How does the USPTO handle certified copies for international design applications?

How does the USPTO handle certified copies for international design applications?

For international design applications, the USPTO has a specific process for handling certified copies. According to the MPEP:

‘For international design applications designating the United States, the certified copy requirement is considered to have been met by the filing of the international design application pursuant to 37 CFR 1.55(m).’

This means that if you file an international design application that designates the United States, you don’t need to separately submit a certified copy of the priority document. The filing of the international design application itself fulfills this requirement.

However, it’s important to note that this only applies to international design applications. For other types of patent applications claiming priority to a foreign application, you would still need to ensure that a certified copy is filed or retrievable through the priority document exchange program within the specified time period.