The PCT Applicant’s Guide

(Last updated 25 February 2021)

The PCT Applicant’s Guide is updated almost every week with information received by the International Bureau. Users of the Guide who wish to see when any individual page of the Guide was last updated, can check the date printed at the foot of that page. Each page in the Guide is dated in this way.

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Certain Aspects of National/Regional Patent Laws have been collected by the Standing Committee on the Law of Patents.

International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
AE United Arab Emirates X IB - - - X - X AE
AG Antigua and Barbuda X IB - - - X - X AG
AL Albania X X - - - X X X AL
AM Armenia X X - - - X - X AM
AO Angola X IB - - - X - X AO
AP African Regional Intellectual Property Organization X X - - - X X X AP
AT Austria X X X X X X X X AT
AU Australia X X X - X X X X AU
AZ Azerbaijan X X - - - X - X AZ
International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
BA Bosnia & Herzegovina X X - - - X X X BA
BB Barbados X IB - - - X - X BB
BE Belgium X EP - - - X - EP BE
BF Burkina Faso X OA - - - X - OA BF
BG Bulgaria X X - - - X X X BG
BH Bahrain X X - - - X - X BH
BJ Benin X OA - - - X - OA BJ
BN Brunei Darussalam X X - - - X X X BN
BR Brazil X X X X X X X BR
BW Botswana X X - - - X - X BW
BY Belarus X X - - - X X X BY
BZ Belize X X - - - X - X BZ
International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
CA Canada X X X - X X X X CA
CF Central African Republic X OA - - - X - OA CF
CG Congo X OA - - - X - OA CG
CH Switzerland X X - - - X X X CH
CI Côte d'Ivoire X OA - - - X - OA CI
CL Chile X X X - X X X X CL
CM Cameroon X OA - - - X - OA CM
CN China X X X - X X X X CN
CO Colombia X X - - - X X X CO
CR Costa Rica X X - - - X - X CR
CU Cuba X X - - - X X X CU
CY Cyprus X X - - - X - EP CY
CZ Czechia X X - - - X X X CZ
International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
DE Germany X X - - - X X X DE
DJ Djibouti X X - - - X X X DJ
DK Denmark X X - - - X X X DK
DM Dominica X X - - - X - X DM
DO Dominican Republic X X - - - X - X DO
DZ Algeria X X - - - X - X DZ
International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
EA Eurasian Patent Organization X X - - - X X X EA
EC Ecuador X X - - - X X X EC
EE Estonia X X - - - X - X EE
EG Egypt X X X - X X - X EG
EP European Patent Organisation X X X X X X X X EP
ES Spain X X X - X X X X ES
International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
FI Finland X X X X X X X X FI
FR France X X - - - X - EP FR
International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
GA Gabon X OA - - - X - OA GA
GB United Kingdom X X - - - X X X GB
GD Grenada X X - - - X - X GD
GE Georgia X X - - - X X X GE
GH Ghana X X - - - X - X GH
GM Gambia X AP - - - X - X GM
GN Guinea X OA - - - X - OA GN
GQ Equatorial Guinea X OA - - - X - OA GQ
GR Greece X X - - - X - EP GR
GT Guatemala X X - - - X X X GT
GW Guinea-Bissau X OA - - - X - OA GW
International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
HN Honduras X X - - - X X X HN
HR Croatia X X - - - X X X HR
HU Hungary X X - - - X X X HU
International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
IB World Intellectual Property Organization X X - - - X - - IB
ID Indonesia X X - - - X X X ID
IE Ireland X X - - - X - EP IE
IL Israel X X X - X X X X IL
IN India X X X - X X X X IN
IR Iran (Islamic Republic of) X X - - - X - X IR
IS Iceland X X - - - X X X IS
IT Italy X X - - - X X X IT
International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
JO Jordan X X - - - X X X JO
JP Japan X X X - X X X X JP
International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
KE Kenya X X - - - X X X KE
KG Kyrgyzstan X X - - - X - X KG
KH Cambodia X X - - - X - X KH
KM Comoros X OA - - - X - OA KM
KN Saint Kitts and Nevis X X - - - X - X KN
KP Democratic People's Republic of Korea X X - - - X - X KP
KR Republic of Korea X X X - X X X X KR
KW Kuwait X IB - - - X - X KW
KZ Kazakhstan X X - - - X X X KZ
