What are the requirements for the certified copy of the foreign priority application?

A certified copy of the foreign application must be filed within the time period set in 37 CFR 1.55, which is the later of four months from the filing date of the US application or sixteen months from the foreign application filing date.

The certified copy requirement will be considered satisfied in a national stage application under 35 U.S.C. 371 if a certified copy was filed in the international application and the copy is present in the national stage application. See MPEP § 215.

A certified copy is also not required if the foreign priority application was filed in a participating foreign intellectual property office and the USPTO retrieves a copy via the priority document exchange program. See MPEP § 215.01.

An interim copy of the foreign application may also be filed to meet the timeliness requirement. See 37 CFR 1.55(j) and MPEP § 215.02(b).