Filing International Trademark Applications: How to File

How you file your international trademark application depends on your Office of origin – the intellectual property (IP) Office where your “basic mark” (your national or regional trademark) is registered.

Your starting point is eMadrid – our centralized digital hub. It provides all the tools and services you need to file for – and manage – your international trademark registration through the Madrid System.

There are three filing methods available: 

  1. WIPO’s Madrid e-Filing service – available through more than 30 IP Offices, our e-Filing service provides a fully digital and streamlined environment to prepare and submit your application for an international trademark registration. You can communicate directly with your Office of origin and receive and respond to any irregularity notices we issue. 
     
  2. Self-hosted online filing service of your Office of origin – Many IP Offices provide their own infrastructure where you can file your application for an international trademark registration.
     
  3. Downloadable application form – You’ll be guided through the process of completing your application. When you’re ready, you can download it in PDF format and send it to your Office of origin. Important: If you’re seeking protection in the United States of America, you will also need to complete Madrid System Form MM18 – Declaration of intention to use the mark.
     

Get started!

To start your international trademark application: 

  • Log in to eMadrid using your WIPO Account. (Don’t have a WIPO Account? Create one now)
  • Choose “File an application”
  • Go to “Prepare your application”
  • Choose your Office of origin from the drop-down menu in the search box – you’ll be guided to the available filing method (Madrid e-Filing, your Office’s own filing service, or downloadable form)
  • Follow the prompts to complete and submit your application.
     

Tips for completing your international trademark application

  • Select at least one Madrid System member for protection. This cannot be the member where your basic mark (national or regional trademark) is registered – and through which you’re filing your international trademark application.
  • Where relevant, check the information imported from your basic mark is correct. 
  • Add or adjust missing details such as your email address, representative details, etc.
  • If necessary, tailor the list of goods and services that your international trademark registration will cover. Important: You can narrow the list compared to your basic mark – but not broaden it. To protect additional classes not covered by your basic mark, you must first file a new national or regional trademark application through your IP Office.
Be careful! If you narrow the list of goods and services but later on need to reintroduce them, you’ll need to file a new international trademark application. You can then request to merge the two international trademark registrations.

Tools to help you!

Use the Goods and Services Manager under eMadrid to check whether the Madrid System members where you seek protection will accept your full list of goods and services.
Use the Goods and Services Explorer under eMadrid to find out how many times over the last ten years, major IP Offices have accepted specific terms – in different languages – relating to goods and services.  

  • Provide a quality copy (“representation”) of your trademark. (Important: This must be the same as the representation used in your “Basic mark”);

  • Pay all relevant WIPO fees. (Note: We cannot record your international trademark registration unless you have paid all fees.)