The PCT Applicant’s Guide

(28 September 2023)

The PCT Applicant’s Guide is updated virtually every week with information received from PCT Contracting States and Offices.
The electronic version (“eGuide”) is available since 15 December 2022. Refer to the news item on the launch of the eGuide.

It contains two general parts entitled “Introduction to the International Phase” and “Introduction to the National Phase” respectively, and the various Annexes concerning all Contracting States and Offices divided according to the functions of the Offices. You may navigate through the table below and click the respective icon “X” to access information about a particular State or Office acting in a specific capacity.

Introduction to the International Phase (also available in French, Spanish and Russian)
Introduction to the National Phase (also available in French, Spanish and Russian)
PCT Contracting States (formerly Annex A)
Country Names and Two-Letter Codes (formerly Annex K)
Forms (other useful information)
EQE Candidates (special version of eGuide)

Practical tips (searching and printing in the eGuide)

Until automatic searching and printing tools are added, you can:

search any part or profile of the eGuide using the “Ctrl + F” shortcut, and
print by using “Ctrl + P” or the print functionality of your Web browser. All supported browsers will include the ability to “print to PDF”

PCT Guide Updates – Updates and revisions to the PCT Applicant's Guide. Weekly.

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

The traditional PCT Applicant’s Guide will continue to be available for a transitional period.

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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	Deposits of Biological Material	National Chapter	Code
		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
AE	United Arab Emirates	X	X					X	AE
AG	Antigua and Barbuda	X	X					X	AG
AL	Albania	X	X				X	X	AL
AM	Armenia	X	X					X	AM
AO	Angola	X	X					X	AO
AP	African Regional Intellectual Property Organization	X	X				X	X	AP
AT	Austria	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	AT
AU	Australia	X	X	X		X	X	X	AU
AZ	Azerbaijan	X	X					X	AZ

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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	Deposits of Biological Material	National Chapter	Code
		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
BA	Bosnia & Herzegovina	X	X				X	X	BA
BB	Barbados	X	X					X	BB
BE	Belgium	X	X						BE
BF	Burkina Faso	X	X						BF
BG	Bulgaria	X	X				X	X	BG
BH	Bahrain	X	X					X	BH
BJ	Benin	X	X						BJ
BN	Brunei Darussalam	X	X				X	X	BN
BR	Brazil	X	X	X		X	X	X	BR
BW	Botswana	X	X					X	BW
BY	Belarus	X	X				X	X	BY
BZ	Belize	X	X					X	BZ

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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	Deposits of Biological Material	National Chapter	Code
		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
CA	Canada	X	X	X		X	X	X	CA
CF	Central African Republic	X	X						CF
CG	Congo	X	X						CG
CH	Switzerland	X	X				X	X	CH
CI	Côte d'Ivoire	X	X						CI
CL	Chile	X	X	X		X	X	X	CL
CM	Cameroon	X	X						CM
CN	China	X	X	X		X	X	X	CN
CO	Colombia	X	X				X	X	CO
CR	Costa Rica	X	X					X	CR
CU	Cuba	X	X				X	X	CU
CV	Cabo Verde	X	X					X	CV
CY	Cyprus	X	X						CY
CZ	Czechia	X	X				X	X	CZ

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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	Deposits of Biological Material	National Chapter	Code
		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
DE	Germany	X	X				X	X	DE
DJ	Djibouti	X	X				X	X	DJ
DK	Denmark	X	X				X	X	DK
DM	Dominica	X	X					X	DM
DO	Dominican Republic	X	X				X	X	DO
DZ	Algeria	X	X					X	DZ

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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	Deposits of Biological Material	National Chapter	Code
		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
EA	Eurasian Patent Organization	X	X	X		X	X	X	EA
EC	Ecuador	X	X				X	X	EC
EE	Estonia	X	X					X	EE
EG	Egypt	X	X	X		X		X	EG
EP	European Patent Organisation	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	EP
ES	Spain	X	X	X		X	X	X	ES

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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	Deposits of Biological Material	National Chapter	Code
		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
FI	Finland	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	FI
FR	France	X	X						FR

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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	Deposits of Biological Material	National Chapter	Code
		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
GA	Gabon	X	X						GA
GB	United Kingdom	X	X				X	X	GB
GD	Grenada	X	X					X	GD
GE	Georgia	X	X				X	X	GE
GH	Ghana	X	X					X	GH
GM	Gambia	X	X					X	GM
GN	Guinea	X	X						GN
GQ	Equatorial Guinea	X	X						GQ
GR	Greece	X	X						GR
GT	Guatemala	X	X				X	X	GT
GW	Guinea-Bissau	X	X						GW

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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	Deposits of Biological Material	National Chapter	Code
		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
HN	Honduras	X	X				X	X	HN
HR	Croatia	X	X				X	X	HR
HU	Hungary	X	X				X	X	HU

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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	Deposits of Biological Material	National Chapter	Code
		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
IB	World Intellectual Property Organization	X	X						IB
ID	Indonesia	X	X				X	X	ID
IE	Ireland	X	X						IE
IL	Israel	X	X	X		X	X	X	IL
IN	India	X	X	X		X	X	X	IN
IQ	Iraq	X	X					X	IQ
IR	Iran (Islamic Republic of)	X	X					X	IR
IS	Iceland	X	X				X	X	IS
IT	Italy	X	X				X	X	IT

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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	Deposits of Biological Material	National Chapter	Code
		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
JM	Jamaica	X	X					X	JM
JO	Jordan	X	X				X	X	JO
JP	Japan	X	X	X		X	X	X	JP

