What information is required for inventor’s citizenship in a patent application?

This page is an FAQ based on guidance from the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only: it is not legal advice.

For patent applications, the inventor’s citizenship must be provided. According to MPEP 602.08(b), ‘The inventor’s citizenship must be specifically identified in the oath or declaration.’ This requirement applies to both utility and design patent applications. The MPEP further states:

‘It is not sufficient for oath or declaration to merely state that the inventor is a citizen of the ‘United States,’ but the particular state of which the inventor is a citizen must be specified.’

This means that for U.S. citizens, the specific state of citizenship should be mentioned. For non-U.S. citizens, the country of citizenship should be clearly stated.