July 21, 2023
Since June 2022, the Japan Patent Office has started receiving online applications through the web service "Madrid e-Filing". This service will undergo an update on August 1, 2023.
Prior to the update, filing an international application through the Madrid e-Filing was possible only when the information of the basic mark was available on WIPO’s Global Brand Database (GBD). Users who had just filed a new basic application usually had to wait for a few months before the information is available on the GBD. As such, users could only file an international application though the Madrid e-Filing after the wait or submit Form MM2 instead.
Following the update, it is now possible for users to file international applications using Madrid e-Filing, regardless of whether the information of the basic mark could be found on the GBD or not.
For further details on how to use the service, please refer to the user manual "How to use Madrid e-Filing" and the document "Frequently asked questions on Madrid e-Filing" on the Japan Patent Office’s website. These documents will also be updated following the update of the service on August 1, 2023.