Patent Law FAQ

Yes, it is possible to claim priority to multiple foreign applications in a U.S. patent application, provided certain conditions are met:

• Each foreign application must independently meet the requirements for a priority claim
• The U.S. application must be filed within 12 months of the earliest filed foreign application
• The claimed subject matter must be supported by each application for which priority is claimed

When claiming multiple priorities, the U.S. application gets the benefit of each prior application only for the subject matter that it supports. This allows applicants to combine priority claims to protect inventions that were developed and disclosed progressively over time in different countries.