The PCT Applicant’s Guide

(Last updated 23 March 2023)

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.

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 (WIPO Standard ST.3) – (formerly Annex K)
Forms
EQE Candidates

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.

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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	IB	-	-	-	-	X	AE
AG	Antigua and Barbuda	X	IB	-	-	-	-	X	AG
AL	Albania	X	X	-	-	-	X	X	AL
AM	Armenia	X	X	-	-	-	-	X	AM
AO	Angola	X	IB	-	-	-	-	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	IB	-	-	-	-	X	BB
BE	Belgium	X	EP	-	-	-	-	EP	BE
BF	Burkina Faso	X	OA	-	-	-	-	OA	BF
BG	Bulgaria	X	X	-	-	-	X	X	BG
BH	Bahrain	X	X	-	-	-	-	X	BH
BJ	Benin	X	OA	-	-	-	-	OA	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	OA	-	-	-	-	OA	CF
CG	Congo	X	OA	-	-	-	-	OA	CG
CH	Switzerland	X	X	-	-	-	X	X	CH
CI	Côte d'Ivoire	X	OA	-	-	-	-	OA	CI
CL	Chile	X	X	X	-	X	X	X	CL
CM	Cameroon	X	OA	-	-	-	-	OA	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	-	-	-	-	EP	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	IB	-	-	-	-	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	-	-	-	-	EP	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	OA	-	-	-	-	OA	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	AP	-	-	-	-	X	GM
GN	Guinea	X	OA	-	-	-	-	OA	GN
GQ	Equatorial Guinea	X	OA	-	-	-	-	OA	GQ
GR	Greece	X	X	-	-	-	-	EP	GR
GT	Guatemala	X	IB	-	-	-	X	X	GT
GW	Guinea-Bissau	X	OA	-	-	-	-	OA	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	-	-	-	-	EP	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
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	OA	-	-	-	-	OA	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	IB	-	-	-	-	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	IB	-	-	-	-	X	LA
LC	Saint Lucia	X	IB	-	-	-	-	X	LC
LI	Liechtenstein	X	CH	-	-	-	-	CH	LI
LK	Sri Lanka	X	IB	-	-	-	-	X	LK
LR	Liberia	X	X	-	-	-	-	X	LR
LS	Lesotho	X	X	-	-	-	-	X	LS
LT	Lithuania	X	X	-	-	-	X	EP	LT
LU	Luxembourg	X	X	-	-	-	X	X	LU
LV	Latvia	X	X	-	-	-	X	EP	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	EP	-	-	-	-	EP	MC
MD	Republic of Moldova	X	X	-	-	-	X	X	MD
ME	Montenegro	X	EP	-	-	-	-	EP	ME
MG	Madagascar	X	IB	-	-	-	-	X	MG
MK	North Macedonia	X	X	-	-	-	X	X	MK
ML	Mali	X	OA	-	-	-	-	OA	ML
MN	Mongolia	X	X	-	-	-	-	X	MN
MR	Mauritania	X	OA	-	-	-	-	OA	MR
MT	Malta	X	X	-	-	-	-	EP	MT
MU	Mauritius	X	X	-	-	-	-	X	MU
MW	Malawi	X	X	-	-	-	-	X	MW
MX	Mexico	X	X	-	-	-	X	X	MX
MY	Malaysia	X	X	-	-	-	-	X	MY
MZ	Mozambique	X	AP	-	-	-	-	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	AP	-	-	-	-	X	NA
NE	Niger	X	OA	-	-	-	-	OA	NE
NG	Nigeria	X	IB	-	-	-	-	X	NG
NI	Nicaragua	X	X	-	-	-	X	X	NI
NL	Netherlands	X	X	-	-	-	-	EP	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	-	-	-	-	EP	SI
SK	Slovakia	X	X	-	-	-	X	X	SK
SL	Sierra Leone	X	AP	-	-	-	-	X	SL
SM	San Marino	X	EP	-	-	-	-	EP	SM
SN	Senegal	X	OA	-	-	-	-	OA	SN
ST	Sao Tome and Principe	X	AP	-	-	-	-	X	ST
SV	El Salvador	X	X	-	-	-	X	X	SV
SY	Syrian Arab Republic	X	X	-	-	-	-	X	SY
SZ	Eswatini	X	AP	-	-	-	-	AP	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	OA	-	-	-	-	OA	TD
TG	Togo	X	OA	-	-	-	-	OA	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	AP	-	-	-	-	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	IB	-	-	-	-	X	VC
VN	Viet Nam	X	X	-	-	-	-	X	VN

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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
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	-	-	XN
XV	Visegrad Patent Institute	X	-	X	X	X	-	-	XV

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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
ZA	South Africa	X	X	-	-	-	X	X	ZA
ZM	Zambia	X	X	-	-	-	-	X	ZM
ZW	Zimbabwe	X	X	-	-	-	-	X	ZW