International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
LA Lao People's Democratic Republic X IB - - - X - X LA
LC Saint Lucia X IB - - - X - X LC
LI Liechtenstein X CH - - - X - CH LI
LK Sri Lanka X IB - - - X - X LK
LR Liberia X X - - - X - X LR
LS Lesotho X X - - - X - X LS
LT Lithuania X X - - - X X EP LT
LU Luxembourg X X - - - X X X LU
LV Latvia X X - - - X X EP LV
LY Libya X X - - - X - X LY
International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
MA Morocco X X - - - X X X MA
MC Monaco X EP - - - X - EP MC
MD Republic of Moldova X X - - - X X X MD
ME Montenegro X X - - - X - X ME
MG Madagascar X IB - - - X - X MG
MK North Macedonia X X - - - X X X MK
ML Mali X OA - - - X - OA ML
MN Mongolia X X - - - X - X MN
MR Mauritania X OA - - - X - OA MR
MT Malta X X - - - X - EP MT
MW Malawi X X - - - X - X MW
MX Mexico X X - - - X X X MX
MY Malaysia X X - - - X - X MY
MZ Mozambique X AP - - - X - X MZ
International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
NA Namibia X AP - - - X - X NA
NE Niger X OA - - - X - OA NE
NG Nigeria X IB - - - X - X NG
NI Nicaragua X X - - - X X X NI
NL Netherlands X X - - - X - EP NL
NO Norway X X - - - X X X NO
NZ New Zealand X X - - - X X X NZ
International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
OA African Intellectual Property Organization X X - - - X - X OA
OM Oman X X - - - X X X OM
International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
PA Panama X X - - - X X X PA
PE Peru X X - - - X X X PE
PG Papua New Guinea X X - - - X - X PG
PH Philippines X X X - X X X X PH
PL Poland X X - - - X X X PL
PT Portugal X X - - - X X X PT
International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
QA Qatar X X - - - X X X QA
International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
RO Romania X X - - - X X X RO
RS Serbia X X - - - X X X RS
RU Russian Federation X X X X X X X X RU
RW Rwanda X X - - - X - X RW
International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
SA Saudi Arabia X X - - - X - X SA
SC Seychelles X X - - - X - X SC
SD Sudan X X - - - X - X SD
SE Sweden X X X X X X X X SE
SG Singapore X X X X X X X X SG
SI Slovenia X X - - - X - EP SI
SK Slovakia X X - - - X X X SK
SL Sierra Leone X AP - - - X - X SL
SM San Marino X EP - - - X - EP SM
SN Senegal X OA - - - X - OA SN
ST Sao Tome and Principe X AP - - - X - X ST
SV El Salvador X X - - - X X X SV
SY Syrian Arab Republic X X - - - X - X SY
SZ Eswatini X AP - - - X - AP SZ
International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
TD Chad X OA - - - X - OA TD
TG Togo X OA - - - X - OA TG
TH Thailand X X - - - X - X TH
TJ Tajikistan X X - - - X X X TJ
TM Turkmenistan X X - - - X X X TM
TN Tunisia X X - - - X - X TN
TR Turkey X X X X X X X X TR
TT Trinidad and Tobago X X - - - X - X TT
TZ United Republic of Tanzania X AP - - - X - X TZ
International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
UA Ukraine X X X X X X X X UA
UG Uganda X X - - - X X X UG
US United States of America X X X - X X X X US
UZ Uzbekistan X X - - - X - X UZ
International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
VC Saint Vincent and the Grenadines X IB - - - X - X VC
VN Viet Nam X X - - - X - X VN
International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
WS Samoa X X - - - X - X WS
International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
XN Nordic Patent Institute X - X X X X - - XN
XV Visegrad Patent Institute X - X X X X - - XV
International Phase National Phase
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization General Information Receiving Offices International Searching Authorities (ISA) ISA
(Supplementary Search)		 International Preliminary Examining Authorities Country Names and Two-Letter Codes Deposits of Biological Material National Chapter Code
Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex SISA Annex E Annex K Annex L Annex
ZA South Africa X X - - - X X X ZA
ZM Zambia X X - - - X - X ZM
ZW Zimbabwe X X - - - X - X ZW