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International Phase								National Phase
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		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
KE	Kenya	X	X				X	X	KE
KG	Kyrgyzstan	X	X					X	KG
KH	Cambodia	X	X					X	KH
KM	Comoros	X	X						KM
KN	Saint Kitts and Nevis	X	X					X	KN
KP	Democratic People's Republic of Korea	X	X					X	KP
KR	Republic of Korea	X	X	X		X	X	X	KR
KW	Kuwait	X	X					X	KW
KZ	Kazakhstan	X	X				X	X	KZ

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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	Deposits of Biological Material	National Chapter	Code
		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
LA	Lao People's Democratic Republic	X	X					X	LA
LC	Saint Lucia	X	X					X	LC
LI	Liechtenstein	X	X						LI
LK	Sri Lanka	X	X					X	LK
LR	Liberia	X	X					X	LR
LS	Lesotho	X	X					X	LS
LT	Lithuania	X	X				X		LT
LU	Luxembourg	X	X				X	X	LU
LV	Latvia	X	X				X		LV
LY	Libya	X	X					X	LY

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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	Deposits of Biological Material	National Chapter	Code
		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
MA	Morocco	X	X				X	X	MA
MC	Monaco	X	X						MC
MD	Republic of Moldova	X	X				X	X	MD
ME	Montenegro	X	X						ME
MG	Madagascar	X	X					X	MG
MK	North Macedonia	X	X				X	X	MK
ML	Mali	X	X						ML
MN	Mongolia	X	X					X	MN
MR	Mauritania	X	X						MR
MT	Malta	X	X						MT
MU	Mauritius	X	X				X	X	MU
MW	Malawi	X	X					X	MW
MX	Mexico	X	X				X	X	MX
MY	Malaysia	X	X				X	X	MY
MZ	Mozambique	X	X					X	MZ

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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	Deposits of Biological Material	National Chapter	Code
		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
NA	Namibia	X	X					X	NA
NE	Niger	X	X						NE
NG	Nigeria	X	X					X	NG
NI	Nicaragua	X	X				X	X	NI
NL	Netherlands	X	X						NL
NO	Norway	X	X				X	X	NO
NZ	New Zealand	X	X				X	X	NZ

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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	Deposits of Biological Material	National Chapter	Code
		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
OA	African Intellectual Property Organization	X	X					X	OA
OM	Oman	X	X				X	X	OM

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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	Deposits of Biological Material	National Chapter	Code
		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
PA	Panama	X	X				X	X	PA
PE	Peru	X	X				X	X	PE
PG	Papua New Guinea	X	X					X	PG
PH	Philippines	X	X	X		X	X	X	PH
PL	Poland	X	X				X	X	PL
PT	Portugal	X	X				X	X	PT

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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	Deposits of Biological Material	National Chapter	Code
		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
QA	Qatar	X	X				X	X	QA

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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	Deposits of Biological Material	National Chapter	Code
		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
RO	Romania	X	X				X	X	RO
RS	Serbia	X	X				X	X	RS
RU	Russian Federation	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	RU
RW	Rwanda	X	X					X	RW

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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	Deposits of Biological Material	National Chapter	Code
		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
SA	Saudi Arabia	X	X					X	SA
SC	Seychelles	X	X					X	SC
SD	Sudan	X	X					X	SD
SE	Sweden	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	SE
SG	Singapore	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	SG
SI	Slovenia	X	X						SI
SK	Slovakia	X	X				X	X	SK
SL	Sierra Leone	X	X					X	SL
SM	San Marino	X	X						SM
SN	Senegal	X	X						SN
ST	Sao Tome and Principe	X	X					X	ST
SV	El Salvador	X	X				X	X	SV
SY	Syrian Arab Republic	X	X					X	SY
SZ	Eswatini	X	X						SZ

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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	Deposits of Biological Material	National Chapter	Code
		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
TD	Chad	X	X						TD
TG	Togo	X	X						TG
TH	Thailand	X	X					X	TH
TJ	Tajikistan	X	X				X	X	TJ
TM	Turkmenistan	X	X				X	X	TM
TN	Tunisia	X	X					X	TN
TR	Türkiye	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	TR
TT	Trinidad and Tobago	X	X					X	TT
TZ	United Republic of Tanzania	X	X					X	TZ

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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	Deposits of Biological Material	National Chapter	Code
		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
UA	Ukraine	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	UA
UG	Uganda	X	X				X	X	UG
US	United States of America	X	X	X		X	X	X	US
UZ	Uzbekistan	X	X					X	UZ

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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	Deposits of Biological Material	National Chapter	Code
		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
VC	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	X	X					X	VC
VN	Viet Nam	X	X					X	VN

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Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization		General Information	Receiving Offices	International Searching Authorities (ISA)	ISA (Supplementary Search)	International Preliminary Examining Authorities	Deposits of Biological Material	National Chapter	Code
		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
WS	Samoa	X	X					X	WS

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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	Deposits of Biological Material	National Chapter	Code
		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
XN	Nordic Patent Institute	X	X	X	X	X			XN
XV	Visegrad Patent Institute	X	X	X	X	X			XV

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Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization		General Information	Receiving Offices	International Searching Authorities (ISA)	ISA (Supplementary Search)	International Preliminary Examining Authorities	Deposits of Biological Material	National Chapter	Code
		Annex B	Annex C	Annex D	Annex SISA	Annex E	Annex L	Annex
ZA	South Africa	X	X				X	X	ZA
ZM	Zambia	X	X					X	ZM
ZW	Zimbabwe	X	X					X	ZW