The PCT Applicant’s Guide

(2 February 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.

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”

Email updates

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

Sign up | All WIPO newsletters

Related

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.

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
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
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

X

 CV
CY Cyprus

X

X

 CY
CZ Czechia

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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
MW Malawi

X

X

X

 MW
MX Mexico

X

X

X

X

 MX
MY Malaysia

X

X

X

 MY
MZ Mozambique

X

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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
WS Samoa

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 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
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
ZA South Africa

X

X

X

X

 ZA
ZM Zambia

X

X

X

 ZM
ZW Zimbabwe

X

X

X

 ZW