT Application number
4. Copy of PCT/IB/304 or Priority document with date of filing and country. If priority document is in any language other than English, an English translation of the same along with certification in support of the same.
5. 1. Assignment deed where the applicant is not the inventor
   2. Declaration of inventorship by the Applicant,
6. Statement and undertaking regarding status of corresponding Applications in other countries,
7. Power of Attorney to agent (duly stamped),
8. International Search Report
9. International Preliminary Examination Report, if any.
10. Prescribed Fees in cash/by local cheque /by demand draft.

In case of PCT application, request for Examination has to be filed within 48 months from the date of priority.

After a request for examination is filed and the Application has been published in the Patent Journal, the Application will be examined and the Controller will then communicate the report to the Applicant or the Patent agent as the case may be. The Applicant is provided 12 months’ time to respond to the issues raised in the Examination report, without any extension whatsoever. Once objections are met and after expiration of six months from the date of publication and disposal of any pre grant opposition, patent shall be granted and the Grant of the Patent will be published in the Patent Journal and Patent Document shall be issued.

Grant of Patent is valid for 20 years from its date of International filing. It must be renewed every year by paying prescribed fee starting from the third year from the year of filing of International Patent Application within three months of such intimation.

www.wipo.int/pct/en/